Italian national team coach Gennaro Gattuso has apologised to fans after Italy’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Norway. The coach believes the match was split into two distinct halves, with Italy performing well in the first but collapsing in the second due to fear and fragility. Italy now wait for the draw to learn who they will face in the play off in March.
Barcelona are growing increasingly anxious over Ansu Fati’s situation at Monaco, with the French side now reconsidering their €11 million purchase option. After exploding under Adi Hutter, Fati’s minutes and influence have collapsed since Sebastien Pocognoli’s arrival. With the winger goalless in six games, his long-term future has suddenly been thrown wide open.
One of the best midfielders of his era, perhaps the greatest crosser of a football ever and a free-kick taker to rival the best the game has ever produced, David Beckham was a special player to say the least. And yet due to his off-field impact, one of the sport's great champions of the past 30 years is generally forgotten when it comes to referencing the true legends of the game.
London City Lionesses star Freya Godfrey has been handed a maiden call-up to the England squad, as Manchester City duo Lauren Hemp and Grace Clinton return to the fold. Sarina Wiegman has selected 25 players for the upcoming ‘Homecoming Series’ that will see the Euro 2025 winners take on China at Wembley Stadium and Ghana at St Mary’s in Southampton.
Manchester City star Rayan Cherki has been warned by a former France manager that he has "no chance" of playing at the 2026 World Cup in North America. After a memorable campaign with Lyon last season, Cherki broke into the France national team and he is now being picked regularly by Didier Deschamps, having made a positive first impression at City after his summer transfer from the Groupama Stadium.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are yet to oversee a repeat of their Wrexham success in another venture with South American club La Equidad, with that team - which also includes Eva Longoria among its backers - ending the 2025 Colombian top-flight campaign in last place. There is only one way up from the bottom, with a major rebrand set to be delivered in 2026.
Legendary former Real Madrid centre-forward Karim Benzema, who spent the dressing room with Los Blancos head coach Xabi Alonso for five seasons between 2009 and 2014, revealed that he likes the "style of play" implemented by the Spanish manager. Alonso succeeded the iconic Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout at the end of last season and has got off to a good start.
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann was "really proud of the team" after they thumped Slovakia 6-0 in a must-win World Cup qualifying game on Monday. Nagelsmann gave full marks to every single player and praised them for working "like a maniac", as the result ensured Germany's direct passage to next year's World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
Veteran Brazilian defender Thiago Silva is wanted back at AC Milan, according to reports, with the Rossoneri looking to reunite the South American centre-half with his former Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic. Silva is now 41 years of age and back in his homeland with Fluminense, but he is not ready to retire just yet and could be lured back to European football.
Kylian Mbappe’s feud with Paris Saint-Germain has exploded into one of football’s most expensive courtroom battles, with the Real Madrid star now demanding more than €260 million in compensation. PSG have countered with an even bigger €440m claim, as both sides accuse each other of breaches of contract, bad faith and unfair treatment in a case now before a Paris labour court.
A Premier League legend has delivered a brutal verdict on new Manchester United signing Benjamin Sesko, claiming the Slovenian forward "looks like an academy player". Sesko, who moved to Old Trafford from RB Leipzig in the summer for a whopping £74 million ($100m), has so far failed to live up to the hype, scoring only two goals in his first 11 Premier League appearances.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has refused to rule out a future return to Barcelona, stressing that the club has given him everything both as a player and as a coach. However, the former Barcelona manager believes that younger coaches will emerge who will be eager to take on the job, just as excited as he was in his time.
Miami Dolphins star Jack Jones delivered a nod to Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo when gracing the latest NFL International Series game. Said contest took place at Santiago Bernabeu - a venue that Portuguese GOAT Ronaldo once illuminated. Jones took centre stage on this occasion and broke out CR7’s iconic ‘Siuuu’ celebration when delivering his own moment of match-altering brilliance.
Former Al-Nassr forward Anderson Talisca has branded Cristiano Ronaldo "the best in history" while opening up on his experience of sharing a dressing room with the Portuguese legend. Talisca and Ronaldo played together at Al-Nassr for two years before the Brazilian attacker left for Turkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce in January.
Legendary former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has opened up on the possibility of a return to the club, with the Frenchman claiming that he can "never say no" to club president Florentino Perez. Benzema didn't rule out a reunion with his former employers, where he enjoyed a glorious 14-year spell before leaving for Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.
Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has officially announced his support for presidential candidate Victor Font ahead of the 2026 Barcelona elections. Xavi attended Font’s campaign event alongside several distinguished figures. Although he had previously distanced himself from Font’s 2021 campaign, where the ex-midfielder was presented as a central figure in the project, Xavi has now publicly endorsed Font in 2025, signalling renewed alignment between the two.
Neymar has been branded “washed”, with fans reacting to the “sad watch” of seeing the Brazilian icon botch two attempted rainbow flicks during Santos’ surprising win over Palmeiras. Neymar is considered to have performed admirably in that fixture, but questions are being asked of whether the 33-year-old still possesses the kind of magic in his boots that once allowed him to illuminate the world stage.
It's no wonder Camilla Kuver can't stop smiling. After making her Champions League debut only a couple of weeks prior, the 22-year-old has just won her first and second caps for Germany, starting both games against France over the last international break to help her country qualify for the Nations League final. These would be milestones worth celebrating for any player, but they are particularly special for the Wolfsburg defender, given the incredible bad luck she has had with injuries over the past four years.
Barcelona have informed Athletic Club that no away supporters will be permitted at Saturday’s La Liga clash at the partially reopened Camp Nou. The Catalan club say safety regulations under the current licence prevent sectorised access for visiting fans, prompting an unusual restriction just days before their long-awaited homecoming.
Manchester United have reportedly learned the current price tag for a long-term midfield target who has been billed as a replacement for Casemiro. Ruben Amorim wants to invest in a new central midfielder after identifying the position as a weak spot in his lineup. United have prepared a six-man shortlist for the January transfer window.
Karim Benzema has revealed his true feelings about former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after taking in a supposedly frosty reunion with the Portuguese legend during their respective spells in the Saudi Pro League. Benzema and Ronaldo, who were once colleagues at Santiago Bernabeu, are now in the Middle East with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr.
The comedian Dylan Moran once joked that Silvio Berlusconi was "so thoroughly corrupt that every time he smiles, an angel gets gonorrhoea". The former Italian Prime Minister was certainly a dubious character, right until the end of a life that was as extraordinary as it was controversial. Even while battling the health problems to which he eventually succumbed, he continued to generate headlines, in football and far beyond.
Thomas Tuchel has never looked as happy as during the eight months in which he has been in charge of the England team. But now comes the sad part: being away from the players he has grown so fond of until the next international window in March. Despite the cynicism around his appointment, the German has proved to be a fine choice of coach and has given the Three Lions the shake-up they needed.
Alisha Lehmann has seen her house in Italy burgled, with the Como Women star sharing a video on social media of her ransacked bedroom. The Switzerland international was not in at the time of the incident, but is being forced to clean up the mess left behind. Lehmann had been embracing a new challenge with Como, but will now be asking questions of her living arrangements.
Former Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema has heaped praise on Kylian Mbappe's performance, but at the same time, he has acknowledged that he needs more support from his teammates. After emerging as the top goal-scorer in La Liga last term, the French forward has been in steaming form this season, already topping the scoring charts.
U.S. Soccer has appointed Dan Helfrich, former Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP, as its next Chief Operating Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Helfrich will report to CEO and Secretary General JT Batson and oversee the federation’s day-to-day operations. His hiring comes shortly after his retirement from Deloitte in December 2025.
FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders traveling to matches in the United States will be able to receive prioritized U.S. visa interview appointments under a new initiative announced at the White House on Monday. The program - the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) - was introduced by the U.S. Department of State in coordination with the White House Task Force and FIFA.
Liverpool's British record signing Alexander Isak has been warned he must fight for his place after former World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf insisted Hugo Ekitike is the only striker who deserves to start under Arne Slot right now. The Frenchman believes Isak's fitness and form issues mean the £125 million star cannot be guaranteed the starting role ahead of his in-form team-mate.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has confirmed that a game will return to Spain in the foreseeable future. The Santiago Bernabeu, home of La Liga giants Real Madrid, hosted the meeting between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders on Sunday, in which Miami claimed a 16-13 overtime win in the final international game of the 2025 season.
ITV confirmed earlier this month that it is in preliminary discussions to sell its broadcasting business to Sky for £1.6 billion. The talks come as the television industry faces fierce competition from the rise of streaming services such as Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix. The former platforms already own rights to show one Champions League and one La Liga match per gameweek.