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GOAL sat down with Gio Reyna to discuss his reputation, his growth since Qatar and why this World Cup gives him the chance to change the story around him.

There's just one week to go until the biggest show on earth gets underway, with the 2026 World Cup kicking off on June 11. If you haven't already caught a serious case of World Cup fever, what better way to get in the mood than by checking out the very best kits that will be on show in North America this summer.

Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was never short of a good quote, but one of his best offered an insight as to how exactly a football team should be run: "A football team is like a piano - you need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing." It’s a punchy line, and in modern-day international football, it rings painfully true.

Erling Haaland has openly embraced his reputation as the footballing equivalent of The Terminator. A few years ago, he even wished all of his followers on social media a 'Happy Haalandween' by sharing an image of himself portrayed as half-man and half-goal-scoring machine. However, to think of Haaland solely as a stone-cold killer in front of goal does a disservice to an emotional and colourful character who has never wanted anything but the best for his native Norway.

England and Spain have got used to playing some pretty big games against each other in recent times. Friday's World Cup qualifying clash might not be as big as last summer's European Championship final or the 2023 World Cup final, but it is still huge, with it to potentially decide which of these two powerhouses qualifies automatically for next summer's tournament in Brazil, with the other to have to navigate the play-offs.

El Manawy will head to his fourth World Cup this summer, and after taking on an ambitious journey in 2022, his goals for next month are loftier.

GOAL spoke with the Chicago Fire boss about his plans for this summer, his connection with the team and his memories of 2022

The 2026 World Cup was supposed to be another waypoint on Lamine Yamal's path to becoming a generation-defining superstar, but there is the genuine threat that an injury could deprive the tournament of one of its biggest names. The Spanish wonderkid made everyone sit up and take notice at Euro 2024, and two years on, the 18-year-old seemed primed to seize the limelight once again. But instead, it may well be a waiting game.

Ella Toone's last involvement in an England shirt was a memorable one. At Wembley, in front of almost 75,000 fans, the Manchester United star racked up a trio of assists, and added a goal of her own, in an 8-0 thrashing of China as the Lionesses paraded their European Championship trophy across the nation. Now, for the first time in 2026, she is back with her country and is primed to provide a timely boost ahead of Friday's blockbuster clash with Spain.

The 2026 World Cup is almost upon us. In just over a week, the time for talking will stop, and teams will have to prove their credentials with their performances on the pitch in North America. All roads, whether through the United States, Mexico or Canada, will lead to New Jersey on July 19, and the biggest football match on the planet: the World Cup final.

When Marcus Rashford first attempted to speak Spanish, Lamine Yamal fell over laughing. It came during the Manchester United loanee's first training session in Catalunya - or, at least, the first one made public - and after chasing shadows in a rondo, Rashford said something pretty much unintelligible to the Ballon d'Or favourite. Contrast that, then, with the first impression made by Barca's latest English arrival, Anthony Gordon, whose almost fluent Spanish shocked those tuning in for his introductory press conference.

GOAL takes a look at the big storylines and takeaways from camp in the latest installment of the USMNT notebook.

It's September 13, 2024, and Mauricio Pochettino is all smiles. Dressed in a blue suit with a big U.S. Soccer pin on the lapel, Pochettino is being introduced to the wild world of American soccer for the very first time. Flanked by his new bosses, Pochettino seems determined to make the right first impression; in America, first impressions are generally best made by being bold.

Aitana Bonmati has won each of the last three Ballons d'Or Feminin - but the accolade will go to someone else in 2026. Will it be two-time winner and fellow Barcelona star Alexia Putellas who reasserts herself as the best player in the women's game? Or could there be a new name on the honour roll when the Golden Ball is handed out in Paris in October?

It's here. The 2026 summer transfer window has arrived and it promises to be an extremely eventful one in the women's game, with stars like Alexia Putellas, Sam Kerr and Beth Mead all set to be on the move in the coming weeks and months. There are plenty of deals that have been rumoured and reported for some time, with only the official announcements seemingly left to be done, but there will be some shocks along the way too, as always.

'Golden Generation'. Football has Adam Crozier, the former chief of the Football Association, to blame for the term, after he famously dubbed the England team as such following their 5-1 battering of Germany in a World Cup qualifier in Munich. It was a remarkable performance, but also a potentially catastrophic turn of phrase.

It's officially transfer season. Europe's biggest competitions have concluded, new champions have been crowned and now attention turns to who will be on the move ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, with there plenty of big names in the women's game set for summer switches in what promises to be an entertaining and exciting few months.