Lists

Anderlecht’s teenage sensation Nathan De Cat has spoken publicly about growing Premier League interest from Tottenham and Aston Villa, insisting he has “no intention” of leaving in January despite major clubs tracking his rise. With the 17-year-old already valued at over €20 million (£17.5m/$23m) and viewed as one of Europe’s elite young midfielders, speculation continues to mount.

Thierry Henry says the USMNT benefits when its players test themselves in Europe, but he also cautioned against using national-team selections as the sole measure of Major League Soccer’s growth. The French legend believes overseas experience helps American players - even as MLS continues to play an important role in their development.

Chaos is descending at Cameroon's Football Federation on the eve of the Africa Cup of Nations. Two squads have been named for the tournament, with two managers both intending to lead the side forward to the finals. Marc Brys was sacked by FA president Samuel Eto'o but remains in a 'bitter feud' with the legendary striker, who he claims is 'narcissistic' and has put his own best interests over those of the nation.

Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz has been encouraged to reject interest from Barcelona and instead pursue a move to Liverpool, with Colombian icon Camilo Zuniga insisting the Premier League is the ideal environment for the wing-back’s high-energy style. As elite sides circle ahead of his next career step, debate continues to mount over where the in-form Munoz should go next.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos announced his squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, and as expected, there were prominent names missing from the Belgian's selection. One of the players whose omission triggered debate is the Wydad Casablanca attacker. He did not even appear in the preliminary squad and has, over a period of time, not been considered for national duty.

Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham has been defended by Ruud Gullit, who claims the 22-year-old is the best player Los Blancos have, and that he is the 'victim' of a lack of industry by his team-mates. Bellingham cut a frustrated figure at full-time as Real were defeated 2-1 at home by Manchester City in the Champions League, but former Ballon d'Or winner Gullit has hit back at renewed criticism of the Englishman's attitude.

Manchester United have finalised the signing of 13-year-old defender Socrates, a rising prospect who rebounded from failed trials at Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace before earning a place at Old Trafford. The Elite London Academy product has impressed scouts with his maturity and intelligence, completing a move that highlights United’s renewed focus on youth recruitment under INEOS.

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future remains shrouded in uncertainty after a dramatic public outburst intensified his feud with manager Arne Slot, but the Egyptian has received unexpected support from his first-ever coach. Ivica Todorov has spoken out to defend Salah’s professionalism and commitment, urging observers not to rush to judgment as the transfer storm grows louder.

The 24-year-old winger is one of the players who featured at the last edition of the continental tournament in Ivory Coast, even though he was used only sparingly at the time. Back then, he was still turning out for Polokwane City before securing a big move to the Buccaneers ahead of the current season. The national team coach has since highlighted the significant improvement shown by the Cape Town-born star.

Former Chelsea and England star and current England Under-21 assistant coach Ashley Cole has revealed that his journey into coaching has made him a "better person", as he has been able to learn more about the human side of football and how to manage the people behind the players, and what they may be going through behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis. He also revealed some of the inspiration he has taken from his former managers in his playing career.

Talks are underway between Manchester United and Wrexham for the two clubs to take part in a headline-grabbing friendly next summer in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 season. Scandinavia has been touted as a possible destination but nothing is yet confirmed, as discussions continue. The two clubs last faced each other in a friendly in July 2023 in San Diego in the United States, with Wrexham coming out 3-1 winners against a youthful Red Devils side.

The USMNT will play Senegal on May 31 in its second-to-last World Cup warmup friendly, U.S. soccer announced Thursday morning. The 19th-ranked African side will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina to face off Mauricio Pochettino's side, a week before the U.S. host Germany in Chicago. The two teams have never played in an international competition.

MLS commissioner Don Garber has publicly encouraged Mohamed Salah to consider a move to the United States amid escalating uncertainty over the Liverpool star’s future. With his relationship with manager Arne Slot fractured and interest growing across the Atlantic, Garber urged the Egyptian to speak directly with Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller to learn how transformative MLS life can be.

South African political party, United Democratic Movement (UDM), has angrily reacted to the utterances made by the Belgian coach as he took aim at his defender and the player's agent who facilitated the transfer from the Buccaneers to North America. The political party has deemed the coach's remarks as inappropriate, leading to them approaching the Human Rights Commission with a complaint.

The South African national team will head into the final stages of their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, as they prepare to face Ghana in their last international friendly before stepping onto the big stage against Angola in their opening match on December 22, where they look to break more boundaries while raising the Mzansi flag high.

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has named a key area that the Reds "got wrong" during their massive summer transfer window outlay. The Premier League champions spent more than any club in world football during the 2025 window with an unprecedented outlay of £446 million ($598m) on seven new signings. Yet, almost halfway through the season, the squad appears disjointed, the performances inconsistent and some new signings are already under the scanner.

Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio has explained why he would always urge youngsters to follow the “example” of Cristiano Ronaldo over that of Lionel Messi. The two all-time greats have reached the very top of their chosen profession, but took different paths en route to the summit. Portuguese icon Ronaldo has always been about hard work, while Argentine GOAT Messi is more naturally gifted.

In a bombshell seven-and-a-half-minute interview after Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds United last weekend, Mohamed Salah accused the club of throwing him "under the bus" and claimed he no longer has any relationship with head coach Arne Slot. The 'Egyptian King', who has scored 250 goals for Liverpool over the last eight years and was the driving force behind the 2024-25 Premier League title success under Slot, didn't see a single minute of action at Elland Road after being named on the bench for the third game in a row, and decided to go public with his grievances.

Eric Garcia has committed his long-term future to Barcelona, signing a new deal that keeps him at Camp Nou until 2031. The defender, who has established himself as a key starter since his return from a successful loan spell at Girona, admitted his "dream" is to spend his entire career at the club after overcoming a difficult start to life in Catalonia.

Bruno Fernandes has been brutally compared to a “one-year-old”, with the Manchester United captain being told that high energy, goals and assists mask his flaws. Ex-Red Devils defender Paul Parker has been discussing the Portuguese playmaker with GOAL and believes that a talismanic presence at Old Trafford can both help and hinder the collective cause.

Former Premier League striker Tomasz Radzinski has thrown up the name of a shock winger as a potential replacement for Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. Salah’s public outburst last week, in which he accused the club of mishandling him and hinted at tension with manager Arne Slot, has intensified the speculation about his future. At 33, and with three consecutive games spent on the bench, the Egyptian superstar suddenly appears closer than ever to ending his decorated Anfield tenure.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has publicly backed Nico Schlotterbeck after the defender launched a scathing attack on his teammates following their disappointing Champions League draw against Bodo/Glimt. The manager admitted the collapse was "completely unnecessary" and insisted the centre-back had every right to voice his frustration.

Lionel Messi has been caught on camera speaking English. The Argentine superstar has been plying his trade in the United States since 2023. He forms part of a large Spanish-speaking community in Miami, but has clearly been working on becoming bilingual. He was captured putting his language skills to the test in footage obtained by the match referee during the 2025 MLS Cup final.

Boca Juniors have publicly confirmed their ambitious interest in signing Roma forward Paulo Dybala, sparking a frenzy of speculation in Argentina. Club director Marcelo Delgado described the potential transfer as a complex mix of "dream and reality" but insisted the Buenos Aires giants are prepared to make a significant effort to secure the World Cup winner.

Gabriel Jesus is "happy" after making a return from his devastating ACL injury during Arsenal's victory over Club Brugge in Belgium. The Gunners had plenty to celebrate as they registered a sixth consecutive Champions League win, got another clean sheet and put in a performance that instilled hope among the fans.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have reportedly locked horns in a battle to sign Liga de Quito’s 16-year-old sensation Ederson Castillo. The midfielder has attracted serious interest from the European heavyweights after dazzling displays at youth level, though they face stiff competition from Atlético de Madrid and Anderlecht who are also tracking his progress.

Manchester United have been warned off a £100 million ($134m) move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, with ex-Red Devils defender Paul Parker explaining to GOAL why such a swoop would be “foolhardy”. Transfer plans at Old Trafford are being drawn up heading towards 2026, but they are being advised to steer clear of a highly-rated England international.

The 36-year-old midfielder made headlines when Chloorkop announced his arrival, as he had been a key player for the Soweto Giants, who were on the verge of clinching the league title. Unfortunately for Chiefs supporters, it was Masandawana who ultimately lifted the trophy at the final hour, with the former Chiefs midfielder part of the victorious team—a development that left a bitter taste for Amakhosi faithful.

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim has been warned by Patrice Evra that missing out on Champions League football would be regarded as a failure. United failed to qualify for Europe's elite competition for successive seasons for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Evra highlighted the importance of getting back into it, both financially and in terms of prestige.