Lists

Karim Benzema became caught up in an angry exchange with a journalist following his stunning debut for Al-Hilal. The veteran French striker has sparked remarkable scenes in the Saudi Pro League - with Cristiano Ronaldo going on strike - after completing a free transfer. Benzema has refuted suggestions that he left Al-Ittihad without saying goodbye to his former team-mates.

Casemiro is among the many Manchester United players whose performances have markedly improved under new head coach Michael Carrick and the Brazilian has shown his gratitude to the former Red Devils midfielder. Casemiro was already a first-team regular when Ruben Amorim was sacked in January although he had to fight to win his place back in the Portuguese's plans after falling down the pecking order.

Pat Nevin has warned Alejandro Garnacho that his Chelsea career risks turning "very ugly" following a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. The former Blues star revealed that supporters are already questioning the decision to swap Noni Madueke for the Argentine, who joined from Manchester United in the summer. Nevin urged the winger to "shut up and take" the criticism while focusing on his on-field output.

Former Nottingham Forest striker Rob Earnshaw has explained to GOAL why the sight of Evangelos Marinakis on the pitch and in the tunnel at the City Ground is a good thing. The Greek billionaire, who continues to make plenty of headlines in the Premier League and across Europe, has been compared to another eccentric owner that once embraced “craziness” at Cardiff City.

Diego Simeone has hailed the "different" qualities of Ademola Lookman after the Nigerian international marked his Atletico Madrid debut with a stunning strike. The former Atalanta star joined the Spanish giants in the final days of the January window and wasted no time making an impact during a 5-0 rout of Real Betis. Simeone believes the attacker offers a unique threat to his squad.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike action at Al-Nassr has been branded “bizarre”, with Premier League legend Alan Shearer questioning how the Portuguese superstar can justify his behaviour while earning “over £400,000 a day”. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has taken to ruling himself out of contention for selection in Saudi Pro League fixtures, leading to inevitable transfer speculation being generated.

Ruud Gullit has urged Joshua Zirkzee to end his Manchester United nightmare and return to Italy to salvage his career. The Dutch legend believes the forward made a massive error by moving to Old Trafford during a period of "bad energy" at the club. Amidst rumours of a summer move to Roma, Gullit insists that Serie A is the only league where the 24-year-old can truly thrive once again.

Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign has suffered a significant blow after Rodrygo was handed an extended two-match suspension by UEFA. The Brazilian was sent off during a dramatic 4-2 defeat to Benfica, and his punishment ensures he will miss both legs of the upcoming knockout play-off rematch against the Portuguese giants. With stars like Jude Bellingham also sidelined, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa faces a major tactical crisis.

Christian Fuchs, a member of Leicester’s Premier League title-winning squad from 2015-16, has revealed that he tried to talk Foxes legend Jamie Vardy into joining him in the fourth tier of English football. Fuchs is currently calling the shots at Newport County, having stepped into management, and asked questions of whether Vardy was up for another battle against the odds.

Honest Ahanor is just 17 years old - and yet on Sunday he started his fifth successive game for Atalanta, against Como. Unfortunately, Ahanor's afternoon came to an abrupt end - and quite literally by his own hand. Just eight minutes into the game at Sinigaglia, the defender was involved in an innocuous, off-the-ball clash with Maxi Perrone, who shamelessly collapsed to the ground as if Ahanor had struck him in the face.

Thomas Frank has confirmed that Cristian Romero will remain Tottenham captain despite the defender’s "disgraceful" assessment of the club's transfer policy. While Frank admitted he would not have made the same public comments, he defended his skipper by noting that even he "makes mistakes weekly" in leadership. The Dane insisted the matter is now resolved internally.

Cristiano Ronaldo has received a public warning from the Saudi Pro League after taking personal grievances too far and going on strike. The Portuguese superstar, unhappy at the way transfer funds are distributed in the Middle East, sat out Al-Nassr’s last fixture after making himself unavailable. He has, as transfer talk rages, been reminded how things work in Saudi Arabia.

Tottenham finished second-from-bottom in the Women's Super League last season. Since promotion seven years ago, their top-flight record against Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United stands at two wins, five draws and 42 defeats. Financially, they are not in the same place as the ‘big four’, not when Chelsea and Arsenal have both made £1-million transfers in the last year or so. And yet, despite all of this, Spurs are right in the fight with all of them for Women's Champions League qualification this season.

Michael Carrick is getting the bulk of plaudits for Manchester United’s resurgence since he took charge, but there is another undeniable factor to consider when analysing the uplift in performances and results at Old Trafford. Lisandro Martinez admittedly made his long-awaited first appearance after 301 days out through injury while Ruben Amorim was still in charge, but the true impact of his return is only being felt now.

Wayne Rooney’s son Kai has reportedly been offered a new contract by Manchester United that would be worth £50,000-a-year. The talented teenager has stepped up into the Red Devils’ Under-18 side this season, allowing him to grace FA Youth Cup competition. He is considered to have impressed in a “very strong” team, and will be rewarded accordingly.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set for a sensational return to professional football after agreeing to join Scottish giants Celtic on a free transfer. The 32-year-old midfielder, who has been without a club since his contract with Turkish side Besiktas was terminated in August, has been maintaining his fitness by training with Arsenal. Now, a short-term move to Glasgow awaits the Champions League winner.

Reports in Spain suggest that Diego Simeone could be sacked as Atletico Madrid manager. The former midfielder was appointed in December of 2011 and has been in charge ever since, overseeing remarkable success, and winning La Liga twice ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Can Nico Paz be the World Cup’s next breakout star? The Como playmaker has the tools to follow James Rodríguez’s iconic 2014 path - and shine on the biggest stage.

Liverpool must pay £2.8 million for Rio Ngumoha, which could rise by a further £4m, a tribunal has decided, after the 17-year-old moved to the club from Chelsea's academy in 2024. The price was decided by a Professional Football Compensation Committee tribunal, with the settlement being non-negotiable for both sides.

Liam Rosenior has accused Arsenal of lacking respect after his X-rated outburst ahead of Chelsea's EFL Cup semi-final defeat to the Gunners. The new Blues boss was filmed screaming expletives at the Gunners' players as they encroached into the Blues' half during their respective warm-ups.

Cristiano Ronaldo has threatened to leave Al-Nassr in the summer as he continues his strike action against the club, CBS Sports reports. The Portugal superstar missed the 1-0 win over Al-Riyadh in protest at PIF's decision to transfer Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal.

Eden Hazard has tipped former Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas to one day become manager at Stamford Bridge, and one of the best managers "in history" as he continues his journey in the dugout. The Spanish World Cup winner is currently in charge at Serie A club Como.

GOAL ranks the top 25 players in MLS. And while No. 1 should be of little surprise, there is plenty of talent littered all over the league.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has refused to reveal if the club have fined captain Cristian Romero for his post-transfer deadline rant on Instagram. The Argentina international was remarkably outspoken after his side drew 2-2 with Manchester City, and the transfer deadline came and went with Spurs having signed just two first-team players amid an injury crisis.

Leicester City have been hit with a six-point deduction and have fallen to 20th in the Championship after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules. The Foxes are now only outside of the relegation zone thanks to goal difference but could decide to appeal the sanction.

GOAL sat down with the midfielder to discuss the upcoming World Cup and what kept him motivated in the years between USMNT appearances

England are set to take on New Zealand in their first World Cup 2026 warm-up match, it has been confirmed. Thomas Tuchel's side will take on the All Whites in Tampa on June 6 ahead of the tournament, and they will then schedule a friendly fixture four days after.

Michael Carrick has made a significant change to Manchester United's training schedule as he continues to revamp the club's methods after taking over from Ruben Amorim as interim boss at Old Trafford. Carrick has overseen three straight wins at the club since stepping into the dugout.

USWNT legend Hope Solo returns to the pitch once again for TST, this time fielding teams in both the Women's 7v7 competition and Mixed 7s.