Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen missed out as Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi won the African Player of the Year award. The Moroccan full-back collected the honour on Wednesday evening, sealing a triumphant year in which he won the treble, including the Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League trophy. The only blemish was PSG’s defeat in the Club World Cup final to Chelsea in New York, where he was forced to settle for a silver medal.
Barcelona reportedly asked star striker Robert Lewandowski to "stop scoring goals" at the end of his first season with Barcelona for a bizarre reason. A newly published biography has thrown the Blaugrana back under the microscope, revealing an extraordinary episode that took place behind the scenes during the closing stretch of the 2022-23 La Liga season.
Manchester United suffered their first Women’s Champions League defeat of the season in a mistake-ridden 5-2 loss at Wolfsburg on Wednesday. The Red Devils have now lost three of their last four games in all competitions after they were put to the sword by She-Wolves striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who scored twice on the night - including a first-half stunner.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is reportedly set to sign a new contract extension with the Gunners that will run until 2030. Talks with the Premier League leaders are now said to be in their "final stages" and Mikel Arteta's side are hopeful the England international will put pen to paper on his new contract at the club before the end of the calendar year.
Between breakout performances and returning stars making noise, the U.S. leave November camp with momentum - and something close to genuine belief. GOAL’s writers unpack the key storylines that emerged.
Cristiano Ronaldo put out a message on social media after attending a White House dinner with Donald Trump. The event was attended by influential figures from global business, technology and sport, and it marked Ronaldo’s first public appearance in the United States since 2016. The black-tie gathering was arranged as part of efforts to strengthen the expanding political and economic relationship between Washington and Riyadh. Ronaldo’s presence alongside the Saudi delegation once again highlighted how prominently the Al-Nassr forward now features in the kingdom’s soft-power and sporting strategies.
Arsenal summer signing Eberechi Eze has opened up to former team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast and lifted the lid on his new life with the Gunners. The England international has explained which Arsenal player has impressed him the most so far and revealed what it's like to work with manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal star Eberechi Eze joined Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the Best Mode On Podcast, where he revealed that he preferred watching Chelsea legend Eden Hazard over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar while he was growing up. Eze, now a central figure in Mikel Arteta’s evolving Arsenal side, said Hazard’s unique blend of flair, freedom and fearlessness left a deep impression on him.
Eberechi Eze opens up on his journey to becoming an Arsenal and England star with former team-mate Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast.
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.
In the latest episode of the Beast Mode On podcast, Adebayo Akinfenwa sits down with Arsenal and England star Eberechi Eze to discuss his incredible journey from suffering multiple club rejections as a teenager, to becoming one of the Three Lions' most gifted players. The pair, who were team-mates at Wycombe, relive their days together in the EFL, and talk through Eze's emotional return to his boyhood team last summer.
Europe’s top players have little time to rest following the international break. Due to busy schedules, there may be value in betting against some clubs.
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.
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.