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Sadio Mane has explained his decision to prevent Senegal from walking off during a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final clash with hosts Morocco. A number of controversial decisions incensed the Senegalese squad, with the award of a penalty following a supposed foul on Brahim Diaz leading to some players heading off the pitch. Ex-Liverpool star Mane was able to beckon them back.

The two South African top-tier sides are set to restart club football following the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) break in Morocco. While the Mswenko Boys had no players featured, the defending Premier Soccer League champions had five players in the Bafana Bafana team that reached the Round of 16.

The Africa Cup of Nations final ended in acrimony and confusion well after the final whistle as Senegal boss Pape Thiaw stormed out of his press conference following a hostile reception from the media. On a night of high drama where his side claimed victory after initially walking off the pitch over a controversial penalty decision, Morocco manager Walid Regragui also faced the wrath of the local press, with furious journalists urging him to resign after the hosts’ 50-year wait for the trophy was extended in heartbreaking fashion.

Real Madrid may be wondering if they got their approach all wrong with Brazilian wonderkid Endrick, after seeing him star as a flying winger for Lyon during a loan spell in France. The South American starlet was taken to Santiago Bernabeu as a striker, but struggled to make the desired impact in Spain as injuries and fierce competition for places held him back.

Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong launched a scathing attack on referee Jesus Gil Manzano following the club’s shock 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena. The Dutchman accused the official of arrogance and poor time-keeping after a controversial night saw the La Liga leaders have three goals ruled out, leaving De Jong labelling the officiating as "insane" in a heated post-match interview.

Unai Emery conducted a “weird” interview after seeing Aston Villa suffer a disappointing home defeat to Everton, with the Spaniard claiming that his high-flying team are “not top-five contenders” in the Premier League. His comments, and behaviour, raised eyebrows with Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp.

Sporting Kansas City is entering a new chapter. The Illig family, owners of the club since 2006, have agreed to sell a 71% stake to current limited partner Peter Mallouk in a deal that values the franchise at roughly $700 million, according to Forbes. The figure marks the highest valuation ever paid for a majority stake in Major League Soccer.

Brazil once again ruled the Kings World Cup Nations, defeating Chile 6-2 in a spectacular final at a sold-out Allianz Parque. Backed by a passionate home crowd, the Seleção delivered a dominant performance to retain the title, blending attacking flair, resilience, and showmanship on a night watched by millions worldwide.

The Soweto giants have concluded a partnership with a club from their neighbouring country. The move has attracted so many reactions from football fans, most of them mocking the agreement between the two teams. Questions have been raised about what the Soweto giants will benefit from the relationship.

The 2025 finalists served the continent and the world with pure footballing drama, from a controversial penalty to a protest and a late, fate-deciding goal, which will be remembered for years to come. The Lions of Teranga, who appeared in their third final in the last four editions, withstood the storm and became the African champions once again. Morocco, who came close to ending their 50-year wait for another continental trophy, will live to fight another day after narrowly missing out on the title on home soil.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including some important goals from two strikers in the Championship.

Lamine Yamal was again the star of the show for Barcelona at the Anoeta on Sunday night but it was all for nothing as the La Liga leaders fell to a 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad. The Barca teen shone down the right but was unable to inspire the Blaugrana to victory, with Hansi Flick's men now just a point clear of arch rivals Real Madrid at the summit.

Morocco talisman Brahim Diaz missed a 114th-minute penalty against Senegal in the AFCON final after inexplicably trying a Panenka chip, which was easily saved by opposition goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The Real Madrid ace blew the chance to win the trophy for his country after the Senegal squad had stormed off in protest against the initial award of the penalty.

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal left four Real Sociedad players for dead during a dazzling dribbling sequence at the Anoeta on Sunday night. The teenage star embarked on the scintillating run after picking the ball up in his own half, before playing a delightful pass through to Fermin Lopez.

Arne Slot reportedly still has the backing of Liverpool owners FSG despite a downturn in results. The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday afternoon, which extended their winless run to four matches. The pressure continues to mount on Slot, with the defending Premier League champions now 14 points off league leaders Arsenal.

Shaqueel van Persie, the son of legendary Dutch striker Robin van Persie, scored his first professional goals as Feyenoord played out a seven-goal thriller with Rotterdam rivals Sparta on Sunday. Van Persie junior made just his third career appearance as he replaced Casper Tengstedt midway through the second half in the Rotterdam Derby, and almost salvaged a draw for his team.

The Brazilians are back from the 2025 AFCON break and resume their bid to win the Premier Soccer League title when they host Mswenko Boys at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Monday. Starting the year part of the chasing pack seeking to dislodge Orlando Pirates from the top of the table, Masandawana need nothing short of victory in their backyard amid some pressure on coach Miguel Cardoso.

Vinicius Junior making a move to Chelsea remains a ”fairytale shout”, says former Blues midfielder Jody Morris, with the Real Madrid superstar considered to be “too old” for owners at Stamford Bridge that prefer to focus on youth and potential. A ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu is, however, generating talk of a Premier League transfer being made in 2026.

Unai Emery has explained why Jadon Sancho was not included in Aston Villa's squad to face Everton on Sunday evening. Sancho joined the Villans on loan from Manchester United in September but has struggled for regular game time at Villa Park. Indeed, he has started just two league matches this season, with the majority of his minutes coming in the Europa League.

The former Amakhosi tactician is hoping to strengthen his new squad with tried and tested players. Both Mabasa and the winger have faced similar situations this season: reduced playtime, and to get a solution, they need to find new clubs. Now, the experienced South African tactician is reportedly ready to welcome them at his new club.

Neymar to Inter Miami could still happen, former MLS star Kleberson has exclusively told GOAL, with Lionel Messi looking to bring “everyone” to the United States as he forms his own “private league”. Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul have already joined the Argentine GOAT in Florida, with more marquee transfer deals - including Cristiano Ronaldo - being lined up.

Patrice Evra has called out Manchester City star Rayan Cherki for "not respecting" Manchester United following Saturday's derby clash at Old Trafford. In their first game under Michael Carrick, United eased to a 2-0 home win over the Cityzens to further derail their rivals' Premier League title bid. Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu both netted in the second half to wrap up the victory.

Masandadawana have been dominant in this fixture, but Amakhosi were on another level and delivered a display that their rivals did not match. The victory also means the defending champions have extended their winning run to five games. Although Chiefs will celebrate their win, deep down, they know the victory hands their Soweto rivals a huge advantage in the title race.

Cristiano Ronaldo would be prepared to join “the lowest professional league” in order to reach 1,000 competitive goals, claims former Manchester United team-mate Nani, but is not expected to be forced down that path. Instead, the Portuguese GOAT, who is still going strong in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, is being backed to grace Euro 2028.

The 20-year-old defender has now scored twice for his club as he continues to stamp his authority as a first-team player. Amakhosi loaned him out with the specific reason of helping him earn more playtime, something that he would not have had were he to stay put at Naturena.

Chelsea have taken a major step forward in their bid to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, having agreed personal terms with the defender. Jacquet is reportedly close to joining the Blues, who are looking to bring in a new centre-back during the January transfer window. The 20-year-old has also been linked with Liverpool, but Chelsea are now in pole position to secure his signature.

Gerard Pique has addressed the possibility of former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi playing in the Kings League at some stage. Neymar, another iconic performer with ties to Camp Nou, has hinted that the Argentine GOAT would like to grace small-sided competition. Pique is leaving the door open for Messi, but is reluctant to speculate on whether the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will ever walk through it.

Niclas Fullkrug's nightmare start to life in Italy continued last week after the striker had €500k worth of valuables stolen from his hotel room. The German moved to the Rossoneri on loan for the rest of the season at the start of January, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Premier League side West Ham.

The experienced coach has been without a job for the past year since leaving his position at Esteghlal FC in the Iranian Pro League. During his time unattached, he has been linked with a move to Kaizer Chiefs and, more recently, a possible return to Chloorkop. The coach himself has admitted that several clubs have approached him, but none of the offers met his expectations.