Alisha Lehmann inadvertently fired a wayward shot into an unsuspecting cameraman while recreating Ronaldinhoâs iconic crossbar challenge. The Switzerland international, who now plays her club football in Italy for Como Women, is a clean striker of the ball. Not every effort can be struck perfectly, though, meaning that the odd apology and comforting hug has to be handed out.
Manchester Cityâs title defence has been plunged into chaos following a devastating triple injury blow that leaves Pep Guardiola with a threadbare defence. The City boss has confirmed that Ruben Dias will miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Josko Gvardiol is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a leg fracture. To compound matters, Guardiola admitted he has "no idea" when John Stones will return.
Manchester United are searching for a new manager following Monday's bombshell decision to sack Ruben Amorim. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Erik ten Hag, Sir Gareth Southgate to Jose Mourinho - 442oons imagines who would turn up for the MUFC Factor auditions, with bonus material from Chelsea's search for a new boss!
Joao Felix considers fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo to be a âuniqueâ talent and credits the five-time Ballon dâOr winner with helping to make him a better player. Former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea forward Felix joined CR7 at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in the summer of 2025. They are now in the process of chasing down major honours together.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered his sympathy to Ruben Amorim following his sacking by Manchester United. The Catalan coach insisted that margins in the Premier League are incredibly fine and pointed to significant injury crises as key factors, while labelling the departing Portuguese boss as a 'top manager' who deserved more time to implement his process at Old Trafford.
The grieving family of Maddy Cusack have expressed their fury after the inquest into her tragic death was delayed yet again. Their lawyer accused Sheffield United of submitting a massive document just days before Christmas, making it impossible to proceed. The club strongly denies the claims, but the hearing has now been pushed back until June, prolonging the family's agony.
Wayne and Coleen Rooney have been warned that their ÂŁ10 million ($14m) Disney+ documentary could end up doing more harm than good. The Manchester United legend is, alongside his wife and four sons, preparing to welcome cameras into his home. Plenty of entertainment is expected, but life under the spotlight could also lead to the odd divide forming.
Real Madrid have suffered a massive blow ahead of the Spanish Super Cup as Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of the entire tournament with a knee injury. The French superstar will not travel to Saudi Arabia as the club adopts a 'zero risk' policy, though there is a major boost for Xabi Alonso with Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to the squad after injury.
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly pushing Al-Nassr to launch a stunning raid for Antonio Rudiger. The experienced German defender is seeing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu run down and will become a free agent in the summer of 2026 if no extension is agreed. It is claimed that CR7 wants to see the former Chelsea centre-half join him in the Saudi Pro League.
Gerard Pique was subjected to a ruthless prank by fans in Ceuta this weekend, with the Barcelona legend forced to endure Shakiraâs brutal 'diss track' blasting from a passing car moments after watching his FC Andorra side slump to a painful defeat.
Robin Roefs' story reads like a fairy tale. The 22-year-old goalkeeper is only in his second season as a first-choice shot-stopper, and yet he is already considered one of the better No.1s in the Premier League. A place in the Netherlands' starting line-up at the World Cup is now not out of the question for the latest of GOAL's Hidden Gems.
Frustrated Strasbourg fans have called out the clubâs âhumiliating subservience to Chelseaâ after seeing head coach Liam Rosenior take the reins at Stamford Bridge. The highly-rated 41-year-old has signed a long-term contract in west London after seeing his stock rise while working with one of the Bluesâ sister clubs in Ligue 1. Those left behind in France are unimpressed at how that managerial merry-go-round played out.
Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl caused a stir this weekend by admitting his ultimate career dream is to join Real Madrid, despite currently developing at the Allianz Arena. While such comments often irritate the Bavarian faithful, club legend Lothar Matthaus has surprisingly defended the 17-year-old, drawing parallels with Robert Lewandowski and Florian Wirtz while revealing his own failed move to the Bernabeu.
Nottingham Forest full-back Ola Aina is the latest big-name guest to join Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On Podcast. The talented Nigeria international, who left Chelsea in a permanent move to join Serie A side Torino in 2019, discusses life under Jose Mourinho with the Blues, his decision to return to the Premier League, the challenge of taking on Cristiano Ronaldo and much, much more
Explosive details regarding the final weeks of Ruben Amorimâs tenure at Manchester United have emerged, with reports revealing that the Portuguese coach and defender Lisandro Martinez "squared up" to one another during a heated training ground confrontation in December. The Argentine World Cup winner reportedly confronted his manager in an "intense" manner over a lack of playing time, though the incident ultimately earned him the captain's armband.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has responded to the speculation suggesting that he could be one of the names being considered by Manchester United to succeed Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. The Red Devils find themselves in the market for a new boss and are expected to wait until the summer before making a permanent appointment. Howe does not consider himself to be in the frame.
Kobbie Mainoo appears to have mocked Ruben Amorimâs dismissal as Manchester United manager, with the England international midfielder having struggled for game time under the Portuguese coach. Amorim was relieved of his duties on January 5 and while many players at Old Trafford have wished him well, Mainooâs activity on social media has raised a few eyebrows.
Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea, bringing an emotional end to his successful tenure at Strasbourg. The 41-year-old described the move to Stamford Bridge as an "honour" he simply could not refuse, citing the allure of the Club World Cup champions and a desperate desire to return home to his family.
Victor Osimhen marred Nigeria's commanding 4-0 victory over Mozambique with a shocking display of petulance that stunned spectators. The striker squared up to team-mate Ademola Lookman mid-game before demanding to be subbed off and storming onto the team bus alone, leaving his colleagues to celebrate reaching the Africa Cup Of Nations quarter-finals without him.
Sebastian Soto, who was once billed as a future superstar for the USMNT, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 25. A statement on Instagram has confirmed that the California native will be hanging up his boots. His is a story of unfulfilled promise, with the former striker - who earned two senior international caps - failing to deliver on his potential.
Owen Hargreaves has called on Manchester United to reinstate Marcus Rashford to the first-team fold following the dramatic sacking of Ruben Amorim, insisting the exiled forward is a "special player" who was unfairly burdened with the club's struggles before being forced out to Barcelona.
This is Legacy, GOALâs feature and podcast series following the road to the 2026 World Cup. Every week, we dive into the stories and legacies that shaped footballâs greatest nations. This time we turn to Brazil, who are facing an identity crisis as they look to avoid the longest gap between global titles in the country's history. From the magic of 2002 to the heartbreaks that followed, itâs the story of a footballing superpower still searching for itself - and for its next star to lift the weight of a nation.
It is reported that senior players at Manchester United felt as though âinsecureâ Ruben Amorim had lost control of the dressing room prior to his sudden dismissal as Red Devils boss. The Portuguese saw a 14-month reign, across 420 days, brought to a close on January 5. He is considered to have become a âmumblingâ shadow of his former self before the axe finally fell.
Ruben Amorim may have delivered dismal results on the pitch for Manchester United, but he remained a fascinating coach to watch due to his tendency for drama whenever he was near a microphone. The Portuguese charmed journalists in his unveiling in November 2024 and from then on his press conferences became appointment viewing as you never knew what he might say.
Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has issued a furious ultimatum to the club's hierarchy, vowing to cancel his season tickets if they appoint Enzo Maresca as the next permanent manager. The 'Class of 92' icon believes the "City-fication" of the club's boardroom has already gone too far and insists he cannot stomach a former rival coach taking charge at Old Trafford following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
Petr Cech made a shock return to football when gracing Baller League UK, as he reunited with former Chelsea team-mate John Terry, but the legendary Czech keeper - who is now 43 years of age - was left red-faced when conceding a âgoal of the seasonâ contender. Cech was unable to help Terryâs team, the 26ers, secure a top-four finish and a place in the finals.
Brazilian sensation Endrick has opened up about the heart-to-heart conversation with Carlo Ancelotti that led to his January loan move to Lyon. The teenager revealed the Brazil head coach urged him to seek regular minutes elsewhere to aid his development ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while he also explained why the Portuguese connection in France made the Ligue 1 giants the perfect destination.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly "under consideration" as Manchester United search for a caretaker or interim manager to take over from Ruben Amorim, just over four years after he himself was sacked by the Red Devils. Darren Fletcher will lead the team in the immediate short-term, but the club is expected to name someone else in charge for the coming months, before a final permanent appointment is ultimately made ahead of next season.
In an interview with The Business podcast released on October 9, Manchester United part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe vowed that Ruben Amorim would get "three years to demonstrate he is a great coach", while stressing the need for patience in the club's "long-term plan". Yet here we are, barely three months later, and Amorim has been unceremoniously kicked out of Old Trafford, with United having communicated their belief that "it is the right time to make a change" in order to "give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish".
There's a nostalgic feel to Chelsea's sudden firing of a manager and the mad scramble to bring in a successor midway through a season. The difference on this occasion is they are not a team stacked with world-class players in pursuit of the Premier League title, rather a middling assembly of young starlets with little hope of immediate success.