Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has no regrets after being sent off for his wild celebration following his side’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, saying the emotion of the affair meant that his dismissal was “worth it”. The Blues boss was given his marching orders after running down the touchline to join in the euphoria at Stamford Bridge after Estevao Willian’s dramatic late winner.
Manchester United were mocked over social media as Rasmus Hojlund continued his fine goalscoring form since leaving the club in the summer. The striker found the back of the net once again in Denmark’s World Cup-qualifying clash with Greece on Sunday evening, having also made a brilliant start to life with Serie A champions Napoli following his departure from Old Trafford in September.
In-form striker Erling Haaland is on his way back to Manchester City after the Norwegian Football Association announced he has been released from international duty. Fresh from scoring a hat-trick to help his country take a major step towards qualifying for next summer's World Cup, the 25-year-old will not feature when Stale Solbakken’s men take on New Zealand in an international friendly.
Ethan Nwaneri produced a scintillating performance to help England Under-21s secure an impressive 4-0 victory over Moldova in a European Championship qualifier. The Arsenal attacking midfielder recorded two assists on the night, including setting up a stunning effort from Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens, as the Three Lions maintained their perfect record in qualifying after two matches.
England can secure their qualification for the 2026 World Cup with two matches to spare if they beat Latvia on Tuesday, with Thomas Tuchel's side taking the trip at Daugava Stadium boasting a 100% record in their qualifying campaign thus far. Victory would secure the Three Lions' place at the tournament in North America next summer, while a draw would all-but seal qualification due to a superior goal difference over second-placed Albania.
Football fans from across the world have been showing their emotion after Ruben Neves' late winner for Portugal against Ireland. Neves' header in the 91st minute was not only his first for his country, but it also marked the first goal the Selecao had scored at home since the death of Diogo Jota, Neves’ best-friend and team-mate with Portugal and Wolves, in July.
Spain maintained their 100% 2026 World Cup qualifying record as they eased to a 2-0 win over Georgia on Saturday night. Goals from Yeremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal either side of half time was enough to La Roja to make it three wins from three as they maintain their unstoppable march towards the World Cup. Spain dominated from the outset and many had expected the Euro 2024 winners to put up a big score.
Erling Haaland saved his blushes by scoring for Norway moments after having a penalty saved twice by Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. The goal machine failed to convert from the spot initially, but Peretz was judged to have come off of his line and Haaland was allowed to retake. The striker fluffed his lines again and was made to look a fool, although that did not last long.
AC Milan legend Massimo Ambrosini has praised Christian Pulisic and Santiago Giménez, crediting the Mexico forward for positively impacting the USMNT star's form. Ambrosini, who won multiple titles with Milan from 1995 to 2013, said both have impressed since joining the club. Pulisic has scored 38 goals in 108 appearances, while Giménez has netted seven in 27.
Luis Ángel Malagón and Raúl Rangel have been the goalkeepers most often called up by Mexico manager Javier Aguirre since he took over last year. Both are vying for the starting spot at the 2026 World Cup — but Aguirre had a clear warning: don’t get too comfortable. The list of contenders keeps growing, and legend Guillermo Ochoa won’t be guaranteed anything at that position.
Germany made it back-to-back World Cup qualifying wins in routine fashion as they battered minnows Luxembourg in Sinsheim on Friday night. Goals from David Raum, Serge Gnabry and a Joshua Kimmich brace capped a dominant performance from Julian Nagelsmann's side as they eased past their visitors, who were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half to compound a miserable evening.
Lionel Messi was rested for Argentina’s friendly against Venezuela, a 1-0 win, at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, keeping alive the possibility he could feature for Inter Miami against Atlanta United on Saturday. Earlier in the day, head coach Javier Mascherano said Messi’s availability would depend on whether he played against Venezuela, noting that Argentina would make the final decision.
Cody Gakpo wrote his name into Dutch football history on Thursday night, becoming the first Netherlands player since Rob Rensenbrink in 1978 to score two penalties in a single match as the Oranje thrashed Malta 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier. The Liverpool forward converted from the spot twice and also assisted Tijjani Reijnders, leading the Netherlands to a comfortable victory in World Cup qualifying.
USMNT star Christian Pulisic has called on his side to produce a pair of good performances as they take on Ecuador and Australia in international friendlies over the next week. The Milan attacking midfielder's comments come on the back of a difficult stretch for the U.S., who went 1-1 last month and lost the Gold Cup final. Pulisic has been in fine form for his club side.
The atmosphere in Mexico’s camp is at an all-time high ahead of their October friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador, two South American sides already qualified for the 2026 World Cup. Chivas and El Tri goalkeeper Raúl Rangel said that there’s a strong sense of unity and chemistry within Javier Aguirre’s squad as the team gears up.
With only three FIFA international windows remaining before the World Cup in June, Carlos Acevedo has a prime opportunity to stake his claim for Mexico’s final roster. The Santos Laguna goalkeeper joins Luis Ángel Malagón, Raúl Rangel, Guillermo Ochoa, and Carlos Moreno in competing to impress head coach Javier Aguirre.
AUSTIN, Texas - Antonee Robinson acknowledged that he's not quite at 100 percent, but he is ready to contribute to the U.S. men's national team in his first camp in nearly a year. Robinson rejoined the team this week for matches against Ecuador and Australia, where he could appear for the USMNT for the first time in 2025 after undergoing knee surgery in May.
Álvaro Fidalgo, one of Liga MX’s standout talents, could be eligible to represent Mexico in March 2026 after five years in the country and obtaining citizenship. The Club América midfielder’s vision and control could provide the creativity El Tri currently lacks beyond Marcel Ruiz. The Spaniard began his career at Real Madrid.
After a heartbreaking loss in the Champions League final against Arsenal last season, Barcelona have made it their mission to regain the European crown as they kicked off the new campaign with a thumping 7-1 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati contributed with an assist while Alexia Putellas scored the opening goal of the match.
Sergio Busquets, Riqui Puig, and FC Barcelona led the tributes to Jordi Alba after the Inter Miami full-back announced he will retire at the end of the MLS season. The 35-year-old’s decision marks another emotional moment for the club’s famed Barcelona core, with Alba set to join longtime teammate Busquets in closing out a remarkable chapter that bridged La Liga and MLS.
Gabriel Milito’s influence at Chivas was on full display as his team earned a third straight win, defeating Pumas 2-1 away on Matchday 12. The result pushed Chivas into ninth place with five matches left, reviving belief in Milito’s project even as their postseason hopes hang in the balance. Chivas currently sit ninth in Liga MX.
UEFA has approved requests to play two La Liga and Serie A matches overseas, on different continents, despite European football's governing body insisting it is against domestic fixtures being hosted abroad. Supporters infuriated by the news, that includes Barcelona playing an official competitive game in Miami, have now rounded on UEFA to make their feelings known.
Santiago Giménez has yet to score in Serie A after six appearances for AC Milan, with his lone goal coming in the Coppa Italia. Still, manager Massimiliano Allegri insists the Mexico striker has his full trust, praising Giménez’s importance to Milan’s structure and work rate after Sunday’s goalless draw with Juventus.
Wales boss Craig Bellamy has admitted that the Dragons face a huge challenge when they take on England at Wembley, comparing the matchup to an unfair boxing fight. The former Premier League star hailed Thomas Tuchel’s “ridiculous” squad depth and insisted his side must be at “full gas” to compete against their star-studded neighbours in Thursday’s friendly.
As Liverpool lost a third successive game across all competitions, Premier League legend Wayne Rooney accused Reds talisman Mohamed Salah of "watching" Conor Bradley get torn apart by Chelsea behind him and doing very little to help. Last season, Salah openly praised Liverpool boss Arne Slot for taking away the defensive responsibility that Jurgen Klopp had previously insisted on.
Napoli manager Antonio Conte has broken his silence on his decision to bench star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in the 2-1 comeback win over Genoa, stating the two have a good understanding. The move, which came days after a visibly frustrated De Bruyne reaction against AC Milan, sparked rumours of a rift between the two, but both men have since put those whispers to rest.
Barcelona suffered their first league defeat of the season in a thumping 4-1 loss to Sevilla, as Robert Lewandowski’s missed penalty denied them a lifeline in the second half. Reflecting on the setback, defender Pau Cubarsi admitted that the team’s wastefulness in front of goal proved costly and urged his teammates to “push for more” to prevent such lapses in future games.
The U.S. under-20 men's national team finished atop their group at the World Cup despite a 2-1 loss to South Africa in Sunday's group stage finale. Even with the defeat, the U.S. finished as group winners due to the favorable goal differential generated from their dominant opening win against New Caledonia - a 9-1 rout.
Pep Guardiola has explained how he keeps Erling Haaland motivated after the Manchester City striker took his season tally of goals to 18 in only 11 games for club and country. Haaland scored the only goal of Sunday’s 1-0 win away to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, showing an impressive amount of strength to fire home the winner.
Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian has revealed the words of encouragement his Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca gave him before he scored the winning goal in the Blues' pulsating 2-1 win over Liverpool. The 18-year-old was introduced as a second-half substitute, ppping up at the perfect moment to cap off a sweeping team move that earned the Blues all three points.