Lists

Erik ten Hag has publicly confirmed his desire to bring free agent Wout Weghorst to FC Twente ahead of the upcoming Eredivisie campaign. However, the Enschede outfit face stiff continental competition for the veteran striker, with Portuguese heavyweights Benfica positioning themselves to lure the former Manchester United loanee to Lisbon.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has thrown his support behind the United States after their 2-0 win over Australia secured back-to-back World Cup victories for the first time since 1930. The former LA Galaxy striker believes Mauricio Pochettino's side have the momentum, confidence and home support needed to challenge for the biggest prize in football.

Arda Guler issued an emotional apology after Turkey's World Cup hopes were ended by a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay. The Real Madrid midfielder admitted the team had fallen well below expectations, with Turkey crashing out after failing to score in either of their opening two matches.

Ruben Dias has insisted that the intense scrutiny focused on captain Cristiano Ronaldo is nothing out of the ordinary for the national team. The Manchester City centre-back has called for unity within the squad after their disappointing opening World Cup draw, emphasising that outside noise will not derail their ultimate tournament ambitions.

Ngubane has launched a stinging critique of the Belgian tactician' selection policy for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Following South Africa's recent showing, the former star is demanding to know why the Orlando Pirates man is not a fixed name on the team sheet.

The 21-year-old has reiterated his willingness to contribute to the South African national team in any capacity. The youngster made it clear that whether he is selected in the starting line-up or called upon from the bench, he remains committed to giving his all whenever he represents the team. The Orlando Pirates prodigy impressed after coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Czechia, putting himself in the frame for a starting berth.

Former Chelsea and Newcastle United striker Demba Ba has been appointed as Le Havre's sporting director. The 41-year-old replaces Mathieu Bodmer and arrives after an impressive tenure in a similar role at Dunkerque. The French club hopes his experience on and off the pitch can help strengthen the club's long-term Ligue 1 project.

Barcelona have entered a crucial race against time to secure the signature of highly-rated Racing Santander defender Jorge Salinas during the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants are pushing to finalise an agreement for the versatile 19-year-old prospect before a looming deadline causes his current valuation to increase significantly.

Marco Materazzi has taken a fresh swipe at former team-mate and long-time rival Zlatan Ibrahimovic, sarcastically branding him the “greatest Interista in history” amid AC Milan’s ongoing instability. The ex-Inter defender also revisited Ibrahimovic’s 2009 departure from Giuseppe Meazza, linking it to the Nerazzurri’s historic Treble-winning campaign.

Achraf Hakimi was subjected to relentless booing from a large contingent of Scotland supporters during Morocco's narrow 1-0 World Cup victory at the Gillette Stadium. The hostile reception intensified throughout the match as the Paris Saint-Germain full-back captained his country, coming just days after major developments in his personal life.

The Algerian Football Federation has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA following refereeing decisions made during their 3-0 World Cup opening loss to Argentina. The African nation contends that Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister were incredibly fortunate to escape red cards, casting a shadow over the reigning champions' victory.

Brazil secured their first win of the 2026 World Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory over Haiti, but concerns over Raphinha's fitness overshadowed the result. The Barcelona winger was forced off after suffering hamstring tightness, leaving Carlo Ancelotti awaiting further assessment. Meanwhile, there was better news elsewhere, with Neymar closing in on his return.

Spain might have one of the strongest squads at the 2026 World Cup, but that hasn't stopped debate raging around one position in particular. Despite having world-class goalkeepers David Raya and Joan Garcia at his disposal, head coach Luis de la Fuente has stood staunchly by Unai Simon. The statistical case against the Athletic Club man is impossible to ignore, but don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

The BBC has been forced to alter its World Cup highlights package after broadcasting the sickening audio of Canada midfielder Ismael Kone breaking his leg. The 24-year-old sustained the harrowing injury following a late challenge during a Group B fixture against Qatar, leaving his international team-mates deeply shaken by the incident.

Turkey's World Cup campaign ended in dramatic fashion as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay despite dominating possession and peppering the opposition goal with 33 attempts. Former Newcastle United midfielder Miguel Almiron also made tournament history with a controversial red card, but Paraguay held firm to secure a result that ended Turkey's hopes.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti announced that Neymar will be available to play in the Selecao's final group game against Scotland. The Santos attacking midfielder missed the first two games of the tournament with a calf injury, but the manager announced he will train with the team early next week, and will play a role next week to close out Group C play.

PHILADELPHIA -- Matheus Cunha proved his credentials up front, and Vinicius Jr had a hand in all three goals as Brazil found their stride at the World Cup with a 3-0 win over Haiti. The Real Madrid winger was at his devastating best, scoring and assisting, and has the Selecao well-positioned to top Group C. Haiti, for all of their efforts, are eliminated from the tournament in their first appearance since 1974.

The USMNT is into the World Cup knockouts after another statement win, with Folarin Balogun, Alex Freeman and a growing belief turning a strong start into something bigger.

Scotland suffered a potentially damaging 1-0 defeat to Morocco in their second match of the 2026 World Cup in Boston, meaning they will need to take something from their final Group C clash against Brazil to stand any chance of reaching the last 32. Steve Clarke's side fell behind inside two minutes, and in truth they never recovered.

After opening their tournament with a big win over Paraguay, the Americans triumphed again in front of a raucous Seattle crowd

Brazil have long inspired Haiti through its darkest moments. Now Les Grenadiers meet them on the World Cup stage aiming to prove they belong, not just admire.

The three biggest strengths of Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been highlighted by Peter Reid, with the former Leeds boss and Everton midfielder telling GOAL why the powerful frontman is a joy to watch. Injury issues of the recent past were put to the back of the 29-year-old’s mind last season as he delivered an immediate return on the faith shown in him by those at Elland Road.

Christian Pulisic has been ruled out of U.S. Men's National Team clash against Australia, Mauricio Pochettino revealed in an interview with FOX. Pulisic was subbed after halftime in the team's dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay. Although initial reporting suggested he might be able to play in Friday's clash in Seattle, the Argentine manager confirmed Ricardo Pepi will start in his place.

Michael Owen made his Liverpool breakthrough as a teenager, and the former Reds star has told GOAL why Rio Ngumoha should remain at Anfield for now - rather than tread a similar path to Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho. The highly-rated winger is, at 17 years of age, seeing a surprising switch to German giants Bayern Munich speculated on.

Harry Kane will not be paying any attention to the 2026 World Cup exploits of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, Danny Mills has told GOAL, as England’s record goalscorer would “rather be Olivier Giroud”. The prolific Bayern Munich striker has already opened his account in North America, alongside several other household names, but will forever prioritise collective success over any individual accolades.

Dejan Kulusevski has spent more than 12 months stuck on the sidelines at Tottenham, with Danny Murphy telling GOAL that the Swedish forward could end up heading down paths previously trodden by Fernando Torres and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Everyone connected with Spurs hope that the latter of those two Premier League legends will be emulated, with the 2026-27 campaign delivering a clean slate for all concerned.

The Brazilians legend Thabo Nthethe has called on the club to grant the 29-year-old his dream move to Europe following his standout performances on the world stage. The midfielder further enhanced his burgeoning reputation by netting Bafana Bafana’s first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw with the Czechia.

The USMNT's second group game will either guarantee that they have a carefree stroll into the knockouts or make for a nervy third fixture.

Bafana legend has outlined the two critical areas where South Africa must excel to secure a place in the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Czechia, the former defender believes Hugo Broos' side is finally learning how to handle the unique pressures of the global stage.