Lists

Manuel Neuer has received the ultimate praise as he celebrates his 40th birthday, with former manager Felix Magath ranking the goalkeeper alongside the greatest players to ever grace the pitch. The Bayern Munich captain, whose future remains a subject of intense speculation, has been categorised in the same bracket as multiple Ballon d'Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Barcelona starlet Fermin Lopez has opened up about his decision to reject a move to Chelsea earlier in his career, insisting he is exactly where he wants to be. The Barca academy graduate is currently enjoying a breakout season that has reportedly caught the eye of Manchester United, but his focus remains firmly on domestic and European dominance with the Catalan giants.

Former Coventry striker Clinton Morrison has told GOAL why there is “always a fear” that Frank Lampard could leave the Premier League-bound Sky Blues and return to Chelsea. In his current coaching post, ex-England international Lampard is close to delivering promotion back into the top-flight. He is, however, seeing a third stint as manager at Stamford Bridge speculated on.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has moved to quell concerns regarding the fractured relationship between Lamine Yamal and Dani Carvajal. The Barcelona wonderkid and Real Madrid captain were involved in a heated confrontation following October's feisty El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu. Despite the domestic animosity, the national team boss insists that international duty transcends club rivalries as La Roja prepare for upcoming fixtures.

The Selecao have been given a wake-up call at the start of the World Cup year. The big talking point afterwards is a player who wasn’t even selected.

Could 2026 finally, FINALLY be England’s year?! Nike have got us believing after dropping the Three Lions’ home and away kits with the World Cup fast approaching. Harnessing the power of the national team at a major tournament, they have captured the mood of a country that is crying out for a unifying moment. Bring on June.

As Mohamed Salah prepares to bid farewell to the Premier League, the Saudi Pro League has emerged as the most likely destination for the 33-year-old. While Al-Nassr remains a financial powerhouse in the region, questions have been raised about how the Egyptian would fit alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon has previously called for more investment in the squad, but there are doubts whether he would want another global superstar sharing the spotlight in Riyadh.

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni revealed he reached out to NFL icon Tom Brady before France’s 2-1 friendly victory over Brazil. Playing at Gillette Stadium, the legendary home of the New England Patriots, Les Bleus secured their first win over the Selecao since 2011. Despite being reduced to 10 men, the French side channelled a "clutch" mentality in front of a heavily pro-Brazilian crowd in Foxborough.

The South American striker picked up an injury during Argentina's last training session

Wherever Marcelo Bielsa has gone in his managerial career, he has left a trail of wonder. It's not always wonder in a positive sense, but it's whimsical and mystifying all the same. From revolutionising Newell's Old Boys to the Argentine national team, from Athletic Club and the Basque Country to Leeds United in West Yorkshire, you will find people deeply touched by the impact of 'El Loco' to differing, extreme degrees.

The Azzurri have reached the World Cup decider, but their performance against Northern Ireland won’t be enough in Zenica.

The first step towards World Cup qualification has been taken. Nevertheless, the pressure on the Italian national team is immense.

Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes. High-level talks have reportedly taken place between the Red Devils and the Brazilian’s representatives as INEOS looks to overhaul the Old Trafford midfield.

Marcelo Bielsa has finally opened up about his four-year absence from Elland Road, citing a powerful sense of nostalgia as the reason he has not returned to Leeds United since his emotional 2022 departure. Now leading Uruguay, the 70-year-old tactical pioneer is back on English soil for a high-profile friendly against the Three Lions at Wembley. Despite his unceremonious sacking, Bielsa remains a cult hero in West Yorkshire for his transformative tenure.

There are new developments regarding the Bosnian gem, who is being tracked by Milan as a future striker: Alajbegovic’s situation has changed.

Only a year on from winning an unbeaten domestic treble, Chelsea's difficulties this season have been well-documented. The Blues are set to be dethroned as English champions for the first time since 2019 and injuries in attack have played a significant role in their shortcomings, forcing Sonia Bompastor to deploy line-ups without a central striker at times. Sam Kerr's performances for Australia at the Asian Cup this month, then, were a welcome sight for Chelsea fans.

"[There’s] a young player who plays for [Borussia] Dortmund called Youssoufa Moukoko," Samuel Eto’o told GOAL when asked who he’d love to see as Barcelona’s next big signing back in October 2020. "[He’s] 15 years of age, and he’s the next top player, for me, after [Lionel] Messi. As Messi gets older, we could prepare the future of Barcelona very well."

At FC Barcelona, defender Alessandro Bastoni is reportedly at the top of their wish list. However, his club, Inter Milan, is reportedly unwilling to cooperate.

The defender is keen on a move to Catalonia, and Inter are scrambling to ensure they are not caught off guard should he leave.

It was a night of equal misfortune for Wales and the Republic of Ireland, who were eliminated from World Cup qualifying. Both teams lost leads in the final minutes before losing painful penalty shootouts to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Czechia, respectively.

Thomas Tuchel has handed Ben White a long-awaited England recall, ending the defender's self-imposed four-year international exile. The Arsenal star, who has not featured for the Three Lions since March 2022, returned to the fold following a late injury to Jarell Quansah. While Tuchel is eager to turn a new page, he has insisted that White must reconcile with squad members who witnessed his abrupt departure from the 2022 World Cup camp.

Jürgen Klopp has spoken out on Mohamed Salah’s departure. The pair enjoyed great success together at Liverpool FC over the course of seven years.

A representative from Juventus attended the World Cup qualifier between Poland and Albania

When Bukayo Saka scored his 13th goal for England against Wales in October and became the highest scoring Arsenal player to play for the Three Lions, one reporter thought it would be a good opportunity to ask Thomas Tuchel to reflect on the winger’s international career. He most likely expected the German to wax lyrical about one of the best players for club and country over the past five years.

The German moved to the capital of Lombardy during the winter break with high hopes and ambitions. As the season draws to a close, little remains of those hopes and ambitions.

Following Borussia Dortmund’s baffling sending-off in Bergamo, UEFA has taken action – suspending Nico Schlotterbeck. Meanwhile, former sporting director Sebastian Kehl is set to return to Borussia. News and rumours about BVB.

Thomas Müller hasn’t ruled out a return to FC Bayern Munich. Uli Hoeneß pokes fun at Liverpool FC. News and rumours about FCB.

The latest report from the Premier League's KMI panel has confirmed that matches involving both Arsenal and Chelsea were impacted by officials failing to make the correct call on the pitch. While the league continues to grapple with the consistency of its refereeing, these latest findings suggest that even the division's biggest clubs are not immune to high-profile blunders.

Viktor Gyokeres was the hero for Sweden on Thursday night as the Arsenal forward's clinical hat-trick secured a 3-1 victory over Ukraine. The result keeps Sweden's dreams of reaching the 2026 World Cup alive, setting up a winner-takes-all play-off showdown with Poland.