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Although the DR Congo outfit advanced to the group stage of the CAF Champions League, they remain on tenterhooks as the case filed by Pirates has not yet been determined. Lupopo are in Group C and will face Mamelodi Sundowns, Rhulani Mokwena's MC Alger and Al Hilal. That means they will make another trip south to face the Tshwane giants after eliminating Bucs at the preliminary stage.

Turkish football has been thrown into turmoil after the nation's football federation confirmed that over 1,000 players and 149 referees are under investigation for involvement in football betting. The scandal has led to emergency suspensions, fixture delays and arrests, raising serious concerns about integrity across the country’s leagues.

The Premier League has approved Arsenal's application for their game against Everton on December 21 to be pushed forward after Mikel Arteta complained about fixture congestion. With the Gunners progressing to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to face Crystal Palace on December 23, the club wanted to avoid playing two matches in the span of just three days.

Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, as he prepares to grace that tournament for a record-shattering sixth time. The evergreen 40-year-old continues to make himself available for Portugal, but recently stated that retirement may not be too far away. He has now joked that he could prolong his remarkable career for another 10 years.

Sunday League side Wythenshawe Vets are “trying to tap up Wayne Rooney” after becoming a viral social media sensation. They have named a number of former Premier League stars in their team this season - including Stephen Ireland and Danny Drinkwater - with ex-Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse scoring seven second-half goals in their latest 13-0 victory.

Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck is reportedly refusing to extend his contract with the club due to disagreements with coach Niko Kovac. The German centre-back is said to be unhappy with the overly pragmatic and unattractive style of football implemented by Kovac. This situation has alerted several top clubs, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both showing interest in securing his signature.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot quipped after Sunday's 3-0 loss at Manchester City that the very best time to judge a team is at the end of the season. "The next best time," the Dutchman argued, "is after 19 games, because then you've all faced the same opponents." However, we don't really need to wait until the halfway point of the Premier League campaign to determine whether Liverpool are capable of retaining their title. The Reds' race is already run after five dreadful defeats in 11 games.

Rebel United introduces players who prefer to swim against the tide, such as Barcelona and Spain legend Gerard Pique, who has achieved great significance beyond the pitch thanks to his Catalan pride and innovative spirit...

Robert Lewandowski is approaching a defining moment in his career, as the Barcelona striker’s contract expires in June 2026 and while his priority is to stay, the club has yet to make a decision on whether to offer him an extension. Saudi Arabia is not an attractive option, and if Barcelona close the door, retirement is now a genuine possibility for the legendary goalscorer.

England have been told to wrap Harry Kane in “cotton wool” from January in order to avoid any injuries that would deliver a World Cup nightmare. Former Three Lions striker Fraizer Campbell, in an exclusive interview with GOAL, admits that Thomas Tuchel would struggle to mount a serious challenge for global glory if his talismanic captain were to be unavailable.

Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who is a die-hard supporter of Manchester United, has publicly pleaded with Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand to approach the team management and offer his help to fix a glaring issue. United blew a one-goal lead to draw 2-2 for the second week in a row away at Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, missing the chance to move into the top four.

The South African senior men’s national team is set to host Zambia in an international friendly on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The Belgian manager will be expecting nothing less than a convincing performance from his side, who are brimming with confidence after recently securing qualification for the FIFA World Cup. With the Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching in December, Bafana will be eager to maintain their momentum and correct the mistakes of their previous campaign, where they fell short in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to Nigeria.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has clarified whether he will be joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here contestants in 2025. The ex-England international saw his wife Coleen star on that show last year, with her stock soaring after a runner-up finish, and it has been suggested that Wayne could tread a similar path to the Australian jungle.

The experienced tactician is expected to leave at the end of the 2026 World Cup finals. Since he took over the national side in 2021, Bafana have been a competitive outfit. However, Broos has faced a lot of criticism, especially for his player selection.

Ligue 1 referee chief Amaury Delerue has defended the controversial decisions made by both the on-field and VAR officials during Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-2 win over Lyon. The last-minute defeat left Lyon players furious but Delerue has explained the process behind the officials' decisions and insisted that each call was made correctly.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been put on high alert after 16-year-old Hertha Berlin sensation Kennet Eichhorn's release clause was revealed. Eichhorn has created history in Germany after establishing himself in the first team and is expected to be on the radar of Europe's elite next summer.

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul has jumped to the defence of under-fire manager Eddie Howe, who he considers to be a club legend. The English coach is under immense pressure after the Magpies' poor start to the 2025-26 campaign, as they have won just three out of their first 11 Premier League matches and sit just two points above the relegation zone.

The Spanish Football Association (RFEF) has expressed its “surprise and dismay” at seeing Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal undergo an “invasive procedure” that has led to his withdrawal from the latest La Roja squad. Yamal, who suffered an injury while on international duty in September, had been drafted back into Luis de la Fuente’s ranks for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey.

Eni Aluko has spoken out in support of Mary Earps after seeing the former England goalkeeper attract criticism for some of the comments made in her new book. Hannah Hampton, who helped the Lionesses to Euro 2025 glory, was among those to feature in Earps’ tales. Aluko claims the legendary shot-stopper has every right to share her side of a professional story and should not be “demonised” for doing so.

Casemiro has backed Neymar as Brazil's most decisive player as the Selecao prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Neymar's fitness issues have deprived him of a place under Carlo Ancelotti, sparking fears he will not be at the tournament next year. However, the Manchester United midfielder argued that the team should adjust tactically to give the Santos forward freedom, citing how Argentina played around Lionel Messi on their way to glory in 2022.

Although he recently defended his policy of rotating players, the former Marumo Gallants tactician has hinted that the same may not apply to the goalkeeping department. Despite having options, the Moroccan has regularly trusted the experienced goalkeeper week in, week out. With a cup final coming up in December, Ouaddou is expected to stick with Chaine again as Bucs chase another domestic trophy.

Manchester United youngster James Overy has been handed a shock call-up to the Australia senior national team ahead of their upcoming friendly matches this month. Socceroos boss Tony Popovic, who has been left "impressed" by the teenager, has even hinted that Overy could earn a role in his World Cup squad for next summer's tournament in North America.

Ruben Amorim has been subjected to plenty of criticism across his reign as Manchester United manager, and the Portuguese coach is not afraid to dish some out himself. It has been revealed that he gave Manuel Ugarte - a player that he previously worked with at Sporting - a serious dressing down following defeat to Tottenham in the 2025 Europa League final.

Rafael Louzan, the head of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), addressed Lamine Yamal's recent call-up to the national team amid the Barcelona superstar's fitness concerns. The RFEF chief swiftly dismissed any rumours of a rift between Spain boss Luis de la Fuente and Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, asserting that "there was no tension."

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has pledged his support for Antonio Conte as he dismissed suggestions the coach will leave the club amid the team's recent struggles. Conte sparked reports of a possible exit by declaring he's not doing "a good job" after his side suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bologna, leaving them fourth in Serie A, but the Napoli chief has suggested he will remain in charge.

Lamine Yamal has reportedly made it clear to Barcelona bosses that he wants Robert Lewandowski to remain at the club beyond the end of the season. Despite fresh speculation regarding supposed interest in Erling Haaland and Harry Kane surfacing, teenage wonderkid Yamal is hoping to see a prolific Polish No.9 handed an extension to his expiring contract in Catalunya.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's family has been forced to sell his lakeside mansion in a cut-price deal to help pay off the late England manager's massive debts. Eriksson, who was in charge of England for five years and took the team to two World Cups and a European Championship, bought the mansion in 2001 for a whopping £4.5 million, but his family has now accepted a total loss on the property of around £3m.

The starlet, who left the Amakhosi youth development academy to join Swedish top-tier side Hammarby IF and returned in July, has missed the global showpiece. It has now been revealed that he failed an age test, and that is why he is not part of the junior side in Qatar. Khumalo has stated that although Mendes is not part of his squad, they remained focused and soldiered on.

Jeremy Doku always had the ability to do something extraordinary on the football field, but what he lacked was the sense of when and how to pull off his magical tricks. He had stood out for possessing a unique footballing talent as young as 15, but on Sunday against Liverpool, the club who wanted to sign him before he turned 16, Doku emerged as the player many knew he could become.