GOAL sat down with Auston Trusty as the Celtic defender continues his push for a USMNT World Cup spot, opening up on the journey, pressure, and belief driving him.
Tottenham wonderkid Mikey Moore has opened up about a heart scare that forced him into six weeks of total bed rest during his breakout 2024-25 campaign. The 18-year-old winger revealed that the worrying diagnosis occurred just as he was set to start a major Europa League fixture, momentarily derailing his rapid ascent through the professional ranks.
Hearts sensation Claudio Braga has seen his stock rise meteorically this season, and the 26-year-old striker now finds himself on the verge of a dream Portugal call-up. As Roberto Martinez monitors the forward's progress in Scotland ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a unique conundrum has emerged regarding his goal celebration, which he copied from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Craig Bellamy has addressed links to the Celtic job following a crushing blow to his aspirations with the Welsh national team. The 46-year-old has garnered significant praise for his rejuvenation of the squad, guiding them to a World Cup play-off semi-final where they were eventually eliminated on penalties by Bosnia.
Since the Conference League's inception in 2021, three teams have lifted the trophy: Roma, West Ham United, and the current champions, Olympiacos.
How many teams are in the Conference League?
The newest format, introduced ahead of the 2024-25 season, features 36 teams, four more than in the previous format.
Who has made the most Conference League appearances ever?
Mainz 05 midfielder Hong Hyun-seok and Gent captain Sven Kums have made 39 appearances each in the Conference League, making them the players with the most appearances in the competition.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the Conference League?
As for top goalscorers, Arthur Cabral leads the list with 21 goals to his name, including those scored in the qualifying phase. However, without taking into account goals scored in the qualifying phase, three players have scored the joint-most goals in Conference League with 12 each to their names: Arthur Cabral, Eran Zahavi, and Vangelis Pavlidis.
Who has the most assists in the history of the Conference League?
Darian Males, Gavriel Kanichowsky, and Cristiano Biraghi have the most assists in Conference League history, registering eight assists each.
Who is the oldest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?
Veteran Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina, while playing for Villarreal in 2023, became the oldest player to feature in the Conference League at 40 years and 175 days.
Who is the youngest player ever in the Conference League and how old was he?
Lille wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi holds the record as the Conference League's youngest-ever player at the tender age of 16 years and 3 days.
Which famous players have played in the Conference League?
Stars such as Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham, Declan Rice, Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins,Co Mario Gotze, Kasper Schmeichel, Cody Gakpo, Stephan El Shaarawy, James Maddison, Jonathan David, and Edin Dzeko have played in the Conference League.
Which famous managers have managed in the Conference League?
Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho, Unai Emery, David Moyes, and Ange Postecoglou are among the most famous managers to have managed in the Conference League.