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Football lovers in Mzansi are still reeling from the pain of failing to make the latter stages of the biennial competition ongoing in the North African nation of Morocco after falling to the five-time champions, the Indomitable Lions, in the initial knockout phase round. However, the style of play caught the attention of an experienced tactician.

Xavi Hernandez is "ready" to return to management and has his sights set on the Premier League, but reports claiming a deal with Manchester United is imminent have been played down. While the Barcelona legend is a candidate to replace the sacked Ruben Amorim, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has clarified the current state of play.

Michael Owen, who remains the last Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or, has told GOAL what Harry Kane needs to do in order to land a prestigious Golden Ball in 2026. The prolific Bayern Munich striker is considered to have a "big chance" of claiming that prize as he chases down Champions League glory at club level and a World Cup crown with England.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has avoided the threat of a retrospective ban from the Football Association following a controversial incident involving Liverpool defender Conor Bradley. The Brazilian was at the centre of a flashpoint during the heated 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium, but because the referee dealt with the matter on the pitch, no further disciplinary action will be taken.

The 25-year-old lanky forward has earned the trust of his club coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and Bafana Bafana tactician Hugo Broos, becoming a regular figure in both setups. While he is not known for being a prolific goal-scorer, he continues to enjoy consistent game time for both club and country. That has kept him firmly in the spotlight and linked with a potential move from the Premier Soccer League to Europe.

Roberto De Zerbi has explained why Mason Greenwood was surprisingly substituted prior to Marseille suffering French Super Cup heartache against Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout. The former Manchester United winger had converted from the spot in normal time, but found himself off the field when an epic battle for major silverware was settled by a test of nerves from 12 yards.

Raheem Sterling is seriously considering ending his nightmare spell at Chelsea as he looks to escape a lucrative contract that has become a "prison." The 31-year-old winger has emerged as a potential target for Napoli, who are scouring the market for offensive reinforcements amidst a strict "zero balance" financial policy.

The former Morocco and Fulham defender is flying high with the Sea Robbers after joining them from Marumo Gallants in the off-season transfer window, where he replaced the Spaniard tactician. He has so far won the MTN8 and the Carling Knockout and is hoping to win the Premier Soccer League and the Nedbank Cup as well.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that Cristian Romero will face no financial punishment and will remain club captain, despite the defender launching a scathing public attack on the club’s hierarchy following the midweek defeat to Bournemouth.

Antoine Semenyo’s squad number at Manchester City has been revealed, on the back of his £62.5 million ($84m) transfer from Bournemouth. The Ghana international, who is excited to be taking on a new challenge at the Etihad Stadium, is inheriting an iconic jersey. He is, however, adamant that Blues legend Yaya Toure had no bearing on his decision to take No.42.

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers has been rewarded with a new long-term deal after an extraordinary 2025 in which she led the Gunners to Women's Champions League glory. Slegers was due to be out of contract this summer but the club has now acted to secure her signature for the next three-and-a-half years, handing the 36-year-old a deal that runs through to 2029.

Real Madrid have received a massive boost ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final as manager Xabi Alonso confirmed Kylian Mbappe is flying to Saudi Arabia. The French superstar missed the semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid due to a knee issue but has trained well and is now in contention to face Barcelona in a blockbuster El Clasico showdown.

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has hit out at Atletico Madrid counterpart Diego Simeone for his treatment of Vinicius Jr during their Supercopa de Espana meeting on Thursday. Los Blancos emerged as 2-1 winners in their semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, with Federico Valverde and Rodrygo scoring for Alonso's side.

Manchester City have announced the signing of Antoine Semenyo on a long-term contract from Premier League rivals Bournemouth. The Ghana international winger has penned a deal at the Etihad Stadium through to the summer of 2031. The transfer package involved is said to come in at £62.5 million ($84m), with it possible that said fee could rise by a further £1.5m if certain targets are hit.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has revealed who he wants to succeed Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are back in the market for a new manager after parting company with a Portuguese tactician, and former captain Keane believes that they should look close to home by trying to prise Eddie Howe away from Premier League rivals Newcastle.

A new film documenting one of Roy Keane's most infamous moments is out in 2025

Arsenal have had their fair share of success stories over the years when it comes to the women's side of the academy. Leah Williamson, England's two-time European Championship-winning captain, and Lotte Wubben-Moy, also part of those triumphs with the Lionesses, are two of the most high-profiles examples of players who have progressed through the youth set-up and become key members of the first team - and they will not be the last.

The Glamour Boys are representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup alongside Stellenbosch who reached the semi-final in the 2024/25 season before falling to Simba SC. The Soweto giants are determined to deliver in the continent's second-tier competition despite making a return after a couple of years in the cold.

Liverpool’s goalless draw with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium saw the Reds snap a 600-game streak that had extended across 16 years. The defending Premier League champions grew into the game in north London, keeping the current table-toppers pegged back for long periods, but failed to test David Raya in the Gunners’ goal with no shots on target.

We have been waiting for some time to see how Nike would react to the juggernaut that is adidas' Predator revival campaign, and the American sportswear behemoth is finally set to deliver a serious on-pitch response following the relaunch of cultural phenomenon Total90 as a streetwear silo in 2025. With the new year upon us, the iconic Nike Tiempo has been revamped for the modern creator-in-chief.

The world watched on as Arsenal hosted Liverpool in a potential changing of the guard in English football on Thursday night. The Premier League leaders had the chance to stretch their lead atop the table to eight points, with the reigning champions down on their luck and jockeying for a Champions League position. But the game didn't live up to the hype.

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has issued an apology to Liverpool defender Conor Bradley after seeing his actions towards the end of a Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium branded "absolutely disgraceful". Martinelli showed no sympathy for Bradley after the Northern Ireland international went down with an injury that ultimately led to him being removed on a stretcher - with the Gunners forward trying to drag his domestic rival off the pitch.

Manchester City are reportedly in advanced talks to sign United States international Sam Coffey from Portland Thorns. The Women's Super League pacesetters are seeking to end Chelsea's six-year stranglehold on the division, and now they are progressing with an eye-catching move for the midfielder. If they get this deal over the line, this could be a huge boost in their title bid.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has come in for criticism after attempting to push Liverpool defender Conor Bradley off the pitch in the closing minutes of Thursday's Premier League draw with Liverpool at the Emirates. Martinelli tangled with Bradley after the 22-year-old went down and appeared to be in some distress. He was subsequently stretchered off the pitch and the fear is that he has sustained a serious injury.

Arsenal missed the chance to move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Liverpool on Thursday. Manchester City dropped points at home to Brighton 24 hours earlier and allowed the Gunners the opportunity to extend their advantage. Though the north Londoners are now six points ahead of their closest challengers, they were denied the win many had expected them to register against the defending champions.

Liverpool did a number on Arsenal but missed the injured Hugo Ekitike in attack in a 0-0 draw on Thursday. Arne Slot's side comfortably contained the Premier League leaders with an organised and disciplined performance but never looked like breaking the deadlock themselves, and while the Reds have long been out of the title race, this display will have encouraged many on Merseyside.

Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr was embroiled in more controversy on Thursday after clashing with Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone while being substituted during the two teams' Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia. The pair exchanged words in a heated moment as Real Madrid won 2-1 to book a final against bitter rivals Barcelona on Sunday.

Real Madrid booked their place in the Supercopa de Espana final with a 2-1 victory over inter-city rivals Atletico Madrid in Jeddah on Thursday. Los Blancos opened their account through a vicious Federico Valverde free-kick after just 77 seconds, and Rodrygo doubled the lead with a well-taken finish in the 55th minute, before Alexander Sorloth pegged one back with a back-post header just moments later.

Al-Nassr have slipped four points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal after slumping to a 2-1 defeat to Al Qadsiah. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of 2026 from the penalty spot in the game to halve the deficit but it was not enough as Jorge Jesus's team lost for the second match in a row. Yet Ronaldo is refusing to throw in the towel as he bids to win his first major trophy since moving to the Middle East.