FEATURES

Olivia Smith's composed finish gave Arsenal a huge 1-0 win over Women's Super League leaders Manchester City on Sunday, providing the Gunners' push for Champions League qualification a huge boost. Renee Slegers' side, who were crowned champions of Europe last season, have now heaped the pressure on a stuttering Chelsea to keep up with them in the race for the top three, while still holding a game in hand over the rest of their rivals.

Manchester City were handed just their second defeat of the Women’s Super League season as they were outplayed by an impressive Arsenal on Sunday. The runaway leaders were well off the pace and saw their midfield bossed for much of the game by the Gunners, who ran out deserved 1-0 victors, courtesy of a first-half strike by Olivia Smith.

Lamine Yamal scored a brilliant goal, while Robert Lewandowski and Marc Bernal also found the net, as Barcelona beat Mallorca 3-0 at the Camp Nou on Saturday evening. Hansi Flick's side had to shake off a difficult opening to the game, before clicking through the gears and recording a big win that gave them a temporary four-point lead atop La Liga.

Super sub Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to score twice as Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win against Sunderland to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League. The Swedish striker made a huge impact after replacing Gabriel Jesus midway through the second half, netting a quickfire brace to add to Martin Zubimendi's opener, and giving the Gunners a commanding advantage in the title race.

Chelsea swept Wolves aside in a decisive first-half display, with Cole Palmer bagging a hat-trick. The England forward, who has had his fair share of critics amid a mixed campaign, buried two penalties and smacked home a third on his 100th appearance for the Blues in what proved to be a pretty comfortable afternoon for Liam Rosenior and his side.

Lads, it's still Tottenham! Manchester United had failed to beat Spurs in their last seven games but earned a 2-0 victory to stay in control of fourth spot in the Premier League and make it four wins in a row under Michael Carrick. The win was helped by a first-half red card for Cristian Romero and, unlike against Everton three months ago, they made the extra man count.

Marc Skinner's side continued their unbeaten start to 2026 in the Women's Super League with a deserved victory over Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Swedish star Zigiotti Olme was key to United's win, with a goal and an assist, while super-sub Terland made the game safe late on with yet another strike against the struggling Foxes

With half-time approaching and Liverpool losing 1-0 to Newcastle United, Anfield was already bracing itself for another disappointing defeat in this most trying of seasons. In the space of 138 seconds, though, Hugo Ekitike changed the entire mood on Merseyside. The Frenchman's first goal - a near-post finish from Florian Wirtz's clever cutback - may have been crucial, but it was his second strike that sent the fans into a frenzy.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Why does Cristiano Ronaldo always have so much bad luck?!... First, Erik ten Hag didn't recognise his unrivalled ability at Manchester United, then Fernando Santos ruined his 2022 World Cup bid with Portugal. And now, the powers that be in Saudi Arabia are conspiring to make sure his trophy drought in the Middle East extends to three-and-a-half seasons. Give the guy a break!...

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.

At the 2002 World Cup, Ronaldo arrived looking for redemption. While sporting one of the most unique haircuts in football history, the Brazil striker found exactly what he was searching for. This is ICONS - a GOAL podcast and feature series that revisits the last 10 World Cups from unique perspectives, bringing the spirit of the tournament back to life...

At the tail end of October, Dimitar Berbatov appeared on Rio Ferdinand's podcast and pleaded for patience with Liverpool's struggling superstar summer signing Florian Wirtz. "He will be unbelievable, trust me," the Bulgarian told his former Manchester United team-mate. "I’m sure that everybody [at Liverpool] sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success.

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

Manchester City ran riot against Newcastle to rubber-stamp their place in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Pep Guardiola again rang the changes but still watched his side ease to a 3-1 win on the night to complete a 5-1 drubbing on aggregate over last year's winners. Omar Marmoush scored two quick-fire goals while Tijjani Reijnders added another in a clinical first-half display from the hosts.

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

Crystal Dunn’s retirement left teammates emotional and reflective. Her 12-year international career shaped players from Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson to Croix Bethune and Sophia Wilson.

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.

The nature of Chelsea's Carabao Cup semi-final exit at the hands of London rivals Arsenal on Tuesday has been polarising, to say the least. It was a contest that largely reflected the dour weather at the Emirates Stadium, as a turgid first half passed by almost entirely without incident and the second period followed a similar pattern before Kai Havertz - a former Chelsea player, of course - bagged a late winner on the break.