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Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves hat-tricks helped a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal qualify for the 2026 World Cup with an emphatic 9-1 win over Armenia on Sunday. The Seleccao were without their iconic forward following his red card against Ireland, but virtuoso displays from Fernandes and Neves ensured they topped UEFA Group F thanks to a thumping victory.

The Amakhosi midfielder has received some backing from a club legend who is strongly convinced that the player has enough quality to deserve a place in the national side. He argues that despite the central midfield being arguably the richest Bafana department in terms of depth, the former Stellenbosch star is international football material. The Soweto giants great insists the national team coach is failing to recognise what is good in a defensive linkman.

Chelsea huffed and puffed but were unable to return to winning ways in the Women's Super League as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday. The Blues have now failed to win back-to-back league games for the first time since the 2021-22 season as they could only close the gap to leaders Manchester City to three points having been pegged back after taking an early lead.

Balogun and Reyna shone brightly, but there were plenty of other aspects of the USMNT that Mauricio Pochettino will be encouraged by following their win over Paraguay.

Mauricio Pochettino took a gamble on Reyna, and the midfielder delivered a Man of the Match performance as the USMNT opened November camp with a win.

As the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals draw closer, Bafana Bafana managed a morale-boosting victory against Zambia during a friendly match at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. South Africa's win comes just days after head coach Hugo Broos found himself in yet another storm following his player selection. The Belgian overlooked in-form Thembinkosi Lorch and Amakhosi stars who have been brilliant in the season, but the win is set to cushion him from the pressure he has been dealing with.

European champions Spain have all-but qualified for next summer's World Cup after crushing Georgia 4-0 on Saturday evening. Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and strikes from Martin Zubimendi and Ferran Torres saw Luis de la Fuente's side maintain their 100 per cent record in Group E, on an evening when second-placed Turkey also defeated Bulgaria 2-0.

Stunning first-half goals from Casemiro and Estevao capped a rampant display from Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil side in a 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium. The Chelsea youngster opened the scoring with a curled effort, before the veteran midfielder doubled the lead with a delectable touch and finish. However, there was bad news for the Gunners fans in attendance, as Gabriel limped off on the hour with what looked like a serious injury.

Mic'd Up: The former UNC stalwart knows college soccer is as crazy as ever, and figuring out who might win the NCAA Tournament is a frightening prospect.

WSL leaders Manchester City asserted their dominance with a resounding 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United. The game was ended as a contest in the space of four minutes, when Bunny Shaw slid in for her side's second before Lauren Hemp capped her return from injury with a powerful strike on the stroke of half-time after Rebecca Knaak had initially opened the scoring.

Marc Skinner's side shipped three first-half goals to effectively put the game to bed as the Red Devils toiled in the Manchester derby and saw their rivals pull seven points clear of them in the WSL table. It'll surely take something spectacular for United to get themselves back in contention now, even after only nine games, as they struggled to contain the likes of Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema and Bunny Shaw and were comfortably beaten 3-0.

The Amakhosi goalkeeper has impressively kept seven clean sheets in 11 games this season, and he tops all other custodians in the PSL so far. Despite this form, he continues to be overlooked by the South Africa national team coach, Hugo Broos. Legend Doctor Khumalo is among those voicing strong support, insisting that Petersen fully deserves the national team nod.

The Africa Cup of Nations is back this December and January, with the continent's very best set to battle it out in Morocco as they aim to take Cote d'Ivoire's crown after their unlikely victory at the start of 2024. AFCON's prestige, drama and quality remains up there with the Euros and Copa America, but the downside for European clubs is it's another tournament which falls slap bang in the middle of their seasonal calendar, meaning most teams will be losing players for up to a month.

Even with a shorthanded squad, the urgency in the U.S. camp hasn’t dipped as players fight for places on next year’s World Cup roster.

Mic'd Up: The former MLS and USMNT forward lauded MLS for its decision to switch to a Fall-Spring calendar and insisted there are playoff upsets ahead in the semifinals.

The FIFA U17 World Cup Round of 32 delivers a clash of destiny: Japan’s precision and tactical mastery against South Africa’s fearless Amajimbos, who have already made history by reaching the knockouts for the first time. With Vela Khumalo’s side brimming with belief and Japan chasing consistency, this duel promises drama, skill, and a legacy beyond the scoreline.

Florian Wirtz's £100 million ($130m) move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool didn't just upset Bayern Munich. It also hit hard at Koln. After all, Wirtz had come through their academy only to leave for Leverkusen in the summer of 2020 - and for a paltry €300,000 (£265,000/$350,000). Koln were furious. They felt Leverkusen had broken a 'gentleman's agreement' by signing one of the most exciting young players they'd ever produced - but there was nothing they could do about it. Wirtz's contract was expiring and he wanted to leave.

This time last year, Sweden seemed to be on the rise again. A side that had failed to qualify for both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 was flying under Jon Dahl Tomasson, with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres scoring freely in a refreshingly attack-minded line-up. However, the country's first-ever foreign manager has since become the first coach in Sweden's history to be relieved of his duties before the expiration of his contract.

England beat Serbia 2-0 on Thursday in their first World Cup qualifying game since securing a spot at next summer's tournament finals. The result meant very little to the Three Lions, whose players are now competing with one another for a place on the plane to North America as members of Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad.

From Cavan Sullivan exceeding expectations to a quietly solid back line, GOAL breaks down five key takeaways on the U.S. U17s ahead of their World Cup clash with Morocco.

MLS announced a landmark decision by switching to a fall-spring calendar, and the benefits are obvious, but there are some valid challenges the league needs to navigate through

Portugal endured a calamitous evening in Dublin, as their pursuit of a World Cup spot in 2026 was delayed by a 2-0 defeat to Ireland. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo was given his marching orders on the hour mark when he lashed out at Dara O'Shea with an elbow to the defender's back to cap a frustrating evening for the Seleccao after Troy Parrott scored twice in the first half to secure a famous Irish win.

England maintained their perfect record in World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win at home to Serbia on Thursday. Goals in either half from Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze ensured Thomas Tuchel's men emerged victorious, while the visitors' faint hopes of securing a play-off spot were put to bed on a rainy evening in north London.

Coach Hugo Broos is turning this team into an African powerhouse, mostly using a group of close-knit players plying their trade in the Premier Soccer League. However, the Belgian boss will need to start integrating a handful of superstars based abroad if he wants to squeeze the maximum amount of juice out of this talented, improving squad.

Aaronson has often been labeled a tweener, but his versatility has been vital for Leeds this season. That same flexibility could position him for increased minutes with the USMNT.

The immensely talented playmaker has landed back on the USMNT, and with it, has a chance to revive his career for club and country

Winning trophies and top-scorer awards might be routine to Erling Haaland, but this week the striker stands on the brink of what could be a once-in-lifetime opportunity: to qualify for the World Cup with Norway. Since Haaland was born in 2000, Norway have never competed on the world's biggest stage. Their six attempts have all fallen flat, only reaching the play-offs on one occasion.

If Phil Foden were able to replicate his strike rate for Manchester City when he put on an England shirt, then he would be keeping company with team-mate Bukayo Saka and Paul Scholes in the top 40 of the Three Lions' all-time goal-scorers. Instead, one has to scroll through the archives, past players whose photos are in black and white or even from an era when there was no photography to find him on the list.

Fresh off being named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, St. Clair joined GOAL Convo to reflect on his breakout campaign and why Minnesota United could be a postseason threat.