Cristiano Ronaldo has been sent home by Portugal following his red card against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday. Ronaldo received his marching orders on the hour mark, his first dismissal of his international career, having elbowed Ireland defender Dara O'Shea, as the Selecao crashed to a surprise 2-0 defeat at the Aviva Stadium. Portugal remain top of World Cup qualifying Group F despite the loss.
Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate has revealed that he gets calls from compatriot Kylian Mbappe every two hours to sign for Real Madrid. The French defender is into the final year of his contract and from January he will be able to hold pre-contract talks with clubs abroad. The Reds, on the other hand, are determined to offer him a new deal to avoid another situation like Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool and England legend Emile, has overtaken Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho with his goals at the Under-17 World Cup. England secured their spot in the last 32 in Qatar as they finished second to Venezuela in Group E. The Young Lions then eased into the last 16 of the tournament as they got the better of South Korea on Saturday.
Tony Meola reacted to Gio Reyna’s showing in the USMNT’s 2-1 win over Paraguay, praising his goal and chance created and noting his importance to the team despite lingering fitness questions. He said Reyna should be encouraged by the performance, which marked a strong return after a long spell away. The 22-year-old played 75 minutes on Saturday.
Balogun and Reyna shone brightly, but there were plenty of other aspects of the USMNT that Mauricio Pochettino will be encouraged by following their win over Paraguay.
Mexico and Uruguay played to a scoreless draw in a match that lacked clear scoring chances. Aside from a good opportunity for Gilberto Mora in the second half, neither Javier Aguirre’s side nor Marcelo Bielsa’s looked comfortable at TSM. It was a midfield-heavy, uneventful game that left Mexico fans frustrated - and saw Hirving Lozano exit with an injury.
Landon Donovan offered a positive assessment of the United States men’s national team following its 2-1 win over Paraguay during the November 2025 friendlies, noting signs that the squad is beginning to form a clearer identity as it continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. He commended the team’s continued progress under the current coaching staff, led by Mauricio Pochettino.
Miles Robinson addressed the altercation that erupted at the end of the United States men’s national team’s 2-1 win over Paraguay during the November 2025 friendlies, offering clarity on how a late throw-in dispute escalated into a bench-clearing confrontation. However, both Robinson and Gio Reyna said the scuffle ultimately reflected the team’s character and commitment to one another.
United States forward Trinity Rodman’s future with the Washington Spirit is reportedly uncertain as she weighs more lucrative offers from overseas. Saturday’s NWSL semifinal win over the Portland Thorns at Audi Field may have been her final home appearance, with her contract set to expire next month and extension talks stalling.
Folarin Balogun scored a crucial goal to put the United States Men’s National Team ahead 2-1 against Paraguay during the November 2025 international window. The strike was Balogun’s third goal in his last four appearances, with Gio Reyna creating the chance moments after ending his own scoring drought with the USMNT’s opener - his first goal since March 2024.
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner delivered a surprisingly defiant assessment after his side suffered a heavy derby defeat at the Etihad. He insisted that Manchester City were “not that far ahead” despite a humbling 3-0 scoreline that leaves United’s title hopes hanging by a thread. United were outplayed from the first whistle to the last as they registered zero shots on target and struggled to generate any attacking threat. The shocking performance comes just three days after their historic 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Women’s Champions League at Old Trafford.
Thomas Tuchel brings an “aura” which can give England a major advantage in their quest to win the World Cup next summer, according to Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain has opened up about what it is like to play under the German head coach, whom he previously worked with during their period together at Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Gio Reyna earned a surprise start and made an immediate impact for the U.S. men’s national team, scoring inside four minutes against Paraguay during the November 2025 international window. The goal was his first for the USMNT since March 2024 and came in his first appearance since March 2025, marking a key step in his return to the squad.
Christian Pulisic hailed Mauricio Pochettino’s effort to instill a more combative, unity-focused identity in the U.S. Men’s National Team, saying that emphasis on fighting for one another is already showing in camp. The AC Milan forward added that the 2026 World Cup continues to fuel both his personal ambitions and the team’s desire to inspire the next generation of American players.
Thomas Tuchel has dropped a massive hint about his potential midfield pairing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be staged next summer. England continued their faultless march toward the 2026 World Cup with a measured and professional 2-0 victory over Serbia on Thursday, and the German manager wants his troops to tap into the winning mentality ahead of the global showpiece event.
Carlo Ancelotti has apologised to Arsenal after Gabriel Magalhaes limped out of Brazil’s friendly win over Senegal, with the Selecao head coach saying the defender now faces a painful wait to discover the severity of the injury. The Gunners centre-back could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining an abductor complaint on Saturday evening.
Ruben Amorim is determined to make Manchester United stronger as they reportedly target two priority signings, including a Premier League star. The Portuguese head coach is determined to reshape a squad that finished a dire 15th last season, United’s lowest-ever finish in the Premier League era. Since replacing Erik ten Hag in November 2024, Amorim has battled inconsistency and has overseen a turbulent first year in charge.
Arsenal have suffered another injury blow in the Premier League title race after Italy confirmed Riccardo Calafiori has withdrawn from international duty due to injury. Azzurri head coach Gennaro Gattuso has announced the defender will miss Sunday’s World Cup qualifier with Norway, on the same day centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes limped out of Brazil’s friendly win over Senegal.
Top bosses of the Portuguese football federation have reportedly begun assembling an urgent appeal to FIFA in an attempt to cut down Cristiano Ronaldo’s three-match suspension, a punishment that currently threatens to rule the 40-year-old out of the opening fixtures of what would be his sixth World Cup next summer. He was dismissed during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Thursday after he was shown a straight red card after VAR adjudged that he had elbowed Irish defender Dara O’Shea.
Sweden boss Graham Potter says star striker Alexander Isak is not ready to play two full games during the international break. The £125m man has been struggling for fitness since leaving Newcastle for Merseyside. Potter did confirm the Liverpool star will play some part in his side's World Cup qualifiers; Isak has been named on the bench to face Switzerland today.
France boss Didier Deschamps has doubled down on his decision to allow Kylian Mbappe to leave the squad early, saying there was no need to take any “risks” with the forward’s fitness after he fired his country to the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid star pulled out of his side’s final World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Sunday after sustaining an ankle injury in Thursday’s win over Ukraine.
Chelsea have been handed a sizeable boost after Jamie Gittens received medical clearance to remain with England’s Under-21 squad, easing concerns that the winger had suffered a serious setback during Friday’s 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland. The £48.5 million summer arrival from Borussia Dortmund had the alarm bells ringing at Stamford Bridge when he hobbled off midway through the second half at St. Andrew’s.
European champions Spain have all-but qualified for next summer's World Cup after crushing Georgia 4-0 on Saturday evening. Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and strikes from Martin Zubimendi and Ferran Torres saw Luis de la Fuente's side maintain their 100 per cent record in Group E, on an evening when second-placed Turkey also defeated Bulgaria 2-0.
Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz admitted he would love to make a switch to Manchester United despite playing for their Premier League rivals. The 29-year-old has been nothing short of transformative since arriving at Selhurst Park from Genk in January 2024. His first full season in England saw him score six goals and provide eight assists in all competitions. It was a level of productivity that caught the attention of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and several elite clubs across the continent.
Stunning first-half goals from Casemiro and Estevao capped a rampant display from Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil side in a 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium. The Chelsea youngster opened the scoring with a curled effort, before the veteran midfielder doubled the lead with a delectable touch and finish. However, there was bad news for the Gunners fans in attendance, as Gabriel limped off on the hour with what looked like a serious injury.
Arsenal have been handed another blow in their pursuit of the Premier League crown after star defender Gabriel hobbled off with an apparent groin issue for Brazil. The centre-back was playing on home soil at the Emirates, in an international friendly against Senegal. In the second half, he went down in some discomfort and was subsequently taken off, looking furious.
Nick Woltemade spoke with confidence after bagging both goals in Germany's 2-0 win over Luxembourg. The towering striker saved Die Mannschaft's blushes after a goalless first half against the international minnows. His manager Julian Nagelsmann praised his first choice goal scorer's work ethic, saying the 23-year-old deserved "special praise" after his tireless performance.
Spain defender Dean Huijsen is set to undergo a scan after being left out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia through groin discomfort. The European champions are now sweating on the Real Madrid centre-back’s fitness ahead of their final qualifier against Turkey next Tuesday after he experienced the issue in training.
Major League Soccer and Apple are reportedly set to make significant revisions to their landmark streaming partnership, with the agreement now scheduled to conclude in 2029 - three-and-a-half years earlier than originally planned. The restructured deal, which includes increased payments and aligns with MLS’s upcoming calendar shift, marks a substantial evolution of the partnership.
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