Lists

Xolos, Juárez, Pachuca and Pumas step into the spotlight on Thursday as the Apertura 2025 Play-In round finally unfolds, a mini-bracket that will decide who gets a shot at Tigres and reigning champions Toluca. The format has drawn plenty of criticism, leaving both top seeds staring at nearly 18 days without a competitive minute.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been urged to dig deep once again, with calls growing for Wrexham’s Hollywood hierarchy to make a decisive financial splash in the January transfer window. The Red Dragons arrive at the third international pause of the season in 13th place in the Championship, a mere four points shy of the play-off picture in what has become one of the tightest second-tier campaigns in recent history.

Mexico closed 2025 with another setback - and another chorus of boos - after a 2–1 loss to Paraguay in San Antonio. Following the defeat, Javier Aguirre delivered one of his bluntest critiques yet, questioning both the individual and collective level of his squad. Winless in six straight, the coach acknowledged that Mexico remain well short of where they need to be ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Toni Kroos admits he understands the criticism over his former Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Jr’s behaviour on the pitch, saying the forward’s hot-headed antics can be “annoying”. The Germany icon has weighed in on the conversation surrounding the winger, who issued an apology to Los Blancos’ supporters after reacting angrily to being substituted in last month’s El Clasico with Barcelona.

Naomi Girma has returned to the U.S. women’s national team as manager Emma Hayes named a 26-player squad for the year-ending friendlies against Italy. Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce misses out after suffering an eye socket fracture, while Trinity Rodman was not called in following a limited appearance in the Washington Spirit’s playoff win last weekend.

The USMNT’s player pool keeps growing, and Pochettino suddenly has more depth - and tougher decisions - than ever before.

German giants Bayern Munich are eyeing Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju for a summer move. The Bundesliga champions see Dju as a potential replacement for Nicolas Jackson, who is currently on loan at the club but is not expected to be signed permanently. Bayern are also monitoring Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who is set to become a free agent with his contract expiring this summer.

Former Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz believes a move to Lyon could be the best step for Endrick if the Brazilian leaves the club in January, saying regular minutes matter more than staying on the bench at the Bernabeu. Mariano, who made the same move in 2017 after struggling for game time, says there is "life beyond" Madrid.

Ruben Amorim has moved to temper the growing optimism around Manchester United as he insisted that the club’s recent upturn in form is no cause for complacency. The Portuguese coach stressed that his team remain "far from perfection", even though they are currently on a five-match unbeaten run and showed signs of improvement before the latest international break.

Former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has proposed a new points-based plan to bring an end to the Premier League’s reliance on set pieces and encourage more attractive football. The ex-France international is frustrated with the direction English football has taken but he has stopped short of criticising his old club, who lead the way when it comes to corners.

He’s following in his father’s illustrious footballing footsteps, and making a big splash on the international football scene, but not in the position, or for the country, many would imagine. Louis Thomas Buffon, son of the legendary former Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi, scored two hat-tricks during the November break in Under-19 European Championship qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has hit out at Real Madrid for hosting an NFL game at the Santiago Bernabeu, accusing the club of hypocrisy after leading the protest against Barcelona’s proposed league fixture against Villarreal in Miami. Tebas said Madrid fought the idea 'as a crusade of integrity," yet welcomed the NFL to their iconic stadium.

Italian side Roma are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur striker Mathys Tel on loan in the January window. Tottenham are not considering a permanent sale but are open to a loan move until the end of the season, having just signed the forward on a permanent basis in the summer. Roma are in the market for a striker after both Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk failed to deliver the expected performances this campaign, leaving the team in need of a more reliable attacking option.

Struggling Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has been told that Arsenal is the perfect place for him to get his career back on track. Mainoo established himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford under former Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, but he has fallen out of favour since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, and serious questions are being asked of his future.

Former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has opened up on Lionel Messi's "difficult" two-year spell at the French club. The Argentina captain joined the Ligue 1 giants on a free transfer in 2021 after ending a two-decade-long relationship with Barcelona, but struggled to settle in his two seasons at Parc des Princes and eventually moved to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023.

Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have mutually agreed to end their eight-year "Visit Rwanda" sponsorship deal at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. The partnership, which sees the "Visit Rwanda" logo printed on Arsenal's sleeves, has been worth a reported £10 million ($13.1m) per year to the club.

The Atlanta United manager knows there’s skepticism around his return, but he’s adamant he can steer the club out of a rough 2025 and spark a turnaround.

Mikel Arteta has explained why his success at Arsenal is down to his "hero" Pep Guardiola while opening up on his first meeting with the legendary Spanish manager at the age of 15. Following his retirement from professional football in 2016, Arteta worked as an assistant coach under Guardiola at Manchester City before taking up his first head coaching project with the Gunners in December 2019.

Real Madrid’s teen sensation Franco Mastantuono has weighed into the GOAT debate and risked the wrath of the Bernabeu faithful by claiming former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi deserves that title, not Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo have traded titles and accolades at the world’s biggest clubs and at international tournaments for years, but Mastantuono believes his Argentina colleague has the edge as the finest player in history.

Legendary coach Arrigo Sacchi has slammed the Italy squad after their 4-1 loss to Norway in World Cup qualification, saying that manager Gennaro Gattuso may need to take them back to the basics to rebuild their confidence and overall structure. The Azzurri, having missed out on the last two World Cups, will have to navigate the play-offs to secure a place at the competition next year after finishing second in their qualifying group.

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has opened up about the controversy surrounding Thomas Tuchel’s exit and revealed that the 2017 team bus bomb attack played a major role in the breakdown of his relationship with the German coach. Tuchel spent two seasons with the Bundesliga club and won the DFB-Pokal in 2017 before being dismissed, a decision that Watzke says he regrets.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Issa Kabore suffered a serious hamstring injury while on international duty with Burkina Faso. Kabore will now spend time with parent club Manchester City to have treatment, and Wrexham have been informed of how long they can realistically expect him to be out.

Carlo Ancelotti has explained why he ordered Estevao Willian to hand Brazil's second penalty to Lucas Paqueta in the draw against Tunisia, with the West Ham star's subsequent miss proving costly for the Selecao. The five-time world champions squandered a host of chances throughout the 90 minutes as they limped to a 1-1 draw against the African nation in their final international match of 2025.

Germany sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a dominant 6-0 win over Slovakia, and former captain Lothar Matthaus believes the team can challenge the likes of England, France and Portugal for the title despite a shaky qualifying campaign and recent tournament struggles. The 1990 World Cup winner insists there is no reason for fear if the team maintains the intensity shown in Monday's win.

It’s exactly twenty years since Ronaldinho's masterclass in El Clasico, where his two stunning solo goals helped Barcelona to a memorable 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian superstar's performance was so impressive that he even received a standing ovation from the Real Madrid faithful. Now, Marcus Rashford is leading the promotional material for the release of Barca's 2025-26 fourth kit to celebrate that momentous victory.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has issued a concerning update on Arsenal star Kai Havertz. The German forward has not played for the Gunners since picking up a knee injury in a training session following their season opener against Manchester United. Havertz subsequently underwent surgery, but no firm return date has been set, and his recovery could take longer than expected after this new setback.

Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font has promised that the first thing he will do if he defeats current incumbent Joan Laporta is to call Lionel Messi. The Argentine recently returned to the under-construction Camp Nou, fuelling speculation about a possible move back to the club. Font added that he would like Messi back at Barcelona in any capacity.

Ruben Amorim is reportedly set to call on Eric Cantona, David Beckham and four other Manchester United legends in a bid to take his squad rebuild to the next level. The Red Devils endured a nightmare 2024-25 campaign but have shown signs of improvement in the first half of the new season, and sit seventh in the Premier League table after winning three and drawing two of their last five matches.

Manchester City and Australia star Mary Fowler has revealed she and another team-mate were the victims of a vile racist prank after their final game for Montpellier. The incident, which occurred in 2020, came after other departing players had received flowers. Fowler, one of only a few players of colour on the squad, called the act "hard to laugh off" and questioned whether it was "just a simple error".