Lionesses captain Leah Williamson is one of four footballers to be nominated for accolades at the prestigious 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, with her England team also shortlisted after winning the 2025 European Championships. Lamine Yamal was the only footballer to win an award at last year's ceremony, with Real Madrid also scooping up a team prize, but the chances of more recognition are greater this year, with significantly more nominees from the world of football.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
The Endrick show continues to captivate Ligue 1, but even a masterclass from the Real Madrid loanee wasn't enough to stop a resurgent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from snatching the headlines. In a pulsating clash at the Stade Velodrome, the Brazilian starlet showcased exactly why Los Blancos were so desperate to secure his signature, providing a pair of sublime assists. However, the night ultimately belonged to the veteran Aubameyang, whose late brace turned the game on its head to secure a 3-2 victory for Marseille.
Paris Saint-Germain have seen a controversial request ahead of their Champions League round-of-16 clash with Chelsea next month approved by the LFP. The Parisian powerhouse will welcome the Blues to the Parc des Princes in a little over a week before the return leg at Stamford Bridge the following week as Luis Enrique's side seek to defend their European crown.
At the very start of the year, it looked like Endrick's dream of making Brazil's World Cup squad was dead in the water. The Real Madrid youngster only played 99 minutes for the club in the first half of the season, with then-Blancos boss Xabi Alonso favouring homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia ahead of him, and a move away became inevitable in the winter transfer window.
Luis Enrique has sent a clear message to the rest of Europe following the Champions League knockout stage draw, insisting that Paris Saint-Germain are no longer flying under the radar. The Spanish tactician, who has transformed the culture at the Parc des Princes, believes his side is now viewed as a genuine heavyweight capable of lifting the trophy for a second consecutive year.
Paul Pogba is facing more questions of his future, with the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder enduring a tough return to competitive action with Monaco. After serving an 18-month ban from all football-related activity, the World Cup winner headed to his native France in 2025. Injuries have prevented the 32-year-old from making the desired impact in Ligue 1.
Paris Saint-Germain footballer Achraf Hakimi has been ordered to stand trial for alleged rape. The Nanterre prosecutor's office and Hakimi's lawyer confirmed to AFP that the Morocco international will be tried for accusations of sexual assault against a woman in February 2023.
Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club turned down a staggering world-record transfer offer for teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Speaking at the launch of his new book, titled 'This Is How We Saved Barca), Laporta revealed that Paris Saint-Germain were prepared to pay €250 million to lure the youngster to the Parc des Princes.
The honeymoon period for Endrick in France appears to be well and truly over. Despite a sensational start to life at Lyon, the Real Madrid loanee found himself at the centre of a storm following a dismal performance in a 3-1 defeat to Strasbourg on Sunday. The 19-year-old, who previously looked untouchable in Ligue 1, was hauled through the coals by former France national team manager Raymond Domenech, who did not hold back in his assessment of the Brazilian's contributions at the Stade de la Meinau.
Jamie Vardy has long been established as one of the most unique characters in English football history, but new revelations from a former teammate have shed light on the sheer scale of his unconventional lifestyle. The Leicester City legend has never made a secret of his affinity for energy drinks. However, current Strasbourg defender Ben Chilwell has now detailed just how extreme the striker's habits became during their shared time at the King Power Stadium.
Kylian Mbappe has emerged victorious in his lengthy legal dispute with Paris Saint-Germain after the Ligue 1 champions officially decided not to appeal a court ruling ordering them to pay their former star €61 million. The Real Madrid forward had been locked in a bitter stalemate with his former employers over unpaid wages and various contractual bonuses that were withheld during his final months at the Parc des Princes. The conclusion of the case marks the end of a saga that shadowed Mbappe’s blockbuster move to the Spanish capital last summer.
The suspicion was that the Premier League title race was about to take a very dramatic turn after Manchester City drew to within two points of an increasingly nervy Arsenal on Saturday. However, the Gunners responded in the best possible fashion by routing north London rivals Tottenham the following day to keep their bid for a first championship success since 2004 very much on track.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
Endrick’s highly anticipated loan spell at Lyon hit a major stumbling block this weekend. After arriving from Real Madrid with immense expectations, the Brazilian prodigy initially took Ligue 1 by storm. However, Sunday's lacklustre display against Strasbourg caused some concern, leaving manager Paulo Fonseca thoroughly unimpressed as he searches for immediate tactical solutions to unlock the teenager.
Brazilian starlet Endrick has revealed the advice he received from Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe before he headed to Ligue 1 side Lyon on loan. The youngster has also admitted he has been surprised by the start he has made to life in France after making an instant impact in the French top flight, including scoring a hat-trick in a victory over Metz.
Mason Greenwood missed a penalty as Marseille lost 2-0 to Brest in a major blow to their Champions League hopes. The game marked Habib Beye's first in charge of the Ligue 1 club, since taking over from former manager Roberto De Zerbi amid a poor run of form in the French top-flight.
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has confirmed he will manage Ousmane Dembele’s fitness with extreme caution following a recent knock. The Spaniard expressed his growing frustration with a relentless injury crisis that has limited his ability to rotate the squad during a tense Ligue 1 title race.
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly facing further enforcement action from bailiffs as the legal dispute with Kylian Mbappe takes another bitter turn. Despite a court order demanding over €60 million, a multi-million euro discrepancy remains unpaid, Mbappe insists. The Real Madrid star's legal team is now prepared to seize the remaining funds as the club misses its final deadline.
Xabi Alonso has reportedly turned down an approach to become Marseille's new head coach, citing the "chaotic" nature of the Ligue 1 giants as his reason for dismissing the prospect. The former Real Madrid boss is seeking a more stable project after his short-lived stint at the Bernabeu, with a potential vacancy at his former club Liverpool appearing on the horizon as pressure builds on Arne Slot.
On February 8, Ousmane Dembele proudly proclaimed Paris Saint-Germain were back to their treble-winning best. Luis Enrique's men hadn't played particularly impressively during the first half of the 2025-26 campaign, so they wanted to send a warning to all of their domestic and European rivals in La Classique - and they realised that objective in emphatic fashion, inflicting a brutal 5-0 beating upon Marseille at Parc des Princes.
Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell at Marseille is back on track following the swift appointment of Habib Beye as Roberto De Zerbi's successor. While Mikel Arteta has defended the decision to send the teenage prodigy to Ligue 1 despite an injury crisis at Arsenal, the tactical shift at the Stade Velodrome could help unlock the youngster's full potential.
Marseille have announced the appointment of Habib Beye as their new manager, replacing the fiery Roberto De Zerbi. Beye returns to OM having spent two years at the club during his playing days. He has put pen to paper on a contract running until the summer of 2027 and has been tasked with saving Marseille's season from free-fall.