Analysis

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including another goal from McKennie and Weah suffering a tough outing against PSG.

GOAL breaks down which soccer stars have established ties to the two Super Bowl teams.

"Football is a whole skill to itself. A whole world. A whole universe to itself. Me love it because you have to be skilful to play it. Freedom! Football is freedom."

The jury has been out on Alejandro Garnacho among Chelsea fans and pundits alike since the divisive 21-year-old swapped Old Trafford for Stamford Bridge in the summer, but recent performances have cranked up scrutiny levels. A calamitous 45 minutes against West Ham last weekend prompted Gary Neville to point out that the winger looked like his confidence was "shot to pieces" - and it's difficult to argue with that observation.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including a series of big games in France, England and Italy

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

When Manchester City signed Vivianne Miedema on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer of 2024, it felt like one of the biggest coups in Women's Super League history. The Cityzens were not only signing the league's all-time top-scorer, they were also directly weakening a title rival in the process.

James Rodriguez is reportedly nearing a deal to sign with Minnesota United, which would be a perfect short term agreement for both parties ahead of the World Cup

The non-profit organization has forged relationships with MLS and U.S. Soccer, and ahead of the World Cup sees chances to further grow

GOAL sat down with the goalkeeper to discuss 2025 challenges, 2026 hopes, and changing perceptions once again

With the World Cup just five months away, GOAL takes a look at how El Tri’s squad could shape up next summer.

Real Madrid have paid a heavy price for failing to replace Toni Kroos following his retirement in 2024, but then doing so was always going to be a tough task. For starters, the ex-Germany international ranks as one of the finest deep-lying playmakers of the modern era.

As investment in the women’s game continues to grow, each and every transfer window feels bigger and bigger, as both the anticipation and likelihood of new record transfers and big money moves for the game’s greatest stars increases. In that sense, January is never as headline-grabbing as the summer window, but there has still been plenty of eye-catching business over the last few weeks - especially in the Women’s Super League.

Three years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the sporting world by joining Al-Nassr. Six months later, the Portuguese trailblazer was joined in the Saudi Pro League by a number of high-profile players, including Karim Benzema, Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte. Some of those superstars were clearly past their prime, but the mere fact that they were willing to move to the Middle East felt significant.

GOAL looks at why some of the USMNT's biggest stars will remain at their clubs following a rumor-filled January transfer window

The January transfer window offered admittedly few high profile moves, but there were certainly some significant deals that will have an impact this year and for those to come.

Pulisic’s fitness is again a talking point after his latest absence for AC Milan, with the World Cup looming and careful management now critical.

Yazbek tells GOAL why Australia is circling the USMNT clash, how MLS has changed him, and why the World Cup feels within reach.

Atlanta United massively underperformed last year, but continuity on the pitch and a club legend in the dugout may yet change their fortunes.

Casemiro said he had "many more memories to create" when announcing that he was leaving Manchester United at the end of the season, and he has certainly delivered on that promise thus far. In the two games since his departure was confirmed in January, he has played his part in a tantalising 3-2 win at Arsenal before leading from the front in the equally dramatic 3-2 victory over Fulham.

And there we have it. The January transfer window is closed for another year, and though it was a relatively quiet month when it came to big-money deals, that does now mean we could be set up for another blockbuster summer in terms of comings and goings.

Famously, the January transfer window is the more difficult of the two to operate in. It's hard to persuade other clubs to give up assets mid-season, sometimes even harder to convince players that they're better off making a move immediately rather than waiting until the following summer. But that doesn't mean deals are impossible, or that you can't get good value for your buck.

With the World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at how the Canada squad might look in the summer.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers among American stars from the January window.