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10 potential breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup

+18 | Commercial Content | T&C's Apply | Play Responsibly | Publishing Principles
  1. World Cup Power Rankings GFXGetty/GOAL
    Power rankingsWorld Cup

    WC26 Power Rankings: Spain stay No.1 as Brazil & U.S. climb

    There really is nothing like the World Cup. Even just qualifying generates a level of nationwide excitement that the club game simply cannot match, which is why we witnessed truly joyous scenes all across the globe as one country after another secured a spot at this summer's festival of football in North America. The final six participants were confirmed in March, with Sweden, Turkiye, Czechia and Bosnia & Herzegovina taking the four remaining slots in Europe, while Iraq and DR Congo came out of the inter-confederation play-offs.

  2. England World Cup predictions GFXGetty/GOAL
    OpinionEngland

    GOAL writers predict how far England will go at WC26

    It's so close we can almost taste it. The 2026 World Cup is now just a day away, with the best players on the planet descending on the United States, Mexico and Canada for what promises to be a superb summer of football. While some teams will solely harbour dreams of getting out of the groups, others know that anything other than a trophy parade in late-July will go down as failure. We're set, then, for five-and-a-half weeks of drama, filled with joy and heartbreak in equal measure.

  3. Gianni Infantino World Cup GFXGOAL
    OpinionWorld Cup

    Gianni Infantino: Football fans' most hated man?

    During last December's World Cup draw at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., FIFA president Gianni Infantino was introduced as "football's No.1 fan". Most supporters unsurprisingly scoffed, but Infantino is a football fan. And, just like every football fan, he's never forgotten his first World Cup. It was the 1982 tournament in Spain and, for the Swiss-born son of Italian immigrants, it was "spectacular".

  4. USMNT Golden GenerationGetty/GOAL
    AnalysisUSA

    America expects - but will U.S. 'Golden Generation' deliver?

    In March, after the U.S. men's national team suffered back-to-back humblings at the hands of Belgium and Portugal, Mauricio Pochettino wondered aloud about the players he had at his disposal. Whether that vocal wondering came from a place of honesty or from a place of motivation, only Pochettino knows. The only certainty was that his assessment was blunt: his team, man for man, wasn't as good as the elite.

  6. Sancho Pogba Antony Man Utd GFXGetty/GOAL
    OpinionManchester United

    RANKED: Sancho & Man Utd's worst Glazer-era signings

    After 18 years of protests, controversy, disillusion and division, the Glazer family's time in charge of football operations at Manchester United came to an end after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS' purchase of a 25 percent stake in the club in early 2024. United had been debt-free until the Glazers invested just £270 million (£346m) of their own money into the £790m ($1 billion) deal that saw them become new owners back in 2005, with the rest borrowed against the club. And the Glazers have been accused of using the Red Devils as a cash cow to fund their business empire in the United States ever since.

  7. World Cup kits GFXGetty/GOAL
    OpinionWorld Cup

    RANKED: Top 20 kits at the 2026 World Cup

    There's just one week to go until the biggest show on earth gets underway, with the 2026 World Cup kicking off on June 11. If you haven't already caught a serious case of World Cup fever, what better way to get in the mood than by checking out the very best kits that will be on show in North America this summer.

  9. World Cup iconic moments GFXGetty/GOAL
    OpinionWorld Cup

    RANKED: 100 most iconic moments in World Cup history

    The World Cup has had no shortage of iconic moments across nearly 100 years of history. Every four years, billions of fans congregate to watch a tournament that has provided more drama, heartbreak and joy than any other event in sporting history. Football's grandest stage, the World Cup has always offered a platform for legends to be born, but it has also seen reputations destroyed and the downfall of so many famous faces.

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  1. Manchester CityArsenal

    'Not here to give advice to Arteta!' - Guardiola snaps back at reporter

    A nonplussed Pep Guardiola dismissed a question from a reporter that related to Mikel Arteta chasing his first Premier League title as a manager, insisting that he had not attended his pre-match press conference to offer advice to the Arsenal boss. Manchester City face Leeds on Saturday evening as they look to close the gap at the top of the table to two points, with the Gunners not in action until Sunday, when they host Chelsea.

  4. Bukayo Saka GFXGOAL
    ExclusiveB. Saka

    🎥 | EXCLUSIVE: Saka on all things Arsenal & trophy 'dream'

    Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka joins Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On Podcast as the England forward opens up on his journey from the Gunners' Hale End academy all the way to the first team and captaining the Premier League leaders. The 24-year-old also reveals his burning desire to win trophies with the north Londoners and discusses his close relationship with Mikel Arteta among many other topics in a truly unmissable episode of the show.

  5. Wes Morgan BMO Podcast GFXGOAL
    ExclusiveW. Morgan

    🎥 | Wes Morgan reveals all about Leicester's miracle title win

    In the latest episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast, Wes Morgan, captain of Leicester City's historic title-winning side, shares the real story behind one of the greatest underdog achievements in football history. The conversation dives deep into the mindset behind the Foxes' impossible Premier League title win, a 5000-1 miracle that shocked the world. The ex-Nottingham Forest defender also discusses his battles with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, his pride at representing Jamaica and more.

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This is the Premier League

  1. David Moyes
    BurnleyEverton

    Everton ordered to pay Burnley £40m over PSR breach

    Everton have been ordered to pay Burnley nearly £40 million in a landmark compensation ruling that could reshape how financial breaches are handled in English football. The payout follows a protected legal battle regarding the Toffees' breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) during the 2021-22 season.

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Must-read opinion and expert analysis

  5. Georgia Stanway England HICGetty Images/GOAL
    Player ratingsEngland

    James & Stanway shine but Lionesses set for WWC play-offs

    England will have to navigate the play-offs in order to reach the 2027 Women's World Cup, with Tuesday night's 3-0 win over Ukraine not enough to secure top spot in their qualifying group. The Lionesses went into the game knowing they needed a favour from Iceland against Spain, after La Roja thumped Sarina Wiegman's side on Friday, and they didn't get it, rendering their own victory meaningless in the chase for the sole automatic berth available.

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Transfer news and done deals 🤝

  1. Paul Merson Arsenal LegendGetty Images
    ArsenalPremier League

    Merson shares 'mad' Arsenal transfer theory that could see 42-goal star leave this summer

    Arsenal legend Paul Merson has floated a sensational transfer theory, suggesting that Mikel Arteta may be weighing up the shock sale of captain Martin Odegaard this summer. Despite the Norwegian leading the Gunners to their first Premier League title in over two decades last season, concerns over his recent impact and injury record have led to questions regarding his long-term future in North London.

    5. More

Queens of football 👑

  1. Brazil vs USWNT Trinity Rodman, Isa HaasGetty Images
    USABrazil

    EIGHT red cards shown as USWNT edge Brazil in chaotic encounter

    The United States Women’s National Team secured a gritty 1-0 victory over Brazil on Tuesday night, but the football was almost entirely overshadowed by total anarchy on the pitch. In a highly contentious game, the officiating took center stage as a staggering eight red cards were issued to the home side's players and coaching staff.

  3. Beth Mead Georgia Stanway England Women 2025Getty Images
    EnglandWorld Cup

    Who are the Lionesses' all-time top goalscorers?

    England's Lionesses have always had great goalscorers. Even before the team was the major contender it is now, winning back-to-back European Championships under Sarina Wiegman and reaching a first Women's World Cup final, they could boast some incredible attacking talent, with Arsenal icon Kelly Smith, widely considered the Lionesses' greatest ever player, a prime example.

  5. England Women gfx 16:9Getty Images/GOAL
    EnglandWorld Cup

    What World Cup play-offs mean for wounded Lionesses

    It was all there for England on Friday, as they faced Spain in Mallorca with automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup on the line. Avoid defeat and the Lionesses would punch their ticket to Brazil, forcing one of their biggest rivals for next summer’s title to have to navigate the play-offs. It was a huge opportunity, but one they spurned in incredible circumstances, suffering a 4-0 loss that stands out as the biggest for this team under Sarina Wiegman.

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Superstars of the future

  1. Felicia Schroder NXGN gfx 16:9Getty Images/GOAL
    SwedenFelicia Schroeder

    Why Chelsea have made a world-record bid for Sweden teen

    Khadija Shaw is one of the best centre-forwards in the women's game, if not the best. Winner of three successive Women's Super League Golden Boots, and scorer of more goals than any other player in Europe's top five leagues since her move to Manchester City in 2021, it's no wonder that Chelsea were trying to bring her to west London as her contract neared its expiry this summer. But as it became apparent that the Blues were going to miss out on Shaw, it says a lot about Felicia Schroder that the Swedish teenager was next on their wish list.

  4. NXGN Eduardo Conceicao GFXGOAL
    PalmeirasE. Conceicao

    Why City, Barca & more want Palmeiras' next teenage star

    At Palmeiras, Endrick, Estevao, Luis Gulherme, Vitor Reis and Luighi became known as 'The Billion Generation' - a reference to the colossal amount of money four prodigiously gifted players were expected to generate for the Brazil club. However, it now feels as if another name should be added to that illustrious list of outstanding academy products, that of Eduardo Conceicao.

    5. More

The Chaaaaaampions 🎶

  1. FBL-UEFA-EURO-2012-ISR-CONGRESSAFP
    Europa LeagueConference League

    Platini files criminal complaint against FIFA president

    Michel Platini has filed a criminal complaint in Paris against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing him of active influence peddling and spreading false accusations linked to the events that ended his FIFA presidency bid in 2015. The former UEFA chief is also targeting two former FIFA officials as he seeks to clear his name and pursue accountability.

  2. florentino perezGetty Imges
    Real MadridBarcelona

    Real Madrid ask UEFA to strip Barca of titles

    Real Madrid have sensationally called for Barcelona to be stripped of their historic titles as the fallout from the Negreira scandal reaches a definitive breaking point. Following his dominant re-election victory, Florentino Perez has taken the offensive by submitting an extensive legal dossier to UEFA's headquarters.

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Betting

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