Wayne Rooney described Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance at a World Cup as "a sad day for football". It wasn't, though. Not really. Ronaldo may be one of the most iconic figures in sporting history, but Spain's victory over an insipid Portugal side, taken in conjunction with Belgium battering the United States, actually made July 6, 2026 a pretty good day for the game.
The final 20 minutes of England's dramatic, round-of-16 win over Mexico suited Jordan Pickford down to the ground. The Three Lions were down to 10 men, and Thomas Tuchel made the remit clear: To bunker in and keep the ball as far away from goal as possible. Pickford performed his task to a tee.
Lionel Messi made amends for missing a second penalty at the 2026 World Cup by inspiring the most dramatic of comebacks, as Argentina came from 2-0 down with just over 10 minutes remaining to beat a heroic Egypt side 3-2 in a last-16 clash for the ages in Atlanta. Lionel Scaloni's side started as sluggishly as they had performed in their lucky win over Cape Verde by the same scoreline, and Egypt took advantage, with an unmarked Yasser Ibrahim burying a cross from Marwan Attia past Emiliano Martinez with just 15 minutes gone.
Ruben Vargas slotted home the decisive spot-kick as Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 on penalties to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after one of the worst games of the tournament so far had unsurprisingly finished scoreless. A tight and tense encounter had been expected in Vancouver, given how both sides had performed on their respective runs to the last 16.
The inquest into Brazil's disastrous World Cup exit is well underway after the five-time winners were unceremoniously dumped out of the tournament at the hands of dark horses Norway and the goals of Erling Haaland. In truth, the Selecao never really got going in North America - hamstrung by an ageing, rag-tag squad that was yet to gel as they often relied on Vinicius Jr to deliver the goods.
Aston Villa have been credited with interest in Folarin Balogun, but Stan Collymore has told GOAL why Unai Emery is likely to favour another 2026 World Cup star over a United States international that made plenty of headlines at FIFA’s flagship event. The Villans are looking to bolster their ranks from back to front during the summer, with comings and goings being mooted.
USMNT star Folarin Balogun has issued a heartfelt apology to supporters following the United States' humbling exit from the 2026 World Cup. The Monaco striker was at the center of a global firestorm after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina was sensationally overturned by FIFA, allowing him to feature in the 4-1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium.
U.S. Soccer says that the federation will reengage in conversations about Mauricio Pochettino's future after a period of rest and reflection following the U.S. men's national team's World Cup exit. The USMNT lost 4-1 to Belgium on Monday, ending the team's World Cup run and, potentially, ending Pochettino's time in charge of the team.
Belgium’s World Cup dream has been hit by a devastating setback after midfielder Amadou Onana was ruled out with a serious knee injury. The Aston Villa star suffered the blow during the Red Devils' round-of-16 victory over the United States, leaving Rudi Garcia with a major selection headache ahead of their quarter-final against Spain.
It's here. The 2026 summer transfer window has arrived and it promises to be an extremely eventful one in the women's game, with several stars on the move. There are also plenty of deals that have been rumoured and reported for some time, with only the official announcements seemingly left to be done, while there will be some shocks along the way, too, as always.
With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders again in 2026.
With the transfer window having opened for many of Europe's top leagues, GOAL, in association with eToro, is your go-to resource for all the biggest done deals. Who will win the race for Ayyoub Bouaddi? Could Michael Olise end up at Real Madrid? Track all the biggest trades right here throughout the summer!
The USMNT had a chance to change perceptions on home soil, but a 4-1 loss to Belgium instead raised familiar questions about progress, pressure and missed opportunity.
Manchester United and Chelsea have reached a total agreement over the transfer of Andrey Santos in a deal worth up to £50 million. The Brazilian midfielder has been given the green light to travel to Manchester to undergo a medical and finalise the details of his move to Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim has openly acknowledged making mistakes during his challenging 14-month tenure as Manchester United manager. Speaking at his first press conference as the new head coach of AC Milan, Amorim reflected on his time in the Premier League, admitting that his difficult spell at Old Trafford served as a significant learning experience for his future managerial career.
Wojciech Szczesny has sensationally revealed the physical agony that has plagued his career since an injury suffered at Arsenal over a decade ago. The Barcelona goalkeeper admits that every save he makes is accompanied by pain, a reality that nearly saw him hang up his gloves for good before the call from Catalonia came.
Nottingham Forest have “money to burn” following their record-breaking £116 million ($155m) sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City, but Reds legend Des Walker has told GOAL why cash in the bank can pose recruitment problems. The former centre-half has also explained why the City Ground faithful have a crucial role to play in ambitious future plans.
Major League Soccer unveiled its full All-Star Game roster ahead of its annual matchup with Liga MX's best players, with a number of the league's top stars supplementing an already impressive XI selected through fan voting. Lionel Messi is the headliner, while new additions include Sam Surridge, Evander, Tim Ream and Anders Dreyer.
Fabian Ruiz has decided to commit his long-term future to Paris Saint-Germain by signing a new contract extension. The Spain international has reportedly snubbed major transfer interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to remain in the French capital, extending a highly successful stint that has yielded consecutive domestic and European trophies.
Chelsea winger Jesse Derry is on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Portuguese giants Sporting CP, shortly after agreeing a new contract at Stamford Bridge. The highly rated teenager enjoyed a promising breakthrough campaign in London last season and will now look to gain valuable first-team experience and continue his rapid development in the Champions League.
London City Lionesses have completed arguably the most significant signing in the history of the women's game, confirming the arrival of legendary midfielder Alexia Putellas. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner makes the move to England following a trophy-laden era at Barcelona, signalling a massive shift in the European football landscape.
Mason Greenwood has reportedly given his definitive "yes" to joining Roma this summer, prioritising a move to the Stadio Olimpico over a lucrative offer from Turkish giants Fenerbahce. The former Manchester United forward has entered into a "silent pact" with Giallorossi boss Gian Piero Gasperini after a series of secret phone calls convinced him of the move to Serie A.
Chelsea have secured the long-term future of one of English football's brightest talents after Aggie Beever-Jones signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge. The homegrown forward, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the club's ranks, has committed her future to the Blues until 2030.
Lionesses star Georgia Stanway has opened up on her decision to join Arsenal, after the Gunners' announced her arrival on Friday morning. It's a move that ends Stanway's four-year spell in Germany with Bayern Munich and she has now explained why she wanted to return to England and what made her choose Arsenal, amid interest from both Chelsea and Lyon.
Barcelona are pushing to complete a deal for Brazil international forward Kerolin which would represent a club-record transfer. The reigning European champions have already had two bids rejected by Manchester City but the two clubs are working to finalise the move, with Kerolin reported to be open to the transfer and City having no objection to selling the 26-year-old.
Lionesses star Georgia Stanway has been unveiled as Arsenal’s first signing of the summer transfer window, following her departure from Bayern Munich. The England international made it known in January that she would be leaving the club at the end of last season and her move to the Gunners has finally been confirmed after months of speculation.