1. It's time for Tuchel to start Saka & Rashford!

    Thomas Tuchel definitely didn't want to be in this situation. After England's tournament-opener, in which the Three Lions rather comfortably saw off Croatia, it was presumed that the German coach would be thinking about rotation by now. His hardest opponent was out of the way, meaning another win, over Ghana, would secure top spot with a game to spare. Instead, he has to stick with the big guns after an incredibly frustrating draw with the Black Stars.

  2. World Cup Golden Ball Power Rankings: Messi in at No.1

    The 2026 World Cup is underway as those still in contention fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some are already making their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. Lionel Messi is the current top candidate with all five of Argentina's goals, but Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise are breathing down his neck.

  3. World Cup's unfair format plays right into Infantino's hands

    June 25, 1982 was, according to The Times, "the day that sportsmanship died". What was expected to be a fiercely competitive fixture between West Germany and Austria became a 'non-aggression pact' between two teams who effectively stopped playing during the second half of their World Cup group game in Gijon to ensure that both progressed to the second round.

  4. Germany win Group E, but Ecuador expose defensive flaws in loss

    EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Germany were full of attacking intent but badly lacking in defensive quality in a poor final World Cup group stage fixture, falling to a dogged Ecuador, 2-1. Julian Nagelsmann's side got an early goal from Leroy Sane, but conceded twice, and never had a coherent response. They still top the group, but go into the knockouts on a dreary note.

  5. Trust in Tuchel! Ghana draw didn't prove Palmer call was wrong

    England fans have seen Cole Palmer produce the goods for the national team before. Indeed, he almost saved an otherwise poor performance in the Euro 2024 final, scoring an equalising goal and providing a spark when the Three Lions looked dead in the water against Spain. They did, of course, still go on to lose that game, as they have done at countless tournaments over the years.

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Videos

  1. WATCH: CM Punk joins The Late Run with Ochocinco to talk GOATs

    CM Punk joins The Late Run with the belt and proves he’s a serious football head, talking Celtic loyalty, the Rangers rivalry, why Americans tune in for World Cups and a wild Brazil flag story involving armed men. Plus: Messi over Ronaldo, WWE vs soccer trash talk, Ocho’s WrestleMania entrance and footballers who could make it in WWE.

  2. Jose Mourinho Beast Mode On Podcast

    🎥 | EXCLUSIVE: José Mourinho on Madrid return, Messi & more

    New Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho joins Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On Podcast as he exclusively discusses his sensational return to the Liga giants, the World Cup and whether England can finally end 60 years of hurt, and some of the joyous, and panful, experiences he's had in management to date. Mourinho also chats openly about his time at Tottenham, and the controversial nature of his sacking just days before the League Cup final, among many other intriguing topics in a must-see episode of the award-winning podcast.

  3. 🎥 | Anton Ferdinand on John Terry incident, West Ham & more

    Former West Ham and Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand joins Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast. The 41-year-old discusses his journey through professional football and the experiences that shaped him both on and off the pitch. From coming through the ranks with the Hammers and establishing himself in the Premier League, Ferdinand reflects on the highs and challenges of life at the highest level of the game.

FIFA WORLD CUP

  1. How £105m Arsenal transfer helped Rice step up ‘three levels’

    Declan Rice’s £105 million ($139m) switch to Arsenal is considered to have helped him step up “two or three levels”, with ex-England captain Terry Butcher telling GOAL why a big-money transfer helped a Three Lions star of the present to join the global elite. Rice is considered to sit inside that talent pool as a Premier League title winner, World Cup hopeful, Ballon d’Or contender and future skipper of his country.

Transfers

  1. PSG target Desire Doue's brother as perfect Hakimi back-up

    Paris Saint-Germain have identified Strasbourg defender Guela Doue as the ideal candidate to strengthen their defensive options ahead of the upcoming campaign. The French champions are eager to secure a reliable right-back who can provide high-quality cover for established star Achraf Hakimi following a barren search last summer.

Premier League

  1. How £71m Mbeumo conquered biggest challenge of Man Utd transfer

    Eric Djemba-Djemba has explained to GOAL why Bryan Mbeumo was Manchester United’s best signing of 2025-26, with the Cameroon international able to conquer the biggest challenge that any move to Old Trafford presents. The former Brentford forward enjoyed a productive debut campaign at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, with value for money being found in a £71 million ($94m) transfer.

  2. ‘Not a prayer’ - European football stuns iconic ex-Sunderland boss

    Legendary former Sunderland boss Peter Reid has admitted to GOAL that he did not give the Black Cats “a prayer” of securing European qualification at the end of their first season back in the Premier League, but he is now backing them to find more “ammo” in the summer transfer window. Regis Le Bris and his board are ready to spend again after upsetting the odds with a seventh-place finish.

  3. Anderson for £116m?! The ultimate example of the 'English tax'

    For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most - and that's not just because it's filled by a World Cup every four years! Rather, it's because the end of the season means only one thing: It's time for transfers! The 2026 window is likely to once again be bust, with some huge names set to make big-money moves before deadline day on September 1.

Must-read opinion and expert analysis

  1. Why Mbappe vs Haaland hasn't reached Messi-Ronaldo levels

    Kylian Mbappe versus Erling Haaland was billed as the next great footballing rivalry to follow Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's two decades of dominance, but as the France and Norway superstars prepare to go head to head at the 2026 World Cup, it's fair to say that their individual tussle has yet to really take off in the way many people expected.

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