Virgil Van Dijk has lambasted his Liverpool teammates for their defensive record. The reigning Premier League champions have now conceded 20 goals in 11 league games this season after their chastening 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest earlier today. The Dutchman said the Reds are conceding "too many easy goals" and called on the whole team to take responsibility for their defensive woes.
A former Tottenham player has backed one of Thomas Frank's key players to "control" Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the north London derby against Arsenal. Spurs are eighth in the Premier League, whereas the Gunners sit top of the pile heading into Sunday's clash at the Emirates. But one man is predicting Mikel Arteta's side will come unstuck against the Europa League holders.
Manchester City have been fined £3 million by the Premier League over the last two seasons for delaying kick-offs to 30 matches after half-time. The club were forced to pay £2m at the end of the 2023-24 campaign and £1m last term for taking too long to emerge after the break following Pep Guardiola's lengthy team talks. The coach has also been warned about holding press conferences too late in the day.
Wrexham earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw as an inspired Arthur Okonkwo helped his side withstand an Ipswich Town onslaught at Portman Road. Phil Parkinson's men mustered just two shots to the home team's 18 and were greatly indebted to Okonkwo's brilliance in goal. While many will be concerned about their attack, their defence held steadfast once more in the Championship.
Two contentious first half refereeing decisions made headlines at Anfield on Saturday. The VAR first saw no reason to chalk off Murillo's opener, despite Liverpool's players protesting that an offside player interfered with Alisson's line of sight. Moments later, Igor Jesus' effort was disallowed for handball, despite replays showing the ball did not touch the striker's arm.
Michael Olise stole the show with a brace and three assists while Harry Kane continued his incredible scoring record as Vincent Kompany's men pumped six goals past Freiburg. The French international was simply sensational as he turbocharged Bayern's comeback after the defending champions fell behind by two goals within 17 minutes.
Enzo Maresca has revealed Reece James' half-time substitution during Chelsea's 2-0 win away at Burnley was a planned switch. The Blues' skipper was replaced by fellow right back Malo Gusto, as the west London club prepare for a crucial week in their season. Maresca's men square off against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting rivals Arsenal next Sunday.
Marcus Rashford will have to wait a little longer to play in Barcelona's newly reopened Camp Nou after being ruled out of their clash with Athletic Club. The Manchester United loanee has enjoyed an excellent start to life with the Catalan outfit, contributing a hatful of goals and assists. But the Blaugrana say he will not feature in Saturday's La Liga encounter as they try to close in on rivals Real Madrid.
Jose Mourinho was far from happy with his Benfica side, as they scraped through the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal with a 2-0 win over minnows Atletico CP. The Special One unleashed an explosive post-match rant against his starting eleven, claiming he would have made nine substitutions at half time, if allowed. He went on to call some of his players' attitudes "unacceptable".
Bayern Munich have suffered a major blow ahead of their table-topping Champions League clash with Arsenal after Luis Diaz was handed a three-game ban for his red card against Paris Saint-Germain. The Colombia international will subsequently miss his side’s trip to the Emirates Stadium after committing a dangerous challenge on defender Achraf Hakimi.
Mason Greenwood sparked a mass brawl after scoring his opening goal in Marseille’s feisty 5-1 win over Riviera rivals Nice in Ligue 1 on Friday evening. The former Manchester United forward is now the leading goalscorer in France's top flight after netting a brace in a victory which saw Roberto De Zerbi’s side leapfrog Paris Saint-Germain at the summit.
Barcelona’s long-awaited Camp Nou return has been anything but calm. Hansi Flick welcomes the timely comebacks of Raphinha and goalkeeper Joan Garcia, but the uncertainty around Marcus Rashford's illness, and Frenkie de Jong's suspension casts a shadow over a crucial weekend. With Pedri still monitored closely, Barca step into their homecoming fighting fitness as much as form.
Thierry Henry has anointed the side most likely to challenge Arsenal for this season's Premier League title. Mikel Arteta's men have finished second for three seasons in a row but this term, they look ready to finish at the top of the pile. But the Gunners legend says there is one rival you "don't want on your shoulder".
FIFA has released its final rankings of 2025, with the U.S. Men’s National Team rising to No. 14 after wins over Paraguay and Uruguay. Mexico dropped to No. 15 following a draw and a defeat, leaving the U.S. as CONCACAF’s highest-ranked side to close the year. Spain remain No. 1, while Brazil returned to the top five.
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.
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.
U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter delivered an impressive opening spell in the Americans’ friendly against Uruguay, scoring his first national team goal from a well-placed set piece in the 17th minute. Minutes later, he set up Alex Freeman for his first international goal, assisting on a driven header to give the U.S. an early boost.
On a historic night for Scottish football that ended what will be come next summer a 28-year absence from the World Cup, Scott McTominay scored the best goal of his career by launching himself into the air to set the tone for a crunch qualifier against Denmark in Glasgow. The Napoli midfielder and reigning Serie A Player of the Year is having the time of his life for both club and country right now.
Scotland are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean all scored incredible goals to inspire the Tartan Army to a 4-2 victory over Denmark in Tuesday's do-or-die qualifier. The hosts needed all three points, whereas the Danes would have qualified with a draw. And in a frantic see-saw battle until stoppage time, Scotlan emerged triumphant.
England have been eliminated from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in spectacular fashion, losing 4-0 against Austria in the round of 16. Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez's red card shortly after the Young Lions fell behind early in the second half proved to be a crucial moment, with Austria eventually going on to run up the score-line in the latter stages of the knockout tie.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has admitted that he found it strange how Queens Park Rangers played the final moments of their historic game against Manchester City in May 2012, adding fuel to a longstanding conspiracy theory peddled by Wayne Rooney that Manchester United were done out of the title. Sergio Aguero's last-ditch winner famously secured the title for City instead.
Germany needed only to avoid defeat to guarantee their 2026 World Cup spot when they faced Slovakia at the Red Bull Arena on Monday night. Following a sub-par campaign, which included a 2-0 loss in Slovakia back in September, Die Mannschaft booked their trip stateside in fine fashion as Julian Nagelsmann's side slaughtered the Falcons, easing to a 6-0 victory.
Santiago Giménez’s future at AC Milan has become increasingly uncertain, even though his contract runs through 2029. Local reports suggest the Mexican striker may be nearing the end of his spell at San Siro, drawing interest from several clubs across Europe - including a surprising contender in the Premier League with Sunderland.
Alejandro Zendejas’ standout form with Club América has put him on the radar of several MLS clubs. Fresh off a strong Apertura 2025, the USMNT winger is drawing interest from LA Galaxy, Atlanta United, and the Portland Timbers, who see an opening to lure América’s top star back to the league where he began his career. The 27-year-old has five goals and three assists in 10 appearances this season.
Raúl Jiménez did not hold back after Mexico’s scoreless draw with Uruguay, calling out the Torreón crowd for repeatedly booing goalkeeper Raúl “Tala” Rangel and the rest of the squad. The Fulham striker said the atmosphere left the team “sad,” underscoring the growing disconnect between El Tri and its supporters.
Erling Haaland's quickfire brace secured Norway a superb 4-1 comeback win over Italy to fire his country to their first World Cup since 1998. The Manchester City talisman exploded into the game with two goals in as many minutes as they topped their World Cup qualifying group in style. If the striker can continue his prolific form in front of goal, he could be a huge threat at his first World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel says it gives off a "bad impression" when England players don't embrace the team's collective spirit after Jude Bellingham seemed to take exception to being substituted against Albania. The Real Madrid star returned to the starting lineup for the Three Lions' 2-0 win but was replaced by Morgan Rogers in the second half as the battle for the No.10 spot intensified.
Harry Kane believes England are "one of the favourites" to win next year's World Cup after his brace against Albania. The Three Lions secured a 2-0 win in Tirana to ensure they finished their World Cup qualifying campaign with eight wins out of eight. Now, the Bayern Munich star has sent a warning out to the other contenders for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Brian Gutiérrez has become a top target for several Liga MX clubs this winter, as his newly obtained Mexican passport would allow him to play without occupying a foreign-player slot. GOAL previously reported that Chivas are preparing an offer for the midfielder, and now America and Monterrey - two of Liga MX's richest clubs - are also in the running.