https://www.theguardian.com/football Latest Football news, comment and analysis from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:43:41 GMT 2026-10-09T00:43:41Z en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.png https://www.theguardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/09/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend <p>Michael Carrick is wary of ‘Dr Tottenham’, Oliver Glasner returns to Selhurst Park and will Manchester City summon a siege mentality at Anfield?</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/10/premier-league-top-scorers-2026-27-race-for-golden-boot">Premier League top scorers</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/premierleague/table">View the league table</a></p></li></ul><p>Declan Rice’s future role in England’s midfield was questioned by Gary Lineker after Alex Scott’s impressive first senior international start in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia. But the decision to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel’s squad in an attempt to manage his workload made sense after Rice had only three weeks off post-World Cup before returning to pre-season training. The 27-year-old has struggled with persistent back problems after suffering a hamstring injury last December and Mikel Arteta will hope that the rest has done Rice – who is thought to be close to agreeing a lucrative new contract at the Emirates – the world of good as they prepare to resume the defence of their Premier League title against Leeds on Saturday. <strong>Ed Aarons</strong></p><p><em>Arsenal v Leeds, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)</em></p><p><em>Aston Villa v Brentford,</em> <em>Saturday 3pm</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/09/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Premier League Manchester City Arsenal Brighton & Hove Albion Brentford Leeds United Liverpool Everton Hull City Newcastle United Chelsea Ipswich Town Manchester United Nottingham Forest Sunderland Crystal Palace Aston Villa Bournemouth Coventry City Fulham Tottenham Hotspur Thu, 08 Oct 2026 23:01:31 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/09/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend Composite: Getty Images Composite: Getty Images Composite: Getty Images Guardian sport 2026-10-08T23:01:31Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/khaldoon-al-mubarak-manchester-city-charges-abu-dhabi <p>Manchester City’s chair is key to the project of making Abu Dhabi a secure world power but his next move may be the sale of the club</p><p>No one better understands the precarious tightrope Abu Dhabi walks when it tries to balance its relationships with western Europe while weighing the complex geopolitics of the Gulf region than Manchester City’s chair, Khaldoon al-Mubarak. He was eight when his father, ambassador Khalifa Ahmed Abdel Aziz al-Mubarak, left the family’s Paris apartment for work on 9 February 1984, and was assassinated on the street by a Palestinian terrorist.</p><p>And no one outside the emirate’s royal family could be more wrapped up in the project of making and maintaining Abu Dhabi as a significant and secure world power and the dominant member of the United Arab Emirates, a nation state still only 55 years old. His paternal grandfather, Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz al-Mubarak, was chair of Abu Dhabi’s Sharia judicial department and senior adviser to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan,<em><strong> </strong></em>the founding president of the UAE. As such, Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz was the James Madison of the UAE (the founding father, not the Spurs player) in that he crafted the Islamic legal framework of the new nation in the 1970s.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/khaldoon-al-mubarak-manchester-city-charges-abu-dhabi">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Football Sport Finances Football politics Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:19:02 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/khaldoon-al-mubarak-manchester-city-charges-abu-dhabi Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Rob Draper 2026-10-08T12:19:02Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sergio-camello-rayo-vallecano-la-liga-interview <p>Rayo Vallecano’s fascinating forward on his unique club, his musical passions and the goalscoring form that puts him among Europe’e elite</p><p>An 11-year-old, second-hand VW Beetle with more than 300,000km on the clock pulls over on Clown Fofó Street in the heart of Vallecas. The music goes off, the Smiths silenced and out gets Sergio Camello: movie aficionado with <a href="https://letterboxd.com/sergiocamello/">156 films reviewed</a>, <a href="https://x.com/9Camello/status/1951334917901517282?s=20">part-time photographer</a>, sometime drummer, Olympic gold medallist and the second-top goalscorer in Europe’s top five leagues. Engulfed in graffiti, stickers covering the glass between metal bars in red, a single step up from the street, the small door into Rayo Vallecano’s ground is locked, but in 64 hours it will open for the first time this season. “It’s my home, it’s Vallecas,” Camello says.</p><p>Forced to abandon their place, on Saturday at 2pm the tenants return. With the Madrid council declaring Estadio de Vallecas unsafe, unfit for purpose, Rayo’s home matches have instead been played in Leganés, out of the city to the south and boycotted by fans. Walking the neighbourhood that is proud of its social conscience, its community and its team, Camello can’t wait to be back again. And not just for the football; maybe not even for the football. “It’s the pre-game, the post-game, the people,” he says, passing the bar where they’ll be waiting for him after, same as always.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sergio-camello-rayo-vallecano-la-liga-interview">Continue reading...</a> Rayo Vallecano La Liga European club football Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:20:27 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sergio-camello-rayo-vallecano-la-liga-interview Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Photograph: Pablo Garcia/The Guardian Sid Lowe 2026-10-08T19:20:27Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-pep-guardiola-owners-guilty-verdict <ul><li><p>City travel to Liverpool for first game since guilty verdict</p></li><li><p>Manager ‘very calm’ despite storm engulfing club</p></li></ul><p>Enzo Maresca says his players “don’t care about the noise” surrounding Manchester City, while Erling Haaland has called for unity after the club were found guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.</p><p>The manager and players reconvened on Thursday after spending the international break apart when the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/manchester-city-premier-league-legal-costs">news of the club’s predicament</a> was made public.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-pep-guardiola-owners-guilty-verdict">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Pep Guardiola Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:29:17 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-pep-guardiola-owners-guilty-verdict Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Will Unwin 2026-10-08T18:29:17Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sarina-wiegman-praises-ella-toone-attitude-late-england-lionesses-recall-greece-playoff <ul><li><p>Manchester United midfielder left out of initial squad</p></li><li><p>First leg of World Cup playoff is on Friday in Crete</p></li></ul><p>Sarina Wiegman heaped praise on Ella Toone for her positive reaction to being left out of England’s initial squad for their Women’s World Cup playoff against Greece, after recalling the Manchester United midfielder for Friday’s first leg in Heraklion, Crete.</p><p>An injury sustained by Lucy Bronze, described by Wiegman as “really small”, prompted the England right-back to return to Chelsea and Wiegman called up Toone, who travelled to Greece from Spain, where she had organised a training routine during the international window.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sarina-wiegman-praises-ella-toone-attitude-late-england-lionesses-recall-greece-playoff">Continue reading...</a> England women's football team Sarina Wiegman Women's World Cup 2027 qualifiers Women's football Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:33:25 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/sarina-wiegman-praises-ella-toone-attitude-late-england-lionesses-recall-greece-playoff Photograph: Harriet Lander/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Harriet Lander/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Harriet Lander/The FA/Getty Images Tom Garry in Agia Pelagia 2026-10-08T16:33:25Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/glasner-urges-quick-end-to-manchester-city-saga-and-fears-damage-to-premier-league <ul><li><p>Forest manager believes football fans may ‘switch off’</p></li><li><p>‘The most important thing is the integrity of the league’</p></li></ul><p>Oliver Glasner has said Manchester City being found <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/29/manchester-city-found-guilty-all-premier-league-charges-rule-breaches">guilty of arranging “sham contracts”</a> has damaged the Premier League brand globally and believes the integrity of the English top flight is under threat.</p><p>The Nottingham Forest head coach said the league faces a job to repair its image and suggested supporters might switch off after City were found to have artificially inflated their income by more than £900m.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/glasner-urges-quick-end-to-manchester-city-saga-and-fears-damage-to-premier-league">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Nottingham Forest Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:00:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/glasner-urges-quick-end-to-manchester-city-saga-and-fears-damage-to-premier-league Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images Ben Fisher 2026-10-08T17:00:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-united-offer-jj-gabriel-new-deal-risk-losing-prodigy-football-premier-league <ul><li><p>Teenager almost certain to leave despite fresh offer</p></li><li><p>Compensation for move to European rival would be low</p></li></ul><p>Manchester United have made JJ Gabriel an official scholarship contract offer, but remain at risk of losing the teenage forward for as little as £350,000.</p><p>The prodigy, who turned 16 this week,<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/15/manchester-united-jj-gabriel-asks-to-leave"> stunned the club</a> when he asked for his registration to be cancelled last month, setting in motion a scramble among Europe’s elite clubs for his signature.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-united-offer-jj-gabriel-new-deal-risk-losing-prodigy-football-premier-league">Continue reading...</a> Manchester United Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:10:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-united-offer-jj-gabriel-new-deal-risk-losing-prodigy-football-premier-league Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Sam Cunningham 2026-10-08T14:10:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/victor-montagliani-concacaf-reelection-fifa-presidency <ul><li><p>Confederation president clarifies his intentions to staff</p></li><li><p>Canadian was eyed as potential rival to Gianni Infantino</p></li></ul><p>Victor Montagliani has told Concacaf staff he intends to stand for re-election as the confederation’s presidentnext year, which will rule him out of going up against Gianni Infantino for the top job at Fifa.</p><p>The Canadian businessman is understood to have relayed the message to most of the 41 members of Concacaf, the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/victor-montagliani-concacaf-reelection-fifa-presidency">Continue reading...</a> Fifa Football politics Football US sports Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:00:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/victor-montagliani-concacaf-reelection-fifa-presidency Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images Exclusive by Matt Hughes and Nick Ames 2026-10-08T16:00:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mikel-arteta-arsenal-contract <p>From transfers to stadium works and even the training-ground dog, there is no doubting the Spaniard’s influence at the club</p><p>If anyone doubts Mikel Arteta’s status as No 1 at Arsenal in the week he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/mikel-arteta-signs-new-arsenal-deal-only-the-beginning">committed his future to the club until 2030</a>, just ask Win the dog. The chocolate labrador who played a starring role in the celebrations when Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions in May has become part of the family at the training ground in Hertfordshire since being introduced by Arteta in May 2023.</p><p>Kai Havertz, David Raya and Mikel Merino, who issues commands in Spanish and has spoken about spending time with Win when out for three months with a foot injury, are particular favourites. But, according to sources close to Win, a therapy dog trained not to bark, there is no contest when it comes to her preferred human: Arteta.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mikel-arteta-arsenal-contract">Continue reading...</a> Mikel Arteta Arsenal Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:49:56 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mikel-arteta-arsenal-contract Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images Ed Aarons 2026-10-08T09:49:56Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/premier-league-injuries-kai-havertz-alexander-isak-patrick-dorgu <p>Premier League clubs, and their European rivals, left with a long list of absentees after a gruelling international break</p><p>A four-match international break has presented a stress test. “The intensity of the squad, the athleticism of it, really, I think it’s designed for the elite,” said the Wales head coach, Craig Bellamy, on the completion of four matches in 11 days. Elite club coaches would disagree. The Nations League and the wider set of international games staged across the globe have been accompanied by a daily list of casualties, club officials viewing matches through their fingers as players pull up and gesture to the bench.</p><p>Hamstring and muscle problems have been rife. Sunderland, for example, will be without Brian Brobbey, a key striker, and Dan Ballard, a defensive mainstay, because of strains picked up playing for the Netherlands and Northern Ireland respectively. Bournemouth, yet to win a Premier League match, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/alex-scott-injury-two-months-england-bournemouth">have lost Alex Scott for up to two months</a>. His performance for England in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/croatia-england-nations-league-match-report">their 7-0 victory against Croatia</a> won rave reviews, a young player taking his chance and outshining Luka Modric. It came at a heavy cost. A quadriceps injury that had been diagnosed pre-match worsened. “There was zero risk taken from our side,” said Thomas Tuchel. The Bournemouth coach, Marco Rose, is unlikely to see it that way.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/premier-league-injuries-kai-havertz-alexander-isak-patrick-dorgu">Continue reading...</a> Nations League Football Sport Premier League Arsenal Manchester City Liverpool Sunderland Bournemouth Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:50:14 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/premier-league-injuries-kai-havertz-alexander-isak-patrick-dorgu Composite: EPA, Reuters, AFP/Getty Composite: EPA, Reuters, AFP/Getty Composite: EPA, Reuters, AFP/Getty John Brewin 2026-10-08T08:50:14Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/michael-mcardle-northern-ireland-women-moving-the-goalposts <p>Manager says he has made team ‘playoff ready’ since taking over in March. They now face Portugal in their quest to reach World Cup</p><p>For seven and a half years, Michael McArdle worked in the construction industry while playing semi-professional football, studying for a degree in building services engineering and raising three young children together with his wife. Any leftover earnings he put into funding his football coaching badges.</p><p>Eventually he took a big risk and decided to take “probably a 300% drop in salary” and commit to coaching, a life-changing moment that now may be leading towards a World Cup in Brazil next summer as the <a href="https://www.irishfa.com/ifa-international/squads/northern-ireland-senior-women">Northern Ireland Women’s</a> manager.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/michael-mcardle-northern-ireland-women-moving-the-goalposts">Continue reading...</a> Northern Ireland women's football team Women's football Sport Football Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:12:02 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/michael-mcardle-northern-ireland-women-moving-the-goalposts Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Tom Garry 2026-10-08T12:12:02Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/06/next-generation-2026-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football <p>From ‘the new Toni Kroos’ to the US’ next big hope, Cavan Sullivan, we select some of the most talented players born in 2009. Check the progress of our classes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/14/next-generation-2025-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2025</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/15/next-generation-2024-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2024</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/oct/11/next-generation-2023-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/sep/28/next-generation-2022-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/07/next-generation-2021-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2021</a> … <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/next-generation">back to 2014</a>. Here’s our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/05/next-generation-2026-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">Premier League class of 2026</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/06/next-generation-2026-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport US sports Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:00:51 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/06/next-generation-2026-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football Composite: Guardian Design Composite: Guardian Design Composite: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2026-10-06T10:00:51Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/05/next-generation-2026-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs <p>We pick the best youngsters at each club born between 1 September 2009 and 31 August 2010, an age band known as first-year scholars. Check the progress of our classes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/next-generation-2025-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2025</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/14/next-generation-2024-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2024</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/oct/10/next-generation-2023-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/sep/27/next-generation-2022-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/06/next-generation-2021-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">2021</a> … <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/next-generation">all the way to 2014</a>. Here’s our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/06/next-generation-2026-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">2026 world picks</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/05/next-generation-2026-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:31:42 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/oct/05/next-generation-2026-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs Composite: Guardian Design Composite: Guardian Design Composite: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2026-10-05T09:31:42Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/next-generation-2021-why-slow-and-steady-sometimes-wins-the-race <p>Our NextGen picks from five years ago show that breaking through early does not guarantee longevity or future success</p><ul><li><p>Read the full updates on our class of 2021 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/07/next-generation-2021-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">here</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/06/next-generation-2021-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">here</a></p></li></ul><p>In 2021, as every year, we picked 80 players from around the world who had a chance of making it in world football – <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/06/next-generation-2021-20-of-the-best-talents-at-premier-league-clubs">20 from the Premier League</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/oct/07/next-generation-2021-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">60 from the rest of the world</a> – as part of our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/next-generation">Next Generation series</a>.</p><p>We then follow these talented boys on their journeys for five years. Often it is almost impossible to predict how they will get on (OK, when Sid Lowe sent over <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/oct/15/next-generation-2024-60-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">Lamine Yamal in 2024</a> we had an inkling he might do well).</p><p><em>The ball-playing central midfielder comes from a footballing family and academy staff believe his tactical awareness is born from growing up around the game. His father, Adam, played for Brighton and is now manager along the coast at Worthing FC, while Martin (his great uncle), Paul (his grandad), and Wally (his great grandad), all enjoyed careers as players.</em></p><p><em>The youngest to play in the Bundesliga at 16 years and one day, youngest player to appear in the Champions League 17 days later, youngest goal scorer in Bundesliga 11 days after that and youngest player and youngest goal scorer for the Germany Under-21 team before he has turned 17.</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/next-generation-2021-why-slow-and-steady-sometimes-wins-the-race">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/next-generation-2021-why-slow-and-steady-sometimes-wins-the-race Composite: Guardian Pictures; Gonzales Photo/Alamy; Orange Pictures/Shutterstock; PA Composite: Guardian Pictures; Gonzales Photo/Alamy; Orange Pictures/Shutterstock; PA Composite: Guardian Pictures; Gonzales Photo/Alamy; Orange Pictures/Shutterstock; PA Marcus Christenson 2026-09-30T10:00:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up <p>Kick off your afternoon with the Guardian’s take on the world of football</p><p>Every weekday, we’ll deliver a roundup the football news and gossip in our own belligerent, sometimes intelligent and – very occasionally – funny way. Still not convinced? Find out what you’re missing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/thefiver/latest/email">here</a>.</p><p>Try our other sports emails: there’s weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>, and our seven-day round-up of the best of our sports journalism in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">The Recap</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up">Continue reading...</a> Information Football Newsletter sign-up Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:05:50 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2022-11-14T09:05:50Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage <p>The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend’s action</p><p>Subscribe to get our editors’ pick of the Guardian’s award-winning sport coverage. We’ll email you the stand-out features and interviews, insightful analysis and highlights from the archive, plus films, podcasts, galleries and more – all arriving in your inbox at every Friday lunchtime. And we’ll set you up for the weekend and let you know our live coverage plans so you’ll be ahead of the game. <a href="https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2020/11/16/TheRecap.pdf">Here’s what you can expect from us.</a></p><p>Try our other sports emails: there’s daily football news and gossip in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2016/jan/05/the-fiver-email-sign-up">The Fiver</a>, and weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">Continue reading...</a> Sport Information Newsletter sign-up Mon, 15 May 2017 11:00:43 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2017-05-15T11:00:43Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts <p>Get our roundup of women’s football for free twice a week, featuring the insights of experts such as Ada Hegerberg and Magdalena Eriksson</p><p>Join us as we delve deeper into the wonderful world of women’s football in our weekly newsletter. It is informative, entertaining, global, critical – when needed – and, above all, passionate. Written mainly by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/julia-belas-trindade">Júlia Belas Trindade</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/sophie-downey">Sophie Downey</a>, expect guest appearances from stars such as Anita Asante, Ada Hegerberg and many more.</p><p>Try our other sports emails: as well as the occasionally funny football email <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2016/jan/05/the-fiver-email-sign-up">The Fiver </a>from Monday to Friday, there are weekly catch-ups for cricket in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-spin">The Spin</a> and rugby union in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/18/sign-up-to-the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>, and our seven-day roundup of the best of our sports journalism in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/may/15/the-recap-sign-up-for-the-best-of-the-guardians-sport-coverage">The Recap</a>.</p><p>Living in Australia? Try the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jun/05/guardian-australia-sport-newsletter-subscribe-by-email">Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Sport Newsletter sign-up Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:57:35 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Suzanne Wrack 2022-03-22T16:57:35Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos <p>Our editors’ favourite sporting images from the past week, from the spectacular to the powerful, and with a little bit of fun thrown in</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos">Continue reading...</a> Newsletter sign-up Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:00:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/01/sign-up-to-the-sport-in-focus-newsletter-the-sporting-week-in-photos Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Guardian Staff 2025-10-01T11:00:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/womens-super-league-wait-2029-full-time-referees-funding-boost-football <ul><li><p>Extra investment agreed at latest WSL board meeting</p></li><li><p>Calls for fully professional match officials have grown</p></li></ul><p>Women’s Super League clubs have agreed to a major funding increase for match officials but the wait for full-time referees in the English top tier is set to continue until 2029, the Guardian has learned.</p><p>The extra investment, decided at the latest WSL Football board meeting, will focus on enhancing officials’ education, analysis and physical performance, it is understood.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/womens-super-league-wait-2029-full-time-referees-funding-boost-football">Continue reading...</a> Women's Super League Referees Women's football Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:34:05 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/womens-super-league-wait-2029-full-time-referees-funding-boost-football Photograph: Keeran Marquis/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: Keeran Marquis/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Photograph: Keeran Marquis/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Exclusive by Tom Garry 2026-10-08T09:34:05Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/laos-international-arrested-in-connection-alleged-match-fixing-football <ul><li><p>National FA refers Soukphachan Lueanthala to police</p></li><li><p>Accused of helping group during summer tournament</p></li></ul><p>A Laos international has been arrested in connection with allegations of match-fixing during the 2026 Asean Championship after the country’s football federation referred suspected bribery, illegal gambling and match manipulation to the authorities.</p><p>Soukphachan Lueanthala, a winger who featured for Laos during the tournament and plays in his homeland for Salavan United, is understood to have been accused of helping to organise the alleged operation on behalf of a betting syndicate believed to be from Vietnam.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/laos-international-arrested-in-connection-alleged-match-fixing-football">Continue reading...</a> Match-fixing Football Sport Laos Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:00:12 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/laos-international-arrested-in-connection-alleged-match-fixing-football Photograph: ZUMA Press Inc/Alamy Photograph: ZUMA Press Inc/Alamy Photograph: ZUMA Press Inc/Alamy Ed Aarons and Romain Molina 2026-10-08T07:00:12Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mexico-soccer-team-rafael-marquez <p>A series of dispiriting friendly results have El Tri reeling. But the problems run much deeper than the team’s new coach</p><p>When a new coach ascends to lead Mexico’s national team, fans say he is sitting in “la silla mas caliente” – the hottest seat in town; one that can also burn.</p><p>Usually the coach arrives with a new idea, a new vocabulary, a new promise. For a while, everyone agrees that something has changed. Then comes the first bad night. The mood changes. The new idea becomes a failed experiment; the promise, another deception; the coach becomes just another name on a long list of those who were supposed to fix Mexican soccer, but couldn’t.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mexico-soccer-team-rafael-marquez">Continue reading...</a> Mexico Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:22:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/mexico-soccer-team-rafael-marquez Photograph: Griffin C Hooper/Getty Images Photograph: Griffin C Hooper/Getty Images Photograph: Griffin C Hooper/Getty Images Raúl Vilchis 2026-10-08T11:22:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/how-the-kops-chants-propelled-andy-burnham-to-fight-for-hillsborough-justice <p>A speech at Anfield in 2009 was met with boos but it led to a change in tack by Labour government and an apology from David Cameron</p><p>Since dawn, visitors from as far afield as Australia had been laying flowers, scarves and messages underneath Anfield’s Eternal Flame. These Hillsborough memorial anniversary services were usually subdued and respectful affairs, with 10,000 mourners sitting on the Kop to give themselves and the families support on the most difficult of days.</p><p>But on the afternoon of 15 April 2009, the 20th anniversary of the disaster, it felt different. There was an edge in the air. An hour before the service began the Kop was full and the numbers in the three other stands were starting to swell. By the time I had walked with the families from the meeting place in the Centenary Stand to our seats at the front of the Kop, 29,000 people inside Anfield stood to give them the loudest and most heartfelt of ovations. After two decades in which a new generation had been born and reached adulthood, the wounds of Hillsborough were still gaping, the anger still raw at the lack of admission of guilt from above.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/how-the-kops-chants-propelled-andy-burnham-to-fight-for-hillsborough-justice">Continue reading...</a> Hillsborough disaster Liverpool Football Andy Burnham Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:32:11 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/how-the-kops-chants-propelled-andy-burnham-to-fight-for-hillsborough-justice Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images Brian Reade 2026-10-08T07:32:11Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/wsl-concerns-over-fixture-congestion-caused-by-2028-club-world-cup <ul><li><p>Back end of 2027-28 season likely to be ‘challenging’</p></li><li><p>Fixture contestion a growing area of concern</p></li></ul><p>The Women’s Super League will face major disruption next season due to the Club World Cup, with Arsenal and Chelsea likely to be absent from domestic competition for up to a&nbsp;month.</p><p>The Guardian revealed last week that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/01/united-states-host-first-womens-club-world-cup-football">set to be awarded to the US</a>, with transatlantic travel to cause additional problems for European sides, while the proposed dates of 5-30 January will clash directly with the WSL.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/wsl-concerns-over-fixture-congestion-caused-by-2028-club-world-cup">Continue reading...</a> Women's Super League Women's football Football Sport Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:20:10 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/wsl-concerns-over-fixture-congestion-caused-by-2028-club-world-cup Photograph: Rodrigo Antunes/Reuters Photograph: Rodrigo Antunes/Reuters Photograph: Rodrigo Antunes/Reuters Exclusive by Matt Hughes 2026-10-07T09:20:10Z https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/oct/08/football-qa-ask-ed-aarons-your-questions-as-the-premier-league-returns <p>With the Premier League back on Saturday, football writer Ed Aarons answered your questions on what the Man City verdict means, whether referees will be stricter, and whether Don’t Look Back In Anger was prophetic</p><p><strong><a href="https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175766661">Fearandloathingpart2</a> asks</strong>: Given the political pressure that is inevitably going to be placed on Man City, do you think the independent regulator will take action? If they don’t, they lose any credibility but it just seems unlikely to me they’ll take serious action against the ownership. Am I being too cynical? Any thoughts?</p><p><strong><a href="https://modtools.discussion.gutools.co.uk/discussions/p/x66cc3?page=2#comment-175768036">MademoiselleK</a> asks:</strong> Surely given the guilty verdict on City they should be suspended for the rest of the PL season pending the outcome of their appeal. Only five games in the PL could simply annul the results so far and drop to a 37 club competition. If they are allowed to play on then what happens when their appeal fails - presumably months down the line. Docking them points at that stage makes the league a joke as you will have a club whose serial cheating has already ruined the credibility of English football’s showcase competition which is watched by billions worldwide.</p><p><em><strong>Ed says:</strong> I don’t think you’re being too cynical, although it must be said this is probably the biggest challenge the new Independent Football Regulator (IFR) chair David Kogan could possibly ever have faced and it has come less than a year after he was appointed to the new role… The IFR is able to re-assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and Kogan said in a statement that “we will use these powers where appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, honesty and integrity of English football where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals.”</em></p><p><em>However, the political ramifications that were highlighted by the reaction to Andy Burnham’s comments last week that he would be “really concerned” to lose the City’s owners from Abu Dhabi were an indication that this all goes well beyond football. It puts the IFR in a tricky situation, although it is meant to be independent and Kogan will be keen to show that.</em></p><p><em><strong>Ed says:</strong> There has already been an interesting case involving the team that you may be referring to in your question if my instinct serves me right?! The decision to award Sunderland a penalty against Arsenal last month enraged Mikel Arteta and his reaction was probably an attempt to try and put doubts in the officials’ minds the next time they are confronted with a similar situation. Quite clever really given how many goals Arsenal scored from corners last year… Referees are definitely on the lookout for miscreants at set pieces but actually cracking down on such chaos is not going to be easy without help from the VAR. Time will tell.</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/oct/08/football-qa-ask-ed-aarons-your-questions-as-the-premier-league-returns">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Premier League Manchester City Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:48:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/oct/08/football-qa-ask-ed-aarons-your-questions-as-the-premier-league-returns Composite: Guardian Design/Guardian Composite: Guardian Design/Guardian Composite: Guardian Design/Guardian Ed Aarons (earlier) Guardian moderators (now) 2026-10-08T15:48:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/brighton-contenders-qualify-champions-league <p>They are the top scorers in the league, they have the best goal difference and they demolished the champions</p><p>By <a href="https://www.whoscored.com/">WhoScored</a></p><p>Wingerless, without Danny Welbeck and third in the Premier League. Brighton spent the summer losing some of their best players; they are dealing with a growing injury list; and their outstanding player this season has been a 35-year-old they signed in January for £1.7m. In spite of that, five games into the new Premier League season, they have scored more goals than any other team (16), they have the best goal difference in the league (+11) and they have dismantled the champions, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/19/brighton-arsenal-premier-league-match-report">beating Arsenal 3-0 before the international window</a>.</p><p>This could have been a transitional season for the club. After finishing eighth in the Premier League last season and qualifying for the Conference League, they sold or loaned out 20 players. There were some headline departures: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/25/manchester-united-sign-carlos-baleba-brighton">Carlos Baleba</a> to Manchester United for £70m, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/18/tottenham-52m-van-hecke-de-zerbi-defence">Jan Paul van Hecke</a> to Tottenham for £52m, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/01/transfer-news-welbeck-joins-chelsea-brentford-complete-record-sangare-deal">Danny Welbeck</a>, their top scorer last season with 13 league goals, to Chelsea for £5m.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/brighton-contenders-qualify-champions-league">Continue reading...</a> Brighton & Hove Albion Football Sport Premier League Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:00:17 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/brighton-contenders-qualify-champions-league Photograph: Silvina Brodersohn/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Silvina Brodersohn/CameraSport/Getty Images Photograph: Silvina Brodersohn/CameraSport/Getty Images Harry Paterson 2026-10-08T11:00:17Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-verdict-fans-views <p>While most supporters seem to want to get behind the club, some fear actions of the owners will divide fanbase</p><p><strong>Nicola Schofield, City fan for more than 40 years: </strong>One of my (million) concerns, as someone who feels angry with the owners, is if the owners’ strategy causes a split in the fanbase. I think everyone wants to get behind the club and team, but this is different to the experience of a relegation of the type I experienced in the 90s. We all shared that, and we stood by the club down to League One and as we came back up. This threatens to be messier, with those who may want the owners out (which is its own minefield) to those who will back them all the way. I think ultimately all fans want to ensure our club still exists, but I do worry at divisions this could cause and that might be hard to heal.</p><p><strong>Ben, season-ticket holder: </strong>I don’t think I have fully processed the news yet. I trusted the club completely and believed every word they said in response to the charges, so this has hit hard. I still think the FFP [financial fair play] rules aren’t fair and never have been. I know that won’t get much sympathy from other fans, and I understand why. Most of them have been waiting for this day for years. Whatever happens, nobody can take the last 15 years away from us. We lived every moment: [Sergio] Agüero in 2012, the centurions, the treble, Istanbul. Those memories are ours and no verdict changes that. Right now I just feel confused. One thing won’t change, though: whatever happens, I’ll still support the team. This is character-building, as my parents used to say to me.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-verdict-fans-views">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:00:13 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-verdict-fans-views Composite: Getty Images, Reuters Composite: Getty Images, Reuters Composite: Getty Images, Reuters Interviews by Guardian sport 2026-10-08T07:00:13Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/england-winners-and-losers-thomas-tuchel-tactics-squad-selection <p>While it’s full steam ahead for Alex Scott, Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly, others look likely to be left behind</p><p>Thomas Tuchel’s original idea had been for continuity. The England manager wanted to build on the positives from the World Cup and he was minded to stand by the vast majority of the players who had been a part of the journey to the semi-finals in North America over the summer. His squad for the four-match Nations League window and the beginning of a new international cycle would not be defined by radical change. What was it about the best-laid plans?</p><p>As Tuchel prepared to name his group in mid-September, he knew that he would be without a clutch of World Cup players because of injury. He then lost another handful after the announcement. Fast forward to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/england-czechia-nations-league-match-report">the Czechia game at Wembley</a> on Tuesday night – the final one of the quartet – and, after further withdrawals, Tuchel could count only 12 players who were available to him during the World Cup. He knows the train moves quickly in football, stopping for nobody. That flexibility is a prerequisite in his line of work. This felt like something else.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/england-winners-and-losers-thomas-tuchel-tactics-squad-selection">Continue reading...</a> England Football Sport Thomas Tuchel Nations League Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:00:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/england-winners-and-losers-thomas-tuchel-tactics-squad-selection Photograph: Michael Regan/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Michael Regan/The FA/Getty Images Photograph: Michael Regan/The FA/Getty Images David Hytner 2026-10-07T18:00:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/lionel-messi-argentina-retirement-final-match <p>Jorge Messi wanted his country to fall in love with his son. That ambition was fulfilled during a brilliant international career that ended this week</p><p>“What Argentina is doing in this World Cup is of a sacred order,” Brazilian writer Milly Lacombe posted at the height of the tide of anti-Argentinian sentiment during this year’s tournament. She was exploring the contradiction she felt around her support of Lionel Messi: “a player who is a God and a man who shakes Trump’s hand”.</p><p>Lacombe highlighted the importance of acknowledging the complexities around Messi and the Argentinian team. How is it possible that Messi was not speaking out against the racist incidents <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/22/argentina-black-americans-spain-world-cup-messi-silence">we all saw around the Argentina team</a>, she asked. “That’s why it hurts so much to see someone with Messi’s power choosing to make himself small,” she wrote.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/lionel-messi-argentina-retirement-final-match">Continue reading...</a> Lionel Messi Argentina Football Argentina Sport US sports Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:02:22 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/lionel-messi-argentina-retirement-final-match Photograph: Rodrigo Valle/Reuters Photograph: Rodrigo Valle/Reuters Photograph: Rodrigo Valle/Reuters Marcela Mora y Araujo 2026-10-07T17:02:22Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/i-wanted-to-depart-in-the-best-way-possible-kieran-mckenna-on-ipswich-exit-and-future-plans <p>In an exclusive interview, former Ipswich manager talks of his lasting affection for the club, savouring time out with family and friends and ideas for his next move</p><p>It was on the Portman Road pitch, bathed in bright early May light while immersed in the relief and joy of a third promotion in five years, that Kieran McKenna realised the moment was right. The thought had flickered earlier in the season that this might be his final campaign at Ipswich, only to be pushed into the subconscious by the Championship’s remorseless grind. “But standing out there, I felt this was probably time,” he says of those moments after QPR had been swept aside and a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/02/ipswich-win-promotion-to-premier-league-after-rolling-over-qpr">return to the Premier League</a> assured. “Another big victory, a full stadium, in front of my family and the fans. It was an amazing way to go out on a high.”</p><p>Five months later McKenna has no regrets about electing to cut things short while the going was so good. The golf bag lying outside his garage speaks of a man enjoying the break and, more pertinently, of something bigger. His son has recently become interested in the sport and sharing those moments with loved ones, whether out on the greens or spending part of the summer travelling along the East Anglian coastline in a camper van, were among the biggest reasons to pause a soaring career. At 40, McKenna had spent two decades immersed in coaching; it was time to appreciate life’s essentials while continuing professional development at his own speed.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/i-wanted-to-depart-in-the-best-way-possible-kieran-mckenna-on-ipswich-exit-and-future-plans">Continue reading...</a> Ipswich Town Football Sport Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:00:08 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/i-wanted-to-depart-in-the-best-way-possible-kieran-mckenna-on-ipswich-exit-and-future-plans Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images Nick Ames 2026-10-07T11:00:08Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-liverpool-eckert-spygate-ban-too-lenient-football-weekly-video <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/maxrushden.bsky.social">Max Rushden</a> is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini and Paul Watson to preview the return of the Premier League including Manchester City’s first game since their guilty verdict</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-liverpool-eckert-spygate-ban-too-lenient-football-weekly-video">Continue reading...</a> Premier League Manchester City Liverpool Southampton Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:56:23 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/oct/08/manchester-city-liverpool-eckert-spygate-ban-too-lenient-football-weekly-video Photograph: AP Photograph: AP Photograph: AP Guardian Staff 2026-10-08T11:56:23Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues <p>Every deal in the NWSL, WSL, Liga F, Frauen-Bundesliga, Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile as well as a club-by-club guide</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues">Men’s transfer window interactive guide</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Football Sport Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:59:39 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues Composite: Getty Images and London City Lionessess/Guardian Design Composite: Getty Images and London City Lionessess/Guardian Design Composite: Getty Images and London City Lionessess/Guardian Design Sarah Rendell and Garry Blight 2026-09-22T08:59:39Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues <p>All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guide</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/08/womens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-worlds-top-six-leagues">Women’s transfer window interactive guide</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Football Sport Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:12:32 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/sep/01/mens-transfer-window-summer-2026-all-deals-from-europes-top-five-leagues Composite: Guardian picture desk Composite: Guardian picture desk Composite: Guardian picture desk Niall McVeigh, Will Magee, Billy Munday, Yara El-Shaboury and Garry Blight 2026-09-01T12:12:32Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/02/premier-league-transfer-window-club-analysis-summer-2026 <p>The British transfer record was equalled and one club signed no fewer than 18 players in another hectic summer</p><p>Bringing in Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimarães and Ezri Konsa was a strong start to the window but could Arsenal’s failure to sign a marquee attacker cost them in the long run? They began targeting Morgan Rogers before pivoting to Vinícius Júnior when the England forward went to Chelsea, only to end up disappointed when Vinícius signed a new deal with Real Madrid. Julián Alvarez made clear he had no intention of joining from Atlético Madrid in the final days of the window and Arsenal kept their powder dry despite sanctioning the exits of Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona and Ethan Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund. Should Gabriel Martinelli complete his move to Al-Hilal as expected in the coming days – the Saudi Pro League window remains open – a few injuries could leave Arteta short. <strong>Ed Aarons</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/02/premier-league-transfer-window-club-analysis-summer-2026">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Premier League Football Sport Arsenal Aston Villa Bournemouth Brentford Coventry City Brighton & Hove Albion Crystal Palace Manchester City Manchester United Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur Sunderland Leeds United Chelsea Everton Fulham Hull City Ipswich Town Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:30:27 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/02/premier-league-transfer-window-club-analysis-summer-2026 Composite: Getty, Shutterstock, Reuters Composite: Getty, Shutterstock, Reuters Composite: Getty, Shutterstock, Reuters Guardian sport 2026-09-02T08:30:27Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/03/deadline-day-deals-premier-league-transfers <p>An 18-year-old who has played at two major international tournaments and the division’s top clearance maker from last season also feature</p><p>A tricky, exciting, quick and versatile midfielder, Azeez has proven himself in the Championship with Millwall over the past two seasons and now deserves a chance to test himself in the top flight.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/03/deadline-day-deals-premier-league-transfers">Continue reading...</a> Transfer window Premier League Football Sport Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:00:49 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/03/deadline-day-deals-premier-league-transfers Composite: PA, Getty, Reuters Composite: PA, Getty, Reuters Composite: PA, Getty, Reuters Ali Tweedale and Ryan Benson 2026-09-03T09:00:49Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/usmnt-new-generation-cavan-sullivan-julian-hall-diego-kochen <p>The post-World Cup youth movement has paid off with historic plays that, for the moment, feel natural, sustainable and needed</p><p>From the outside, a moment like the one Cavan Sullivan <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/usmnt-mexico-match-report">produced Saturday</a> seemed to be pulled directly from dreamland. Turns out, it pretty much was.</p><p>“I was amazed. I was excited,” the 17-year-old said of learning he’d start for the US men’s national team against Mexico, in what would become a 3-0 win. “I texted my family right after, and after lunch, I took a nap. Before I go to sleep, I visualize and try to manifest good things for the night. Some things come to fruition, some don’t.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/usmnt-new-generation-cavan-sullivan-julian-hall-diego-kochen">Continue reading...</a> USA US sports Football Sport Mauricio Pochettino Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:24 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/usmnt-new-generation-cavan-sullivan-julian-hall-diego-kochen Photograph: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Photograph: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Photograph: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Jeff Rueter in St Paul, Minnesota 2026-10-05T12:00:24Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/english-lessons-midtjylland-talent-factory-transfer-window <p>In a squad with 17 nationalities from five continents, communication is key – and the Danish club enjoyed a bumper summer transfer window</p><p></p><p></p><p>If there is a secret to Midtjylland’s success in the transfer market then it starts in the classroom. Before this summer the Danish club renowned for an innovative approach had banked more than €200m (£170m) in sales since 2018, and they have just enjoyed the most profitable window in their short history.</p><p>The departure of the Guinea-Bissau striker Franculino Djú for Trabzonspor and the Chile forward Darío Osorio’s move to Crystal Palace on loan with an obligation to buy will potentially bring in €62m (£53.2m), with both deals completed in 48 hours at the end of the window. That followed the departures of the homegrown winger Aral Simsir and South Korean defender Lee Han-beom for Club Brugge for another €25m. The next batch of recruits included David Martínez, a 20-year-old Venezuela international from the MLS side LAFC. “I think hectic will be a good word,” says the technical director, Kristian Kjær, of the past couple of months.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/english-lessons-midtjylland-talent-factory-transfer-window">Continue reading...</a> Midtjylland European club football Football Sport Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:00:06 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/english-lessons-midtjylland-talent-factory-transfer-window Photograph: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images Photograph: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images Photograph: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images Ed Aarons 2026-10-06T07:00:06Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/01/jurgen-klopp-germany-team-not-white-enough-disgusted-claims <ul><li><p>Says social media claims are ‘nonsense’ and ‘idiocy’</p></li><li><p>Coach sees ‘no reason to pay attention to these people’</p></li></ul><p>Jürgen Klopp has reacted with disgust to a social media debate questioning whether the Germany team he is in the process of forming are “white enough”. Klopp said he believed there was no point in giving room to “such people and their utterances”, dismissing them as “complete nonsense”.</p><p>Asked to respond to the debate as to whether the national team were “not German enough” or “not white enough”, he said: “There is absolutely no reason to pay attention to these people. You won’t get my thoughts on this. I have little time in everyday life for idiocy – and even less on social media.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/01/jurgen-klopp-germany-team-not-white-enough-disgusted-claims">Continue reading...</a> Germany Jürgen Klopp Football Sport Germany Europe Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:06:14 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/01/jurgen-klopp-germany-team-not-white-enough-disgusted-claims Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Kate Connolly in Berlin 2026-10-01T10:06:14Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/gianni-infantino-fifa-swiss-football-association-withdrawn-support-president-election-bid <ul><li><p>SFV withdraws support after endorsing candidacy in June</p></li><li><p>Swiss-born Infantino has faced calls for his resignation</p></li></ul><p>The Swiss Football Association (SFV) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as Fifa president, the organisation confirmed on Wednesday.</p><p>The executive committee reversed its support for Infantino, who was born in Brig,<strong> </strong>an Alpine town in Valais canton in southern Switzerland, in a meeting this week after endorsing his candidacy in June.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/gianni-infantino-fifa-swiss-football-association-withdrawn-support-president-election-bid">Continue reading...</a> Gianni Infantino Fifa Football politics Football Sport Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:19:40 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/30/gianni-infantino-fifa-swiss-football-association-withdrawn-support-president-election-bid Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Reuters 2026-09-30T17:19:40Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/usmnt-christian-pulisic-youth-movement-mauricio-pochettino <p>The US have been defined for so long by the next singular player. This past perfect window shows that era may be over</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ablink.editorial.theguardian.com/ss/c/u001.HesXJ57d0x1owJZ-aZPL3dMFWr92HeUFQk2v_wBSJ_UtgE-pwHb4UgXNOWZZo0YVxxwURJTh4pagIEz-e5iiLLvWgGrJSjzS9eI4znaXqZIXBgACYC9P6aENz7Gtjz6FYNtrghwgn_YkWqJGN-Jm5uVB9WMu-wXrWe4EEaF2A1E-B7DoAjPsOaCiSFSXbGaJxmFPyVr_IbwHDcmTsoKWQ999upBVDt1vJAsQIb848tqj9CRyZTxP10Rhuno3GNxKNRfy_AAQosOuA2q0kGKJ8V_9uRkwHLSswNifab7mcfIPIlpP-NY93pmMXQBp8NkVac_E2qY7Slmnwg5jvEqR5uG9t0Iz8yYr1_UQjMRW0TK5rMSQBRsWDFtuEJQAaVxDiYlZ7L11-K6qfHuS3Q0QHgjzbygwWMktUdBq3cXMmuyS1Igs4pd3Qupuvn4jjYxAXlwT6_cGouq76c4yEiJ5NAwnCoFWjHOYDX9uLj-jRFnBVRaVc-5vmKN3OwlYJbtRhq9booFygKnqNvPRrnrLcwIxA47CEq8P6hoqLsNM0gIzsq-fn53jjpAuXPO3XQtARzoqaoE-IEZwKeF0tMf3Va7Sxd3esJfg2mCBuhoG0UEkHoWfnsZu_o456DaomTLnN3MtbBNpeCHpsGEM1cM9M_eaJWeIF0aNjp8pAI1cN3KW7HxiY75z_yQGTfJ13O7NfcDZvddycdadOaLQDaLu6NKPJKbcmGgr8tVIq5IwrimpyW2Q0LepN8MGsbHovdqWrxYP55i_FbvCjU_DHBnEMWvtv6Xo90hrFvfEhIhGD2l2vWyQnKto0a5bfLT7hovPXp7QGfAIPWP1cF9-krZ0IxeO9cTo_eDJHIcXTwQyEOGNMy2Mu3-s075Hsno0uO7t4jofHejufS-FwyiCb_r1ReSVWJumbkrkEwSyHaiNtPTgxiL8VUK1uYNQLo_NkM2RT6DdnNvaAyd7wnbWGA9nXtImA0VVpilIj4g_l1V9pQT6O1IPtZoSNZ8QZ0YE-5YVzEQeIHG0XpQav9uScwZ6P0Z6X8NdryryfLOjH9b_q923Cbk6COVizdAge0ihnerM7swdwq8npbAw9lzTYuz-45hMO2y6bV2axyk-Byef0o1oDj4j2waX7rhw42hsz6tzhNeeLroBU9jlnRB8MR-iZj-zlmTJLennfGWxDxR0nH7BMa24khOAjsLiVg3YjFOTb1yUJbjiL0WV24ivrISwp778H2Y7XBp95lHEMonUdxYVTEYNxJeccMWm2nBvkIvSdMGqm8gEfydoHoFALZZe61bBYMDb91hzL5IyP7n5ZZVnVlki-6R2Rg5VFMNKU3MxUiZ9ZOHXcs9FT00P9_LBh6QoPVB7ouqjttwzsqNaqUHT4HGps0usXPllmjE9Si4g4D-p9ZXdB9Y6oa1pxadIqKlyfaiWUWUdrfkKDQ-68Pxb0h6MC5ulyux2Xh6VBMcIizEPJw0O4rvDRj5P6SSlrXCW1WS4noNp6ZSbAysBipG3trniu0cFioB_vEwpC1JDz4DEnZh4tCzWvOegQ-SnuB8vrSxf4IBhTLhVk3MjQi-hlHP3g1gqLN501BXDXx--5Tiep6DqIWr5iv_IJODhNcxSB6XucRUJu2wGrRgUzUI/4um/GtkEjWl6RmS1aHKp0FRGHw/h20/h001.mHx9NosdReGc_yzweaq7L0epzwxVPXAn044Clk0-MF8"><strong>Sign up for our free newsletter here</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>In 1990, then-United States men’s national team manager Bob Gansler made a critical and somewhat controversial choice. He left three of the program’s laureled veterans at home and brought a young and little-tested team to the World Cup in Italy, the USA’s first in 40 years.</p><p>As Gansler recalled later: “I was thinking not only for ’90, but I was thinking about the 90s.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/usmnt-christian-pulisic-youth-movement-mauricio-pochettino">Continue reading...</a> USA US sports Football Sport Christian Pulisic Mauricio Pochettino Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:45:19 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/usmnt-christian-pulisic-youth-movement-mauricio-pochettino Photograph: Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images Photograph: Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images Photograph: Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images Leander Schaerlaeckens 2026-10-08T15:45:19Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/how-do-sports-fans-end-up-as-aggressive-defenders-of-a-nation-states-regime <p>The Manchester City case is one example of how fandom has warped beyond previous boundaries in online spaces</p><p>A video of Liam Gallagher playing in a 1996 charity football match resurfaced on social media recently. Dressed in Manchester City blue and a bucket hat, in truth he appears to be in a fug of cigarettes and alcohol. But then, out of nowhere, he hits <a href="https://x.com/JamesMelville/status/2104462804337959332?s=20">a shot into the top corner</a>. Since last week, though, the Oasis singer has preferred to defend the honour of his club with his studs up.</p><p>As the fallout from the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/03/manchester-city-guilty-verdict-football">biggest scandal in British football history</a> headed into a second week, Gallagher was asked what he made of rival fans wanting City to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/blank-instead-manchester-city-name-trophies-premier-league">lose all their trophies</a> after being found guilty of all the serious charges against them. “There all NEUROTIC little GIMPS,” came the reply on social media. It was one of dozens of sweary, punchy, and often amusing responses, all built on a solitary article of faith: that City will somehow find a way to wriggle free.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/how-do-sports-fans-end-up-as-aggressive-defenders-of-a-nation-states-regime">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Football Sport Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:29:27 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/how-do-sports-fans-end-up-as-aggressive-defenders-of-a-nation-states-regime Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA Sean Ingle 2026-10-05T21:29:27Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/thomas-tuchel-england-croatia-nations-league-euro-2028 <p>Coming third in the World Cup was really not a disaster, and Saturday’s rout of Croatia and building the team around Jude Bellingham are good signs</p><p>Move fast and fix things. It has been a fine week so far for Thomas Tuchel as he attempts the cyclical task of soldering together not just an England team, but a way of looking like one, all the while being battered by the to-and-fro conflicting winds of England managerdom.</p><p>There is nothing new here. This is a job that involves not just picking the right players and making high-stakes calculations over your second-half substitutions, but carrying out these basic duties while wrestling with aggrieved members of the Thuggee cult on a collapsing rope bridge outside the Temple of Doom, and simultaneously having your heart ripped out.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/thomas-tuchel-england-croatia-nations-league-euro-2028">Continue reading...</a> England Croatia Nations League Football Sport Thomas Tuchel Jude Bellingham Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:00:37 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/thomas-tuchel-england-croatia-nations-league-euro-2028 Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Barney Ronay in Rijeka 2026-10-04T21:00:37Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/02/how-best-to-punish-manchester-city-restitution-retribution-hand-club-to-fans <p>There are no real precedents and emotions are still raw, but good can come from this mess if ownership models change</p><p>A 17-year transfer embargo. Replay the entire era with all the original players. Restore the 2009 squad and force them to mount a title challenge with Stephen Ireland, Martin Petrov and Richard Dunne. Force Ferran Soriano to drive a parade bus backwards through Manchester, once for every major trophy won. Ban the Poznan, or at least make City fans do it facing forwards.</p><p>Yes, in the week since it emerged that Manchester City have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/29/manchester-city-found-guilty-all-premier-league-charges-rule-breaches">found guilty of all the financial charges</a> laid against them by the Premier League, a great and cathartic silliness has begun to stalk the land. The Sainsbury’s account on Instagram posting a picture that reads “114 unexpected items in the bagging area”. The relentless trolling from Domino’s Pizza, which claims to have “irrefutable evidence that pineapple is the best pizza topping”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/02/how-best-to-punish-manchester-city-restitution-retribution-hand-club-to-fans">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Football Sport Football politics Fri, 02 Oct 2026 19:00:37 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/02/how-best-to-punish-manchester-city-restitution-retribution-hand-club-to-fans Composite: Getty Images Composite: Getty Images Composite: Getty Images Jonathan Liew 2026-10-02T19:00:37Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/oct/06/david-squires-on-david-beckham-heroics-england-greece-25-years-on <p>Our cartoonist on the 25th anniversary of the England midfielder’s one-man rescue act at Old Trafford</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://guardianprintshop.com/collections/david-squires/products/products-2026-09-23-13-33-00-david-squires-on-david-beckham-s-heroics-for-england-v-greece-25-years-on"><strong>Buy this cartoon</strong></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/04/david-squires-picks-his-favourite-cartoons-of-2025"><strong>Some of David’s favourite works</strong></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/chaos-in-the-box-9781783352838/?utm_source=editoriallink&amp;utm_medium=merch&amp;utm_campaign=article"><strong>And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now</strong></a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/oct/06/david-squires-on-david-beckham-heroics-england-greece-25-years-on">Continue reading...</a> David Beckham England Football Sport Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:00:05 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/oct/06/david-squires-on-david-beckham-heroics-england-greece-25-years-on Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian David Squires 2026-10-06T07:00:05Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/manchester-city-verdict-andy-burnham <p>PM’s contortions over the Manchester City verdicts have landed him with an early test of what he wants to stand for. Realpolitik, or real values?</p><p>It’s coming for you. It’s coming for you. Oh Andy Burnham, the hugely problematic relationship between principle and realpolitik in post-cash Britain. It’s coming for you. We are going all in on football chat these days, aren’t we? Football populism, football blokeyness, the stylings of the football everyman. That was certainly the horse the prime minister rode in on a few months ago. And right now it’s a horse that’s still very much snorting around the cabinet room, and threatening to run right over the top of him.</p><p>Also: fresh plot twists. Previous governments have been thrown into early-term crisis by things such as war, sex scandals and economic meltdown. But never, and historians will have time to pore over this in the coming decades, by the urgent need to overpay for Jack Grealish. “The ramifications of this are MASSIVE,” the man on the radio said on Thursday morning. And he was right. There are ramifications here. And the ramifications, well, Clive, they’re massive. In this case the man on the radio was discussing the United Kingdom’s multilayered geopolitical meltdown through the prism of whether this means Spurs are less or more likely to get relegated. And to be fair there are very few global events that can’t be better understood through a Spurs-in-crisis lens.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/manchester-city-verdict-andy-burnham">Continue reading...</a> Manchester City Andy Burnham Football Sport Football politics Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:00:52 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/manchester-city-verdict-andy-burnham Illustration: Robin Hursthouse/The Guardian Illustration: Robin Hursthouse/The Guardian Illustration: Robin Hursthouse/The Guardian Barney Ronay 2026-10-03T07:00:52Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/decline-and-fall-who-will-believe-in-raheem-sterling-now <p>Former England winger could face a prison term next month and his career collapse raises many questions</p><p>In another world, where careers broke in different directions, Raheem Sterling would be in this England squad now, playing for the manager, Thomas Tuchel, who made him the No 1 target of the new Chelsea era after the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover.</p><p>He is 16 months younger than Harry Kane, who continues to break records as England’s captain and hit a personal high of 73 goals last season. Sterling, meanwhile, is without a club and awaiting sentencing after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/15/raheem-sterling-pleads-guilty-dangerous-driving-possession-nitrous-oxide">pleading guilty at Basingstoke magistrates court to dangerous driving </a>and possession of nitrous oxide after an incident that witnesses feared might kill someone.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/decline-and-fall-who-will-believe-in-raheem-sterling-now">Continue reading...</a> Raheem Sterling Football Sport Chelsea Manchester City Liverpool England Sat, 03 Oct 2026 05:00:51 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/decline-and-fall-who-will-believe-in-raheem-sterling-now Composite: Alamy, Getty Composite: Alamy, Getty Composite: Alamy, Getty Sam Cunningham 2026-10-03T05:00:51Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/billy-kenny-ryan-giggs-david-beckham-manchester-united-autobiography <p>Former Everton midfielder, known as the ‘Goodison Gazza’, recalls being made to feel special by Alex Ferguson in this autobiography extract </p><p>“So this is the scouser ya been goin’ on aboot then …” My face turned Manchester United red. Scanning the room full of smiles and staring eyes, I identified the mystery Scottish voice as the man who’d just become the first player to score more than 20 league goals for the club since George Best in the 1960s. “Good answer,” replied Brian McClair after following up on my smile and nod by asking whether I supported Everton or Liverpool. “Ye’ll dee well ’ere laddie.”</p><p>Brian Kidd had just introduced me to the Man United first team by silencing the room to draw attention to my presence. “Lads, this is Billy from up the road,” he said. I was still starstruck from seeing all these famous faces as my chauffeur for the day, Eric Harrison, pulled up in the car park at The Cliff a few minutes earlier. Paul McGrath. Mark Hughes. Bryan Robson. Kevin Moran. Norman Whiteside. I ticked them all off in my head. Thank fuck I was developing an ear for everyday Glaswegian because after a bit of piss-taking from the first-teamers about being a scouser, I found myself standing in an office at the end of a short and narrow corridor, shaking hands with another one.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/billy-kenny-ryan-giggs-david-beckham-manchester-united-autobiography">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Manchester United Everton Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:00:53 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/billy-kenny-ryan-giggs-david-beckham-manchester-united-autobiography Photograph: John Davidson/Mirrorpix Photograph: John Davidson/Mirrorpix Photograph: John Davidson/Mirrorpix Billy Kenny 2026-10-03T07:00:53Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/jesse-marsch-interview-canada-united-states-john-carney <p>As he prepares to face his home nation, the Canada manager reflects on his adopted country’s soccer, its prime minister, and its place in the world</p><p>Peak leaf hasn’t yet arrived in Montreal but the bursts of gold and butterscotch up on the hill that gave this place its name still mushroom out by the hour.</p><p>Sitting in a glass-panelled hotel mezzanine at the foot of Mount Royal, Canada men’s coach Jesse Marsch has his mind on another harvest. When this extended autumnal international window ends, he will decamp to Italy, where the olive crops at his Tuscan villa are ready for reaping.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/jesse-marsch-interview-canada-united-states-john-carney">Continue reading...</a> Canada USA US sports Sport Football Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:30:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/jesse-marsch-interview-canada-united-states-john-carney Photograph: Chris Young/The Canadian Press/AP Photograph: Chris Young/The Canadian Press/AP Photograph: Chris Young/The Canadian Press/AP Joe Callaghan in Montreal 2026-10-04T11:30:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/football-daily-email-southampton-spygate-tonda-eckert <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up"><strong>Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!</strong></a></p><p>The recent international break has proved to be a goldmine for punishment admin, nicely wrapped up on Wednesday night <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/southampton-manager-tonda-eckert-six-week-suspended-ban-spygate-fa">with the latest chapter</a> of the Southampton Spygate saga. It sounds like a three-part Netflix documentary – and almost certainly will be one day – but for now, here’s a reminder of what went down; feel free to add your own haunting synth soundtrack … two days before the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final, Middlesbrough staff spotted someone lurking on the perimeter of their training ground and the EFL confirmed “an individual associated with Southampton” was involved. Southampton won the tie and advanced to the final, but the storm kept building. After days of uncertainty and wild speculation, Saints were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/19/southampton-kicked-out-of-championship-playoff-final-docked-four-points-for-spying">kicked out of the playoffs</a> (and docked four points for the following season) and Boro went to Wembley. Their opponents, Hull City, threatened their own legal action, which by now we can safely assume is going absolutely nowhere.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/football-daily-email-southampton-spygate-tonda-eckert">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:16:07 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/08/football-daily-email-southampton-spygate-tonda-eckert Photograph: Ed Sykes/Getty Images Photograph: Ed Sykes/Getty Images Photograph: Ed Sykes/Getty Images Niall McVeigh 2026-10-08T14:16:07Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/union-berlin-marie-louise-eta-coach-bundesliga-history-maker <p>The 35-year-old reflects on a momentous year after making history as the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five leagues</p><p>In April Marie-Louise Eta became the first woman <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/13/marie-louise-eta-arrival-union-berlin-breaks-barriers-women-in-football">to lead a men’s top-flight team in one of Europe’s big five leagues</a>, stepping in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/20/marie-louise-eta-union-berlins-football-goddess-breaks-new-ground-in-bundesliga">as interim head coach of Union Berlin</a> following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart. Her job was to keep Union in the Bundesliga and she did just that with two wins, a draw and two losses in her five games. They finished 11th.</p><p>It was not the first time the trailblazer had made history. Three years earlier she had become the first woman to serve as an assistant coach in the men’s Bundesliga and in 2024 she led the Union men’s team in one game. The Bayern Munich manager, Vincent Kompany, described her appointment as something that could open doors for younger women who want to become coaches.</p><p><em>This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">visit this page and follow the instructions</a>. Moving the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes every Tuesday and Thursday</em>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/union-berlin-marie-louise-eta-coach-bundesliga-history-maker">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Union Berlin Sport Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:38:52 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/union-berlin-marie-louise-eta-coach-bundesliga-history-maker Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images Elizabeth Payne 2026-10-06T10:38:52Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-rift <p>The star’s rift with Jorge Jesus is an unfortunate affair. But the forward has been holding his national team back for years</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ablink.editorial.theguardian.com/ss/c/u001.HesXJ57d0x1owJZ-aZPL3dMFWr92HeUFQk2v_wBSJ_UtgE-pwHb4UgXNOWZZo0YVZJBNA466czTQIHYkKVqTI9FbndSRgUGOn_atIxvHB4OIEEz2m_wGI6wjCftko7YS9MMFdV2V2kej0xcmOmoBXmjbB--qhVJJ5qYS1-blYec6qn7YrMvVgCdNtafv_bZnI2C22P8nR2Rexupn_Kff5t15-sUKGxOuuLsjzueYCOKMkIRH0y3TM50zFWg3eiySB_f0OrUZW20MKwQijEPxWM8j8K8FgJUDFq0UBsSz7fnxZVOdvQNFPkRWUP6d8_9G5DXeJwMkZmOK2nDVkWwaprqFe7oD_XiAObNLhzOvUzWIv9H0aboremLyZFd-PFrqgbWPGxXbMvoBUTjZQozEP0cOw-jaCxSN3M-vdBTGcW3y2-_KcncD2qH0YFXyyDbKvzCqHYRVxUoZRnmPJu7yrk8LYAEszMRBv70bjEt6gzCe_cpGyeU_cycgKwMcy6XY0gx1QJQ42RDqnEJbkbMqWV6qQ8dJ1snYcJoJgGNpIFQwT_v2gWCsQL4YLycdy8LimuEE93d19KPm7YcAfeRkkdpIYqOA_4RjTIfljhfPWQiZ2Zku3o4YLgbYmCI4Q8amrlmfcHZBRjnlSa0aSWAcl2_C-LdgSNSjzp3UVJEoK5ErbGB7y2wMmYFW4XFuMsJwY39cNnuXtai0KUScOWEq_Kazcl-h-Q8aW9ZW8_kYjKd3o-v-xB3F8FiPmzgxUPpPhXzlgWyafN5Lousau1MeUsj7F2t8D9bz-htDSJBhxa3UzV_KYASEfu8I-BP1Lcu5vgIyBHiCZ-d4AOkxlnYmJfmEk9bchuQOTSteSmobBqSVj9lACDD28THVzr-9Jiir4pCTRLvQdP6RSosk5IU4RRB3uvpLbJCiyPPEnDWdoDQ/4sv/_cL6eyULTK-hnMecuCHjAA/h4/h001.Pgd0JYAKUKFYteb42uadCRY_3qTaxXbiO2ZbBifYHV8"><strong>Sign up for our free newsletter here</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>If this is to be the end for Cristiano Ronaldo at international level, at least it can be said that he left the stage as he bestrode it: with monumental self-regard. Ronaldo has always been a preening, self-absorbed player, but for a time, when he was one of the best in the world, it could be tolerated. For the past four years, though, he has actively and obviously held Portugal back. There is a great generation of technical talent here weighed down by the monstrous albatross of his ego.</p><p>To recap the basic details of the past couple of weeks. Ronaldo played 67 minutes of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/24/portugal-wales-nations-league-match-report">Portugal’s scratchy 1-0 win over Wales</a>. Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martínez after the World Cup, said he had a verbal agreement with Ronaldo that he would not start the following game against Norway but would perhaps come off the bench. Early in the second half, Ronaldo went to warm up – although whether that was on his own initiative or because Jesus had told him to is unclear. The game was tight, Portugal ultimately winning 2-1, and Jesus did not bring Ronaldo on.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-rift">Continue reading...</a> Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal Football Sport Uefa Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:30:46 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-rift Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Jonathan Wilson 2026-10-05T15:30:46Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/which-footballers-have-ended-scoring-droughts-with-a-goal-off-their-backside <p>Plus: two political leaders at the same club game, a very long-term suspension and extremely quick equalisers</p><ul><li><p><a href="mailto:knowledge@theguardian.com">Mail us</a> with all of your questions and answers</p></li></ul><p><strong>“Oli McBurnie is back in the Scotland squad,”</strong> noted John Cant last week. <strong>“With his record of 16 appearances [now </strong><strong>20] and zero goals, he said in a recent interview, ‘a tap-in on Saturday or one that goes in off my backside would be lovely’. The backside comes up often when players talk of breaking a goal drought – but has it ever actually happened?”</strong></p><p>We dreamed of a perfect answer to this question: a usually prolific striker enduring a barren run that ends when an errant clearance ricochets off their derriere and dribbles over the line at 0.00001mph. Alas, no such examples were forthcoming – but all backside goals have a certain earthy charm, so let’s get stuck in.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/which-footballers-have-ended-scoring-droughts-with-a-goal-off-their-backside">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Wed, 07 Oct 2026 07:00:36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/07/which-footballers-have-ended-scoring-droughts-with-a-goal-off-their-backside Photograph: Richard Lee/Shutterstock Photograph: Richard Lee/Shutterstock Photograph: Richard Lee/Shutterstock Guardian sport 2026-10-07T07:00:36Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/06/more-woe-for-arsenal-as-manchester-city-march-on-womens-football-weekly <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/faye-carruthers">Faye Carruthers</a> is joined by<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/suzanne-wrack"> Suzanne Wrack</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/tom-garry">Tom Garry</a> and Tim Stillman to discuss the weekend’s WSL action</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/faye-carruthers">Faye Carruthers</a> is joined by<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/suzanne-wrack"> Suzanne Wrack</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/tom-garry">Tom Garry</a> and Tim Stillman to discuss the weekend’s WSL action</strong></p><p>On the podcast today: Manchester City beat Arsenal and stay unbeaten, while the pressure continues to grow on Reneé Slegers, whose Arsenal languish in 10th. London City Lionesses are finding their feet in the WSL as they put six past Tottenham, and title contenders Chelsea are impressive against West Ham.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/06/more-woe-for-arsenal-as-manchester-city-march-on-womens-football-weekly">Continue reading...</a> Women's football Women's Super League Women's Super League 2 Manchester City Arsenal London City Lionesses Football Sport Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:22:40 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/06/more-woe-for-arsenal-as-manchester-city-march-on-womens-football-weekly Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Presented by Faye Carruthers and Suzanne Wrack, with Tom Garry and Tim Stillman. Produced by Sophie Downey and Tayo Popoola, and our executive producer is Joel Grove 2026-10-06T12:22:40Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/05/england-hammer-croatia-and-manchester-city-get-their-appeal-on-football-weekly-podcast <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/maxrushden.bsky.social">Max Rushden</a> is joined by <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/barryglendenning.bsky.social">Barry Glendenning</a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/jonawils.bsky.social">Jonathan Wilson</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/robyniocowen.bsky.social">Robyn Cowen</a> as England thrash Croatia 7 (seven) nil</p><p><strong>Rate, review, share on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/football-weekly-the-guardian/id188674007?mt=2">Apple Podcasts</a> and join the conversation on <a href="mailto:footballweekly@theguardian.com">email</a>.</strong></p><p>On the podcast today: a brilliant performance from England. The front four of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Jude Bellingham dominate an admittedly poor Croatia. It’s a statement win for Thomas Tuchel, who has been under some pressure since the World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/05/england-hammer-croatia-and-manchester-city-get-their-appeal-on-football-weekly-podcast">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:13:10 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2026/oct/05/england-hammer-croatia-and-manchester-city-get-their-appeal-on-football-weekly-podcast Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Presented by Max Rushden with Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Robyn Cowen. Produced by Rory Symon and Tayo Popoola and our executive producer is Joel Grove. 2026-10-05T11:13:10Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/wsl-talking-points-renee-slegers-arsenal-keira-walsh-chelsea <p>Pressure continues to build on the Gunners’ head coach, while powerful London City Lionesses demolished Spurs</p><p>Travelling Arsenal fans showed no animosity towards the head coach, Renée Slegers, despite their side’s run of one win in six games in all competitions and slipping 10 points behind Manchester City. Slegers walked over to applaud the 2,000 away fans after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/manchester-city-arsenal-wsl-match-report">the 4-2 defeat at Etihad Stadium</a>, on Sunday and they applauded her back. Slegers said: “I mostly went there to thank them, connect with them and show them I care for them and appreciate them coming to Manchester. And also to show them that I feel – not sorry for them because I’m a big part of it and things are within my control – but they’re coming here and they’re not getting the rewards, just like the team. I wanted to connect with them instead of walking away and hiding.” <strong>Tom Garry</strong></p><p><em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/04/manchester-city-arsenal-wsl-match-report">Match report: Manchester City 4-2 Arsenal</a></em></p><p><em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/03/manchester-united-liverpool-wsl-match-report">Match report: Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool</a></em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/wsl-talking-points-renee-slegers-arsenal-keira-walsh-chelsea">Continue reading...</a> Women's Super League Women's football Football Arsenal Women Manchester City Women Chelsea Women West Ham United Women London City Lionesses Tottenham Hotspur Women Charlton Athletic Brighton & Hove Albion Women Liverpool FC Women Manchester United Women Aston Villa Women Crystal Palace Women Everton Women Birmingham City Sport Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:22:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/05/wsl-talking-points-renee-slegers-arsenal-keira-walsh-chelsea Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Composite: Getty, Shutterstock Tom Garry, Suzanne Wrack, Sophie Downey, Renuka Odedra and Réshma Rao 2026-10-05T11:22:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025 <p>Ousmane Dembélé becomes our seventh winner as he beats Lamine Yamal into second and Vitinha into third on our list of the best players on the planet</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/19/the-premier-league-dominates-guardians-top-100-male-footballers-again-can-anyone-catch-up">Premier League dominates list</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/19/see-how-every-judge-voted-for-the-100-best-male-footballers-in-2025">How every judge voted</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/15/how-the-guardian-ranked-the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Our methodology</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">The top 100 female players for 2025</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/17/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2024">2024 edition</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/dec/19/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2023">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/jan/24/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2022">2022</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2021">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/21/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020">2020</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/ng-interactive/2019/dec/17/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2019">2019</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/dec/18/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2018-nos-100-71">2018</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2017/dec/19/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2017-interactive">2017</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2016/dec/20/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2016-interactive">2016</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/21/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2015-interactive">2015</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2014/dec/21/the-top-100-footballers-2014-interactive">2014</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2013/dec/100-greatest-footballers-2013">2013</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/interactive/2012/dec/20/top-100-footballers-in-the-world-interactive">2012</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:04:51 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/16/the-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2025 Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Marcus Christenson, Pamela Duncan, Steven Bloor and Garry Blight 2025-12-19T10:04:51Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top <p>The Frenchman, who has been named the best male footballer in the world by the Guardian, has benefitted from PSG’s focus on the team rather than individuals</p><p>What makes a good player great, and a great player the best? This question has been occupying me since 2014, when the Guardian first asked me to contribute to its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/ng-interactive/2014/oct/14/next-generation-2014-40-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">inaugural Next Generation feature</a>. My job was to look for a France-based talent born in 1997 who could go on to have a stellar career.</p><p>After a great deal of research, I narrowed it down from my shortlist&nbsp;of five by asking questions&nbsp;not about the players’ football ability, but about other attributes: resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback and willingness to learn. Qualities we cannot see, and are harder to&nbsp;measure.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top">Continue reading...</a> Football Sport Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:00:25 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Kristy Sparow/UEFA/Getty Images Ben Lyttleton 2025-12-20T08:00:25Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025 <p>Aitana Bonmatí has been voted the best female player on the planet by our panel of 127 experts ahead of Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2024">2024 list</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/jan/09/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2023">2023</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/dec/21/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2022">2022 </a>| <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/dec/07/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2021">2021</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/dec/08/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2020">2020</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2019">2019</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/dec/04/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2018">2018</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/nov/30/how-the-guardian-ranked-the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Meet the judges</a> | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/04/see-how-every-judge-voted-in-the-100-best-female-footballers-for-2025">See how every judge voted</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/22/sign-up-for-our-new-womens-football-newsletter-moving-the-goalposts">Subscribe to Moving the Goalposts, our free newsletter</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">Continue reading...</a> Football Women's football Sport Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:22 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025 Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Rich Laverty 2025-12-04T10:00:22Z https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title <p>The margin may have got smaller but the brilliant Spanish midfielder makes it a hat-trick of No 1 finishes</p><p>They say the best things come in threes, and Aitana Bonmatí has written herself into <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2025/dec/01/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2025">the Guardian’s top 100</a> history as the first player to finish at the top of the tree for a third consecutive year.</p><p>Last year the majestic midfielder emulated her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2024/dec/03/the-100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2024">winning for a second year running</a>, but the 27-year-old has now gone one better, establishing herself once again at the top of the women’s game.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title">Continue reading...</a> Aitana Bonmatí Women's football Football Sport Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:42 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/05/aitana-bonmati-guardian-top-100-history-third-straight-title Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Photograph: Álex Caparrós/UEFA/Getty Images Rich Laverty 2025-12-05T08:00:42Z