Real Madrid have officially secured the future of one of their brightest academy prospects after Enzo Alves penned his first professional contract with the club on Monday. The 16-year-old striker, who is the son of club legend Marcelo, has already made waves at Valdebebas with a prolific goalscoring record and has now committed his long-term future to the Spanish giants in a deal that includes a significant release clause to ward off interest from European rivals.
The final round of league phase fixtures in the 2025-26 Champions League is finally upon us, and it promises to be the most dramatic yet. Only table toppers Arsenal and Bayern Munich have already secured automatic qualification for the round of 16, with the former boasting a 100 percent record through their first seven games, while just four clubs have been eliminated so far: Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Villarreal and Kairat.
Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca is said to be 'enamoured' with striker Endrick who has made a flying to start life with the French side. The Brazilian striker made the move to the Ligue 1 giants earlier this month and has gone on to become a mainstay for OL in the opening weeks of his time in France. Indeed, Endrick has been directly involved in four goals in his opening two league outings for Lyon.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was said to have been told to 'find a new club' by interim Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa, having struggled to settle in Spain on the back of his 2025 move from Liverpool, but those reports have since been rubbished. The truth is now emerging, with the England international considered to still be an important part of Los Blancos’ plans.
Kylian Mbappe is being backed to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with former France international Bacary Sagna telling GOAL why the Real Madrid superstar is destined to land a prestigious Golden Ball at some stage. He is considered to be the leading contender to claim that prize in a World Cup year, as he prepares to chase down a second global title with Les Bleus.
Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos has taken a huge step towards completing a takeover of his boyhood club. The World Cup-winning defender has not announced his retirement from playing, with a new team being sought at 39 years of age, but he does form part of a consortium that are bidding to take control of La Liga heavyweights at Sevilla, where he began his career.
Real Madrid loanee Endrick, who has enjoyed an impressive start to life in France on the back of his loan transfer during the winter window, struck a stunning hat-trick for Lyon in their 5-2 victory over Metz. The Brazil international is playing with a smile again, having endured a tough time in Spain, and has already fully endeared himself to an excited new fan base.
Kylian Mbappe dedicated his successful Panenka penalty against Villarreal to Real Madrid team-mate Brahim Diaz following his Africa Cup of Nations nightmare. The Morocco international had a brilliant AFCON but crucially missed his Panenka spot-kick in their final loss to Senegal. Nearly a week on from that heartbreak, Mbappe paid tribute to the 26-year-old at Villarreal in a 2-0 win.
Kylian Mbappe scored two and Real Madrid were solid defensively in a relatively uneventful 2-0 win over Villarreal. Los Blancos were far from brilliant, but they were effective, and grabbed two second-half goals to secure a victory that sent them top of La Liga for at least 24 hours, ahead of rivals Barcelona playing Oviedo on Sunday afternoon, with the chance to put themselves back at the summit.
Three years on from his seismic arrival at Chelsea after one of the most dramatic transfer sagas in recent memory, Enzo Fernandez is facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. Supposedly growing disillusioned with life under BlueCo, the midfielder has been linked with some of Europe's biggest clubs - and his current employers are said to be willing to do business.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has confessed that the club’s ongoing contract standoff with Vinicius Junior is completely out of his hands, despite expressing his desperate hope that the Brazilian superstar remains at the Bernabeu. The future of the Ballon d'Or contender remains uncertain, with the forward’s representatives currently in the capital, yet fresh speculation over a lucrative exit refuses to disappear.
Alvaro Arbeloa has navigated a turbulent start to life in the Real Madrid dugout, with details emerging of a significant tactical and cultural shift from the Xabi Alonso era. Reports from the Spanish capital reveal that the dressing room has responded positively to Arbeloa’s "direct" methods, while a hostile reception from the Bernabeu has had the unexpected consequence of uniting a fractured squad following their Copa del Rey humiliation.
England legend John Barnes has leapt to the defence of Jude Bellingham, dismissing recent criticism of the Real Madrid star’s off-pitch lifestyle as "exaggerated" and insisting that the midfielder’s behaviour is not a cause for concern. The former Liverpool winger believes that the scrutiny surrounding Bellingham’s social life is merely a by-product of a dip in form, predicting that the noise will vanish the moment the 22-year-old returns to his prolific best.
Chelsea icon Eden Hazard has officially swapped goals for grapes, embarking on a surprising new career venture as a winemaker. The 35-year-old former winger, who dazzled the Premier League for seven years with his electrifying dribbling, has teamed up with Italian wine tycoon Fabio Cordella to launch his own signature range of reds and whites. It marks a sophisticated pivot for the Belgian ace, who has largely kept a low profile since hanging up his boots in 2023.
A retirement plan for Cristiano Ronaldo has been teased as Saudi Pro League officials reportedly line up 50 big-name players to join CR7 in the Middle East before the day comes for him to hang up his boots. More high-profile additions, such as Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes, will help the division to retain interest heading towards the 2034 World Cup.
Vinicius Junior’s future at Real Madrid remains up in the air as the Saudi Pro League reportedly remain in discussions with the Brazil star's camp over a big-money move to the Middle East this summer. The winger has endured a difficult season with the Spanish giants, having been routinely whistled by the Los Blancos faithful following a recent goal drought which stretched back to October.
Virgil van Dijk says it was “disrespectful” for Arne Slot to be asked about speculation linking Xabi Alonso with his job as Liverpool manager. The Reds boss laughed off what he described as “one of the weirdest questions” in the build up to his side’s Champions League victory over Marseille on Wednesday - but his compatriot has now criticised the journalist who asked it.
Manchester United have suffered a historic financial blow, falling to eighth in the Deloitte Football Money League and dropping below rivals Liverpool and Arsenal for the first time in the report's history. The data highlights the severe cost of their nightmare 2024-25 campaign where they finished 15th, marking a new low for the club under the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dream move to Real Madrid has quickly turned into a nightmare, with it being reported that the ex-Liverpool defender has been told to find a new club. The England international headed to Spain in 2025 after running down his contract at Anfield, but has found the going tough at Santiago Bernabeu and is being deemed surplus to requirements.
Manchester United defender Leny Yoro has snubbed club icon Rio Ferdinand in a battle of defensive legends, crowning Sergio Ramos as his ultimate centre-back instead. In an exclusive interview with GOAL, in association with adidas, the French teenager explained his decision-making process, admitting his own playing style mirrors Ferdinand’s but ultimately gave the nod to the Real Madrid hero.
Gareth Bale has pinpointed exactly why Xabi Alonso’s tenure at Real Madrid ended in failure, claiming the Spaniard fell short in one crucial area despite his tactical brilliance. The five-time Champions League winner believes the unique pressure of the Santiago Bernabeu requires a "manager" capable of handling fragile egos rather than a tactical "coach", a nuance he suggests proved fatal for his former colleague.
Franco Mastantuono has hit back at his critics after scoring in Real Madrid’s 6-1 Champions League demolition of Monaco, insisting he is neither the "new Lionel Messi" nor the "worst signing" in the club's history. The Argentine teenager opened up on his difficult start to life in Spain following the victory, revealing he has "not forgotten" the harsh words said about him while issuing a passionate defence of team-mate Jude Bellingham.
Jude Bellingham said his celebration against Monaco was "a bit of a joke" after he scored in Real Madrid's crushing 6-1 victory on Tuesday night. The England international has been the subject of allegations regarding his personal life and was among the Madrid players who were whistled by fans during the recent 2-0 victory over Levante. Bellingham dismissed the reports as "outside noise" after helping Los Blancos beat Ligue 1 side Monaco and move up to second in the Champions League table.
Vinicius Junior has issued an emotional plea to Real Madrid fans after starring in a Champions League 6-1 rout of Monaco, admitting that recent jeers at the Santiago Bernabeu have left him hurting. The Brazilian winger, who insisted "I am human too," also addressed speculation surrounding his future and the recent managerial upheaval, insisting he remains calm about a renewal despite having just over a year left on his contract.