Kylian Mbappe has been accused of ensuring that Real Madrid did not give Clasico rivals Barcelona a guard of honour after seeing Los Blancos suffer an agonising 3-2 defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final. It is customary for the runners-up in that contest to pay homage to the victors, but Mbappe - who returned to action after injury in Saudi Arabia - waved his team-mates away from arch-enemies.
Toronto FC have reportedly submitted an $18 million bid for USMNT striker Josh Sargent, but Norwich manager Philippe Clement has insisted the forward is not for sale amid growing MLS interest. Sargent missed the Canariesâ FA Cup match this weekend after informing the club he was focused on a potential transfer, with Clement saying there would be consequences.
Michael Olise and Luis Diaz have been compared to legendary Bayern Munich duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery after both wingers sparkled in their sideâs 8-1 demolition of Wolfsburg on Sunday evening. The pair conjured up six goal involvements between them as Vincent Kompanyâs side enjoyed a dream return to Bundesliga action following the recent winter break.
A furious Antonio Conte screamed in the face of the fourth official after being sent off in the second half of Napoli's top-of-the-table Serie A clash against Inter at San Siro on Sunday. The Napoli boss kicked a spare ball up the pitch in anger after seeing his side concede a late penalty, and was then shown a red card, but that only exacerbated his foul mood, with club officials eventually intervening to usher him down the tunnel. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, with Scott McTominay grabbing both goals for the visitors.
Barcelona claimed a record-extending 16th Spanish Super Cup title by defeating Real Madrid 3-2 in the second Clasico of the season in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Raphinha scored twice and Robert Lewandowski also found the back of the net as Hansi Flick's side remained dominant over their bitter rivals by securing a fifth victory in their last six meetings with Xabi Alonso's side.
Real Madrid were outclassed by Barcelona in a baffling Spanish Super Cup final, looking a step behind their arch-rivals in a 3-2 loss that will surely increase the pressure on Xabi Alonso. There were mishaps from Rodrygo at the front and errors from Raul Asencio at the back as a glum Blancos side could neither cope defensively or get anything going in an attacking sense.
Vinicius Junior scored an amazing solo goal for Real Madrid in their Supercopa de Espana final clash with Barcelona, snapping a long barren spell in the process. The Brazilian winger had not scored since October 10 heading into the Saudi showpiece, but showed he still has the magic in his boots with a wonderful run and finish against Real's arch-rivals. It wasn't enough to give his team the edge heading in at the break, though, as the Spanish giants shared four goals between them in a crazy first 45 minutes.
GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including concern over Pepi after an injury and Folarin Balogun getting on the scoresheet.
Darren Fletcher has hinted he will not be given the Manchester United job for the remainder of the season after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round by Brighton. The former United midfielder has failed to win either of his games since being named interim boss following Ruben Amorim's sacking on Monday, having overseen a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday.
Manchester United triggered an extraordinary 111-year low after they were beaten by a Danny Welbeck-inspired Brighton and Hove Albion in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday evening. The ex-Red Devils striker came back to haunt his former paymasters, who were reduced to ten men late on when academy graduate Shea Lacey was sent off at Old Trafford.
After what has been regarded as Bafana's poor performance in Morocco, South Africans have been left wondering whether their team is developing or regressing. Now, as the focus shifts to the 2026 World Cup finals, Bafana's supporters have been cautioned.
The former Royal AM owner, Shawn Mkhize, has wasted no time in making her presence felt at Highlanders, embarking on a South African shopping spree as the club moves swiftly in the January transfer window. In a bid to inject fresh energy and depth into the squad, the club has secured the services of several players, signalling a clear intent to strengthen their ranks and sharpen their competitiveness for the remainder of the season.
The forward had moved to Portugal in search of more game time, but that ambition was not achieved. Last season, he faced the same challenge at the Pretoria giants, and he could face the same problem upon returning. Downs have beefed up their attacking department with the signing of Monnapule Saleng, and that means there will be even stiffer competition for playtime.
The PSL January transfer window is officially open, with clubs busy beefing up their squads ahead of the second half of the season. The Buccaneers and Masandawana have already announced new signings, while Amakhosi are yet to rope in any fresh acquisitions. It remains to be seen whether the Glamour Boys will bring in new faces before the transfer period closes.
Manchester United wonderkid Shea Lacey picked up the first red card of his career in petulant circumstances as the Red Devils suffered more frustration against Brighton in the FA Cup. Old Trafford was left stunned by another abject performance from a star-studded cast, with teenage winger Lacey compounding their misery when he was dismissed in the final minute of the 90.
Bayern Munich enjoyed a perfect return to the Bundesliga as they crushed Wolfsburg 8-1 at the Allianz Arena on Sunday evening. Michael Olise scored two and set up another, with Luis Diaz, Raphael Guerreiro, Harry Kane and Leon Goretzka also finding the back of the net, as Vincent Kompany's side sparkled in their first match back following the winter break.
Ryan Reynolds was once again spotted picking grass from the Racecourse Ground pitch prior to Wrexham claiming a Premier League scalp in the 2025-26 FA Cup. The Red Dragons prevailed on penalties at the end of an epic third-round clash with Nottingham Forest, and one of their Hollywood co-owners made sure that he had a memento to take back to the United States.
Danny Welbeck haunted Manchester United yet again as Brighton became only the third team in 43 years to knock the Red Devils out of the FA Cup in the third round. Welbeck played his part in the Seagulls taking the lead at Old Trafford and then doubled their advantage with a second-half piledriver.
Mohamed Salah has reached an international goal milestone quicker than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Liverpool superstar is currently on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt. He has helped to fire them into the semi-finals of that competition. During a last-eight showdown with the Ivory Coast, Salah found the target and reached 100 goal contributions for his country.
Zlatan Ibrahimovicâs son Maximilian is reportedly in talks to leave AC Milan and join another one of his fatherâs former clubs. Ibrahimovic Snr was widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation, representing a host of Europeâs biggest clubs including Milan, Inter and Juventus in Serie A, as well as Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and La Liga champions Barcelona.
The right-sided player has attracted the interest of Premier Soccer League heavyweights after a sensational performance for TS Galaxy. Now, a twist in the player's future has emerged, as it has now been revealed that Amakhosi have contacted his camp for a possible deal. Given the profile of the player, the race to sign Dithejane is expected to be a battle between the top clubs in the country.
West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos had to be stretchered from the field after suffering a worrying head injury in the Hammersâ FA Cup third-round clash with Queens Park Rangers. The former Arsenal centre-half formed part of a nasty collision late in the first half, leading to him requiring lengthy treatment on the field and urgent medical attention off it.
Kaizer Chiefs still have an opportunity to end the season with a treble, as the PSL title, Nedbank Cup and CAF Confederation Cup are all still within reach. Interestingly, the Soweto giants could also just as easily finish the campaign empty-handed if results do not go their way in the coming months. Their fate largely rests in the hands of the co-coaches entrusted with leading the team following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi.
The defending champions resumed their campaign after a break and registered a convincing win against their opponents. Although they have the daunting task of closing in on the league leaders, Orlando Pirates, Amakhosi can use the morale from the huge win and string together a good run. Meanwhile, Sundowns failed to close in on the Sea Robbers after they dropped points.
USMNT star Tim Weah has explained why he is embracing an âus against the world mentalityâ at Marseille. The United States international, who began his professional career with Paris Saint-Germain, returned to France in the summer of 2025. He is now turning out alongside ex-Manchester United star Mason Greenwood and enjoys filling the role of villains in Ligue 1.
Arsenal booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win over Championship side Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon. Gabriel Martinelli bagged an all-important hat-trick, while Andre Dozzell scored an own goal, as the Gunners survived an early scare to maintain their push for a first piece of silverware since winning the same competition six years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo will face added competition for places at the 2026 World Cup, Portugal boss Roberto Martinez has revealed. Evergreen 40-year-old CR7 is heading to that tournament, with another birthday being passed along the way, but is not expected to play every minute of every game - despite being captain of his country. Martinez is planning to take three strikers with him to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox has told the squad a new target for the season following the recent sacking of head coach Ruben Amorim. The Red Devils currently sit seventh in the Premier League table but are now without a permanent manager, with Darren Fletcher acting as interim boss. Wilcox reportedly clashed with Amorim at the end of his reign and has now detailed a new primary aim for the remainder of 2025-26.
Lionel Messi remains âthe best in the worldâ and will hold that title âuntil he retiresâ, claims the Argentineâs former Barcelona team-mate David Villa. The eight-time Ballon dâOr winner is now 38 years of age, but he is showing no sign of slowing down and continues to enhance his standing as the most decorated player of all-time while turning out in the United States for Inter Miami.
Darren Fletcher, who has worked with JJ Gabriel at U18 level with Manchester United, has explained why the 15-year-old wonderkid is not being fast-tracked into the first-team fold at Old Trafford. The exciting youngster is eligible to feature in an FA Cup third-round clash with Brighton, as that competition uses different rules to the Premier League, but the decision has been made to hold him back.