Lists

Manchester United outcast Joshua Zirkzee could be close to ending his nightmare spell at Old Trafford with another Premier League team touted to want the Netherlands striker in the forthcoming January transfer window. Zirkzee has barely featured for United this season and he is yet to start or score, managing just 74 minutes across three Premier League appearances and an eight-minute Carabao Cup cameo against lowly Grimsby Town - all as a substitute.

Jamie Vardy described his first home start for Cremonese as a “special feeling” but admitted frustration after being held to a 1-1 draw by Udinese. The former Leicester City striker, who completed a shock move to Italy this summer, came close to scoring in a lively full debut but couldn’t prevent his side from dropping points at Stadio Giovanni Zini.

Noa Lang has expressed frustration over his lack of playing time at Napoli, revealing he has only spoken to Antonio Conte once since joining in the summer. After being benched in a humiliating 6-2 defeat to former club PSV, the Dutch winger admitted he “has to accept” his situation while Conte warned he must avoid being “selfish” and focus on the team.

A former Manchester United player has accused Marcus Rashford of being 'lazy' and 'letting his team-mates at Old Trafford down', with the forward's resurgence at Barcelona dismissed. Rashford has rediscovered himself in Catalonia this season after completing a loan move from United. He had fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim and was included in the manager's 'bomb squad' during pre-season.

Jean-Philippe Mateta insists he and Wilfried Zaha have cleared the air after their public spat last week. The Crystal Palace striker said, after scoring his first goal for France, that team-mates at Palace had laughed at his dream of playing for his country, and named Zaha as one of the players involved in the mockery, leading to a furious response from the FC Charlotte star.

Jamie Carragher has ignored England as he named his favourites for the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Tuchel's side were the first European team to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and head into their final two qualifiers already assured of their place; Carragher, though, has picked Argentina, Spain, and France as his favourites.

Chelsea have been dealt a major blow after they decided not to include a buy-back clause in the deal for Diego Moreira, who has been dubbed the "new Marcelo" amid a strong run of form. Moreira’s latest masterclass came in Strasbourg’s electrifying 3-3 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, where he notched both a goal and an assist against the reigning European champions.

Jobe Bellingham delivered his first goal contribution for Borussia Dortmund in a 4-2 Champions League win over Copenhagen, earning glowing praise from coach Niko Kovac, team-mate Felix Nmecha and sporting director Sebastian Kehl. The 20-year-old, previously criticised for poor form, responded under pressure and showed signs of the player Dortmund believe he can become.

Barcelona have been dealt a major setback ahead of El Clasico after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) dismissed their appeal against Hansi Flick’s red card. The German coach will serve a one-match ban following his dismissal against Girona, leaving assistant Marcus Sorg to take charge at the Santiago Bernabeu in a much-awaited game of the Spanish league.

Arsenal have been accused of "killing" the Premier League with "boring" tactics under manager Mikel Arteta. The Gunners currently sit top of the Premier League table, three points clear of nearest challengers Manchester City, but have come under fire for their use of set-pieces and long throws, which are now being copied by other teams in the English top flight.

Nuno Espirito Santo has warned West Ham that they are "going to have problems" this season after their 2-0 defeat to Brentford. The former Nottingham Forest manager has now been in charge for three games, but he is yet to oversee a victory, after drawing with Everton and losing to both Arsenal and the Bees.

Como Women's star Alisha Lehmann has revealed how beating former club Juventus with her new side earlier this season has given her a big boost. Lehmann moved to Como in the summer transfer window and enjoyed a swift reunion against her former team-mates earlier this month, emerging victorious in a surprise 1-0 Serie A Femminile win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.

The FIFPRO World 11 is the only global football award decided exclusively by professional footballers

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been encouraged to swap Old Trafford for the Allianz Arena and link up with Harry Kane, with former Red Devils coach Rene Meulensteen billing him as the “perfect fit” for Bayern Munich. Meulensteen believes Fernandes' footballing intelligence and creativity would allow him to easily slot into Vincent Kompany’s blistering Bayern setup and potentially help Kane rack up more goals.

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali signed an extension to his contract after he was banned for gambling offences, until 2029, while the Magpies also hold the power to extend his deal by another year until 2030. The midfielder signed for the club in the summer of 2023 but was banned in the October of that year, subsequently missing 10 months of football.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has again hit back at Barcelona boss Hansi Flick after the German accused the national team of mismanaging Lamine Yamal’s fitness. The teenager’s groin injury has sparked a public row between club and country, with De la Fuente insisting “everyone is condemned by their actions” as tensions escalate ahead of El Clasico.

Bayern Munich were "absolutely" correct to hand Vincent Kompany a new contract, says club legend Lothar Matthaus. The former Germany star says the positive effect of the Belgian coach's leadership is evident throughout the club, praising Kompany for his influence on team spirit and the positive atmosphere that has returned to the Bundesliga champions.

Manchester United star Jess Park has withdrawn from the Lionesses squad for international friendlies against Brazil and Australia due to a delayed concussion. The 24-year-old was ruled out of the Red Devils' Champions League win over Atletico before the international break and experienced some symptoms after joining the England camp. Jess Naz has been added to Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses squad in Park's place.

Anthony Gordon has revealed what Jose Mourinho told him at full-time after Newcastle beat Benfica 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The England winger scored the first goal of the game and assisted the third from Harvey Barnes as Eddie Howe's side recorded a thumping win.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham all earned nods from Harry Kane in an exclusive quickfire question session with GOAL that saw the Bayern Munich striker name the best player he has played against and his boyhood idol. The England captain also picked out the best passer of a ball that he has ever seen and the young talent that he is most excited about watching develop.

Ousmane Dembele marked his long-awaited Paris Saint-Germain return in style, scoring in a 7-2 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Back from injury and newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner, the Frenchman not only delivered on the pitch but also aimed a subtle jab at Illia Zabarnyi over his red card, as PSG extended their flawless European campaign.

Lionel Messi has been told he's better equipped for the boxing ring than eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Former WBC men's heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder's ex-trainer Malik Scott has shared his thoughts on the two footballing superstars and how they may fare in the ring if they fancied a change in profession after hanging up their prolific boots.

Diego Simeone admitted Atletico Madrid were “beaten by a better team” after a brutal 13-minute spell saw Arsenal score four times in a dominant 4-0 Champions League win. The Argentine boss praised his side’s early effort but fumed at costly errors, set-piece lapses and a lack of composure as every Arsenal chance “ended in a goal”.

John Terry has revealed his confusion at the fact he does not receive more job offers, while seemingly giving up on his ambition to manage Chelsea. The former England captain has not held a first-team coaching position since working as an assistant at Leicester City in 2023, as offers do not appear to have materialised.

Mikel Arteta hailed "phenomenal" Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres after seeing the Swede end his goal drought during Tuesday night's 4-0 Champions League rout of Atletico Madrid. After weeks of waiting, Gyokeres roared back to form, striking twice in 14 second-half minutes as Arsenal dismantled Diego Simeone’s side, who are usually known to keep things tight at the back.

Jamie Carragher has been backed to make a sensational return to Liverpool to help out Arne Slot's struggling side after a run of four straight defeats in all competitions. The club spent heavily in the summer on new signings, some of whom have struggled to settle, and Malik Scott thinks Carragher's experience could prove a useful asset in the dressing room.

The NBA is preparing to launch a European basketball league featuring elite football clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Talks are underway with major investors as part of an ambitious plan to expand basketball’s global reach, with the first season of ‘NBA Europe’ expected to tip off in 2027.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned as the most marketable footballer in the world, ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham, in SportsPro's 16th annual ranking. The study, which includes sportspeople from multiple disciplines, named Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton as the most marketable athlete, with Ronaldo finishing fifth overall, ahead of sixth-placed Neymar.

Manchester United have switched their attention to Elliot Anderson after failing to sign Brighton's Carlos Baleba, as Ruben Amorim eyes a midfield overhaul. The 22-year-old Nottingham Forest dynamo has become one of the most sought-after names in English football following his breakthrough into the Three Lions squad. United had already been monitoring Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and revisiting interest in Baleba, but it is now being reported that Anderson has emerged as the standout target.