World Soccer news

• Watts set 'double figures' target by Argyle boss

  08-09-2026 08:22 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Caleb Watts has been a substitute in four of Plymouth Argyle's five League One games this season [Shutterstock]Plymouth Argyle attacker Caleb Watts should be aiming for at least 10 goals this season, according to boss Tom Cleverley.The 24-year-old is returning from injury and scored for the first time this season in the 3-2 win at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.Watts, who moved to Argyle from Devon rivals Exeter City last summer, scored seven times in 33 appearances last season."He's intense, he's
  
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• Barcelona change their strategy with La Masia players leaving the club

  08-09-2026 17:25 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Barcelona change their strategy with La Masia players leaving the clubBarcelona have had a busy summer transfer window, which came to an end last week. Notwithstanding the exciting new signings headlined by Rodri, the club were also quite busy in sealing several exits.Multiple young players across the youth teams left in favour of making a professional breakthrough elsewhere, which is indeed a blow for the club.However, Barcelona have masterfully maintained control over these players through var
  
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• Ballon d’Or nominees: Full list of contenders for every award ahead of 2026 ceremony

  08-09-2026 17:19 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The nominees for the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or have been released. England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has made the 30-man shortlist for the men’s award and stands as one of the favourites after an astonishing season where he scored 73 goals for club and country. Kane is currently the odds-on favourite to scoop the prestigious prize, which would make him the first English player to win the men’s award since Michael Owen in 2001, but could the la
  
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• Rice, Gabriel and Saliba among Ballon d'Or nominees

  08-09-2026 17:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [Getty Images]Following their Premier League title win and run to the Champions League Final, Arsenal have recieved several nominations for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The club have been nominated for the Men's Club of the Year award, whilst manager Mikel Arteta has been nominated for Men's Coach of the Year. Midfielder Declan Rice and defenders Gabriel and William Saliba are named on the 30-man shortlist for the men's Ballon d'Or, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane. Goa
  
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• Ballon d’Or: the stories behind the nominations 🔍

  08-09-2026 17:18 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Ballon d’Or: the stories behind the nominations 🔍The list of 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is now known. While the main favorites are all there, several anecdotes and quirks are hidden behind this selection. Longevity, surprise inclusions, and notable absences: here’s what stands out.Goalkeepers left out in the coldNo goalkeeper has been shortlisted for the men’s Ballon d’Or. The world’s best shot-stoppers will have to settle for the Yashin Trop
  
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• Haaland receives sixth Ballon d'Or nomination

  08-09-2026 17:17 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [Getty Images]Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland has been named in the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.The 26-year-old made 52 appearances across all competitions last season, scoring 38 goals and contributing nine assists, as Manchester City lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.He also scored seven goals in five matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping Norway to their first-ever quarter-final in the competition.It is the sixth Ballon d'Or nomination he has received throug
  
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• A new Kuwaiti influence in non-league football

  08-09-2026 17:17 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Ali Alhamad is the owner of National League South side Salisbury FC [Salisbury FC]Salisbury FC owner Ali Alhamad says that a recent trial for Kuwaiti football players at the sixth-tier side was a "huge success". This summer the National League South club were involved with an event in Kuwait in which 400 trialists took part for the chance to train with them in the UK. The three selected players spent nine days at Salisbury, but Alhamad, who bought the Wiltshire club in June 2025, said it was not
  
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• Kroupi receives Young Talent of the Year nomination

  08-09-2026 17:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [Getty Images]Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi has been nominated for the Men's Young Talent of the Year award ahead of the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony.The 20-year-old is one of three Premier League players to be named in the 10-player shortlist, alongside Manchester City's Ayyoub Bouaddi and Aston Villa's Johan Manzambi.After making his Bournemouth debut in August 2025, Kroupi made 35 appearances and scored 13 goals across all competitions last season.He also ended the 2025-26 campaign havin
  
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• Valakari on Saints confidence, Celtic test & in-form Fowler

  08-09-2026 17:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [SNS]St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Scottish Premiership match against Celtic (20:00 BST). Here are the key points:Valakari says his squad go into the game "with confidence" but know they are playing a team who always find ways to win.The Saints boss insists playing teams like Celtic is a reward for their promotion last season and believes his team are able to compete with the best on a game-by-game basis.The Perth side can take belief from b
  
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• Did they deserve it? The big absentees from the Ballon d'Or list

  08-09-2026 17:13 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Did they deserve it? The big absentees from the Ballon d'Or listFrance Football unveiled the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or. And, as usually happens, there are always missing names that inevitably draw attention.Cristiano RonaldoFor the fourth consecutive year, the Portuguese star was not part of the final Ballon d'Or list. As one of the biggest winners and with 1,000 goals getting ever closer, it is still surprising that the Bicho does not have a place.Désiré DouéW
  
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• Sheff Utd sign experienced forward Ayew

  08-09-2026 17:12 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Jordan Ayew's most recent competitive appearance came for Ghana in their round of 32 defeat by Colombia in this summer's World Cup [Getty Images]Sheffield United have signed former Crystal Palace and Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew on a deal until the end of the season.The 34-year-old, who has won 124 caps for Ghana, was a free agent after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season following their relegation to League One.Ayew joined Aston Villa from Lorient in 2015 and has spent the past 11
  
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• Worthing sign MK Dons defender Waller on loan

  08-09-2026 17:10 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Charlie Waller has also been on loan at AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Billericay Town and Banbury United [Getty Images]Worthing have signed defender Charlie Waller on a three-month loan deal from League One MK Dons.The 21-year-old is familiar with the National League, having spent loan spells at Rochdale and Wealdstone last season and Sutton United in 2024-25.Waller has made 11 appearances for the Dons, including eight in League Two.Worthing manager Adam Hinshelwood told the club's website: "Charl
  
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• Ballon d’Or nominee list revealed

  08-09-2026 17:10 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Ballon d’Or nominee list revealedThe nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or have been revealed. The winner of the award, organised by France Football, will be announced in Paris on 26th October. Ousmane Dembélé won the award last season, and he has once again been nominated. He will seek to retain his title, but will also face competition from eight of his Paris Saint-Germain teammates. Full Ballon d’Or nominationsJude Bellingham (Real Madrid)Pau Cubarsi (Barc
  
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• Report Juventus prefer academy product over new signing amid injury crisis

  08-09-2026 17:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Report Juventus prefer academy product over new signing amid injury crisisJuventus will have only three central midfielders available in the coming months, but rather than signing a free agent, they seem eager to rely on their academy player, Augusto Sedorf Owusu.Juventus are running out of options in central midfield, as two regular starters, Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli, will be out of action for about three months.TURIN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 06: Manuel Locatelli of Juventus is chal
  
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• Real Madrid new signing continues to make case for greater prominence under Mourinho

  08-09-2026 17:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Real Madrid new signing continues to make case for greater prominence under MourinhoCarlos Espi was perhaps the least popular signing Real Madrid made in the summer. But four games in, the young striker has seemingly emerged as one of the more interesting transfers for the club.Joining from Levante for €25 million, the Spaniard has shown signs of brilliance during his limited game-time, both in pre-season and in LaLiga.Espi pushing for more minutesAccording to AS, Espi continues to do every
  
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• 40-goal Crystal Palace youth striker completes Arsenal transfer

  08-09-2026 17:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  40-goal Crystal Palace youth striker completes Arsenal transferMylo Bernard has completed his transfer to Arsenal, with the Gunners confirming he’s joining on a scholarship deal with professional terms pre-agreed.Photo via Arsenal.comArsenal have officially announced that Crystal Palace striker Mylo Bernard has signed for the Gunners’ academy, joining as part of the club’s 2026/27 scholarship intake.Arsenal add that Bernard has also signed a pre-contract agreement with the club
  
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• When is the Carabao Cup draw for the fourth round?

  08-09-2026 17:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Carabao Cup continues apace with the competition entrants whittled down again ahead of the fourth round.The arrival of the Premier League’s European representatives necessitated a splitting of the third-round fixture list, but the 16 remaining sides will face a more straightforward schedule as they contest a quarter-final place.Some sizeable ties could be drawn with no regionalisation or pre-draw to worry about as English football’s secondary cup competition hots up.Here’s
  
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• Man City Starting XI vs FC Porto: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup

  08-09-2026 17:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Man City Starting XI vs FC Porto: Confirmed Team News and Predicted LineupMan City vs Porto Predicted XI as Enzo Maresca Plans Champions League RotationManchester City head to Porto for their Champions League opener with Enzo Maresca doing what he said he would do, rotate. After a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry, secured by another Erling Haaland goal, the league form is intact. Now comes a different test, and a different team.Maresca has already signalled his intention clearly. “We saw today
  
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• Break welcome for depleted Dark Blues

  08-09-2026 16:58 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [BBC]When two starters are taken off on a stretcher and you're reduced to 10 men in arguably the most difficult venue in the league, it's only going to end one way.If you were a Hearts fan attending your first ever game on Sunday, you'd have left with the buzz of a last-minute winner and the impression Dundee were a team of thugs.Zan Besir's challenge would have been considered excellent had he done it against Shawn Michaels in a Hell in a Cell match.We can take the positives. The display from a
  
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• 😱 Who'll win it? The 5️⃣ leading Ballon d'Or contenders

  08-09-2026 16:58 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  😱 Who'll win it? The 5️⃣ leading Ballon d'Or contendersToday, France Football revealed the list of the 30 nominees to win the Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded next October 26, and we review the 5 stars with the best chances of taking it home.Harry KaneAccording to all reports, Harry Kane is the leading candidate to win the Ballon d’Or. He won the Golden Boot, the German domestic double, the bronze medal at the World Cup, and scored more than 73 goals for Bayern
  
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• PSG’s Désiré Doué and Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola omitted from Ballon d’Or nominees list

  08-09-2026 16:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  PSG’s Désiré Doué and Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola omitted from Ballon d’Or nominees listParis Saint-Germain’s Désiré Doué (21) and Liverpool’s Bradley Barcola (24) have not been included in the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or.Their omission comes as a surprise, as both were key figures in the Parisian club’s second consecutive Champions League triumph and members of the French squad that were knocked out
  
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• Journalist: Liverpool legend set to be named in Ballon d’Or nominations

  08-09-2026 16:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Journalist: Liverpool legend set to be named in Ballon d’Or nominationsSadio Mane set to be named among 2026 Ballon d’Or nomineesSadio Mane is reportedly set to return to the Ballon d’Or conversation, with the former Liverpool forward expected to feature among the 30 nominees for the 2026 award.According to GiveMeSport’s Sam Cohen, Mane and Julián Quiñones are set to be included on the shortlist. For Mane, it represents another reminder of the level he reach
  
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• Confirmed: Real Madrid’s Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius and Cucurella nominated for 2026 Ballon d’Or

  08-09-2026 16:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Confirmed: Real Madrid’s Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius and Cucurella nominated for 2026 Ballon d’OrThe final 30 list for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has been announced and as many as four Real Madrid stars find themselves in the running for football’s top individual honour.The Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to take place in London, England in October, and Los Blancos will have a solid representation when it comes to the Golden Orb.Indeed, superstars Kylian Mbappe, Jude Belling
  
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• Confirmed: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Cubarsi and Rodri nominated for 2026 Ballon d’Or

  08-09-2026 16:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Confirmed: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Cubarsi and Rodri nominated for 2026 Ballon d’OrAfter earning a nomination for the 2026 Men’s Young Talent of the Year prize, FC Barcelona teenage duo Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal have now been confirmed to be in the final 30 of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.Indeed, the 19-year-old La Masia graduates find themselves in the running for football’s top individual prize, where they have been joined by new Barcelona signing Rodri.Third time lu
  
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• Sunderland 'deserved more' at Brentford - Gabbiadini

  08-09-2026 16:47 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [Getty Images]Marco Gabbiadini says Sunderland deserved to win at Brentford after taking the game to their opponents on Saturday.The former Sunderland striker, speaking to Radio Newcastle, believes the Black Cats' attacking approach could have earned them all three points and suggested the result could prove significant when looking back at the end of the season."If you finish the season in a similar position to what we finished last season and you look back over it, you might look back and thin
  
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• 🏅With Messi and without CR7, here are the Ballon d'Or 2026 nominees

  08-09-2026 16:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🏅With Messi and without CR7, here are the Ballon d'Or 2026 nomineesToday, France Football has revealed its list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or, which will be awarded next October 26.Messi in, CR7 outWithout a doubt, the biggest surprise of the day has been, on one hand, the nomination of Leo Messi, who year after year continues to be among the 30. And on the other, Cristiano’s absence, as he has now gone 4 straight years without being included in the France Football award.The m
  
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• Vini and Messi in the running! See the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees 🎖️

  08-09-2026 16:43 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Vini and Messi in the running! See the 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees 🎖️France Football released this Tuesday (8) the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.After a great FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi will once again compete for the award he has won 8 times.Vinícius Júnior will be Brazil’s main representative in the race, which also features other big names such as Ousmane Dembélé – the current Ballon d'Or holder –, Rodri – another previous
  
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• Hogh and Tierney close to returns for Celtic

  08-09-2026 16:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Kieran Tierney (left) and Kasper Hogh (right) could return for Celtic at St Johnstone on Wednesday (20:00 BST) [SNS]Manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed Celtic duo Kasper Hogh and Kieran Tierney could play a part in Wednesday's Scottish Premiership match at St Johnstone as the pair close in on returns from injury.Denmark striker Hogh, who became the Scottish champions' record signing this summer, has not played since the second leg of Celtic's Champions League play-off defeat against LASK on 25
  
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• Russo and Greenwood nominated for Ballon d'Or

  08-09-2026 16:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Alessia Russo (left) and Alex Greenwood (right) are both regulars for England [Getty Images]England stars Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood are among 30 players nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or.They are the only Lionesses to make the shortlist, with Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, who has won the award for the past three years, absent after missing a large chunk of the season with a broken leg.Arsenal forward Russo finished third in last year's voting and enjoyed another successful individual ca
  
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• Materazzi: Key Inter absence vs Real Madrid, Mourinho wouldn’t have made Allegri’s substitution

  08-09-2026 16:40 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Materazzi: Key Inter absence vs Real Madrid, Mourinho wouldn’t have made Allegri’s substitutionFormer Inter defender Marco Materazzi feels José Mourinho wouldn’t have subbed Rasmus Hojlund off, as Massimiliano Allegri did against Inter last weekend, but Federico Dimarco’s absence will be ‘significant’ at the Bernabéu tonight.Inter and Mourinho reunite at the Bernabéu tonight in the opening round of the 2026-27 Champions League, at the same
  
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