Lists

GOAL gives you the details to follow the African continent's new champions as they take to the field in their second star jerseys for the very first time against high profile European opponents at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday night.

Manuel Neuer’s return to Germany’s squad has lifted confidence inside the national team camp ahead of the World Cup. Team-mates Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck admitted the Bayern Munich veteran’s reputation alone changes how opponents approach games.

Crystal Palace have initiated formal discussions with former Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmoller as they search for a successor to Oliver Glasner. The South London club look set to repeat history by turning to another former Frankfurt boss to guide them forward following Glasner's decision to step down at the end of the campaign.

Madonna has become the latest celebrity to be spotted wearing Chelsea’s unreleased Nike shirt for the 2026/27 season. The pop icon appeared in a social media video alongside Gymskin, weeks after golfer and lifelong Blues fan Justin Rose showcased the strip at the PGA Championship.

Former Arsenal and AC Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini has opened up about his incredible parallel career as a green biochemistry pioneer. The 42-year-old Frenchman revealed that he started working on his global eco-friendly firm during his playing days in Italy, heavily inspired by the entrepreneurial drive of his former club president, Silvio Berlusconi.

The Brazilians head boss has opened up on the profound emotional and social impact of the club's recent CAF Champions League triumph. The Portuguese tactician believes the victory has transcended sport, providing a much-needed sense of pride and joy to the club's dedicated fanbase.

French football legend Michel Platini has defended international captain Kylian Mbappe after the forward publicly warned against the far right taking power in France. While validating the Real Madrid star's societal stance, the former UEFA president offered some stern advice regarding the immense responsibilities and risks of such high-profile exposure.

Manchester United have opened up significant room for summer spending after repaying £110 million of debt in recent weeks. The move gives Michael Carrick a stronger platform to reshape his squad ahead of the new season.

Masandawana centre-back Grant Kekana has offered a balanced perspective on the shift in power within South African football after the Sea Robbers secured the Betway Premiership title. The Buccaneers' triumph ended an era of unprecedented dominance for the Brazilians, who had held a firm grip on the league trophy for eight consecutive seasons.

Italian icon Andrea Pirlo has leaped into the defense of Mikel Arteta's tactical approach, insisting the Arsenal manager has cultivated a unique identity that goes far beyond simple physical football. As the Gunners prepare for a historic Champions League final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, the former AC Milan and Juventus midfield maestro dismissed suggestions that the North London side rely too heavily on set-pieces.

Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nathaniel Brown has refused to distance himself from growing speculation linking him with a summer switch to Bundesliga titans Bayern Munich. The highly-rated Germany left-back is fully focused on his international duties, but his impressive domestic form has reportedly caught the attention of several top European clubs.

Guti believes a “serious and major” incident inside the dressing room led to Xabi Alonso’s shock dismissal by Real Madrid. The former midfielder also criticised the current squad, claiming the team lacks balance, identity and collective strength.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot believes that leading Portugal to ultimate glory at the 2026 World Cup would provide a fittingly beautiful finale to Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic career. The versatile full-back emphasised that the entire footballing world, not just their home nation, will be uniting to support the veteran forward's quest.

Former South Africa international Sifiso Myeni has expressed his deep disappointment regarding the manner in which the team’s final squad for the upcoming global showpiece was finalised. The former Orlando Pirates winger believes the public nature of the cuts was unnecessarily cruel to the players who were omitted at the final hurdle.

Here are all the details of the friendly match between Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana and Juan Cruz Real's La Azul y Blanco. There is a 71-place gap in the FIFA World Rankings between the teams but expect the home side to be heavily rotated and the Central American side to be out to impress their new coach.

Liverpool icon John Barnes has boldly claimed that manager Arne Slot does not need to dip into the transfer market to replace outward-bound forward Mohamed Salah. The former England international also took aim at the departing frontman, accusing him of speaking nonsense online after the legendary attacker appeared to criticise Slot’s tactical approach.

Julian Nagelsmann could be heading for the tattoo studio if Germany win the World Cup. David Raum revealed the Germany boss may have backed himself into a corner after joking about getting matching ink should Die Mannschaft lift the trophy.

Legal expert explains the conditions for Al-Abyad's participation in the African Champions League

Barcelona are reportedly plotting an ambitious summer swoop for Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol alongside ongoing negotiations for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez. However, the Catalan giants face fierce European competition from Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich, who have already initiated formal inquiries to lure the versatile Croatian international back to Germany.

As 40-year-old Edin Dzeko enters the late twilight of his career, Bosnian football has a new potential superstar to carry it forward. Kerim Alajbegovic hadn't even been born when the revered striker made his international debut 19 years ago, but the pair are set to shoulder their country's hopes at the 2026 World Cup in North America this summer.

Barcelona are targeting Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie as Hansi Flick searches for a left-footed centre-back. However, Arsenal remain in pole position after securing a £45 million purchase option in the Ecuador international’s loan agreement.

A takeover bid for Sevilla led by former Real Madrid and Spain defender Sergio Ramos has collapsed just three days before a crucial deadline. The 40-year-old was the public face of a major consortium that had previously reached an agreement in principle, but negotiations have now completely broken down following a series of disagreements.

Atletico Madrid have forcefully hit back at mounting speculation linking stellar forward Julian Alvarez with a blockbuster summer move to domestic rivals Barcelona. The hierarchy at the Metropolitano have expressed deep frustration over persistent transfer rumours, firmly shutting down any possibility of a departure by declaring the player strictly not for sale.

On Sunday, Brighton will play in the Women's FA Cup final for the very first time, taking on Manchester City as they look to win the club's first major trophy, with neither the men nor the women having lifted one before. It will be an historic occasion for the Seagulls and they will be the underdogs, but there are plenty of reasons to believe that they can cause an upset at Wembley.

Saturday's eagerly-awaited Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest is the classic clash of styles. Arsenal boast the best defensive record in the competition, having conceded fewer goals (six) and kept more clean sheets (nine) than anyone else. The big question is, though, will Mikel Arteta's men be able to contain one of the most talented attacking teams in European football history?

Florentino Perez has confirmed he is considering two candidates to replace Alvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid. The club president also addressed speculation over Jose Mourinho’s potential return while launching strong criticism at election rival Enrique Riquelme.

After a week of speculation about Lionel Messi's fitness, Argentina received good news Thursday: the 38-year-old was named to Lionel Scaloni's 26-man World Cup squad. Messi exited Inter Miami's final match before the World Cup break with what the club described as left hamstring muscle overload. His inclusion puts a record sixth World Cup within reach.

Mexico face Australia at the Rose Bowl in a key World Cup tuneup as Javier Aguirre weighs final roster decisions before El Tri unveil their 26-man squad.

Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior has admitted that Lionel Messi's presence makes Argentina one of the favourites to win the World Cup again this summer. The Selecao winger believes Messi's unpredictable style of play can still give their arch-rivals an edge when they defend their global crown in North America.