European champions Spain will be one of the favourites for this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Both Yamal and Mbappe fail to make the top three, while Bayern have the top two

A round-up of all the games on Tuesday night in La Liga, as the stakes grow ever higher in the final stages of the season. RCD Mallorca 1-1 Valencia: Mallorca rue chances Martin Demichelis was left ruing his side’s missed opportunity at Son Moix on Tuesday night, after RCD Mallorca drew with Valencia. Following a […] The post La Liga Round-Up: Isco makes long-awaited return for Betis as Unai Simon digs out Athletic Club appeared first on Football España.

Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa was forced to answer multiple questions on his players being whistled by their own fans for a third time this season, following Los Blancos’ 2-1 win over Alaves. Vinicius Junior was the main target for the Santiago Bernabeu again, despite turning out to be the match-winner. Of course the main […] The post “I was whistled as a player too” – Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa on Vinicius Junior reaction appeared first on Football España.

With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres reportedly failing to earn the undisputed spot as striker, Julian Alvarez is see as FC Barcelona's dream signing. Julian Alvarez has long been linked with FC Barcelona as the ideal candidate to anchor the club’s attack for years to come, and those links have now grown considerably stronger. With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres reportedly falling short of expectations at the Blaugrana, the Argentine has emerged as the club’s primary transfer target. While Barcelona remain one of the most potent attacking sides in the world, a specific weakness has emerged at center forward. With Lamine Yamal firmly established on the right and Raphinha on the left, the wide positions are well covered at the highest level, but the striker role has become the club’s most pressing concern heading into the transfer window. According to a report by Laia Cervello Herrero and Pol Ballus in The Athletic, both Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have failed to fully convince at Barcelona, casting serious doubt over their futures at the club. Despite being given equal opportunities, neither has established himself as a reliable and consistent goal threat in the 2025-26 campaign, a deficiency that has cost the team dearly in key moments throughout the season. Against that backdrop, Julian Alvarez has been identified as Barcelona’s dream solution. The Argentine fits the tactical profile that coach Hansi Flick is reportedly looking for, and the striker himself has not closed the door when asked publicly about interest from the Blaugrana. Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid celebrating. The primary obstacle standing in the way of a deal would be the fee Atletico Madrid would demand for a player under contract until June 2030. According to The Athletic‘s report, any offer would need to start at a minimum of €100 million, roughly $117 million. That price tag represents a significant hurdle given Barcelona’s well-documented financial constraints. However, the potential savings from releasing Lewandowski’s substantial salary, combined with the cooling of the Marcus Rashford purchase option situation, are expected to give the Catalan club enough room to mount a serious push for the 26-year-old in the upcoming summer window. Lewandowski and Ferran Torres facing uncertain futures at Barcelona Lamine Yamal’s position as the team’s top assister with 18 underlines his role as the creative engine, but the fact that he also leads the scoring charts with 23 goals says as much about the underperformance of those specifically tasked with putting the ball in the net. Ferran Torres sits second with 19 goals and Lewandowski fourth with 17, numbers that fall short of what Barcelona requires from a lead striker at the highest level. Beyond their performances, the contract situations of both players do little to support their long-term futures at the club. On Lewandowski’s side, Sky Sports‘ Florian Plettenberg has reported that president Joan Laporta is open to an extension but with a significant wage reduction on the table, while Saudi Arabia and MLS club Chicago Fire have both registered interest, though formal discussions have yet to take place. As for Ferran Torres, his contract runs through June 2027 with no new deal in sight, and The Athletic reports that Barcelona would be willing to entertain offers for the forward. His inconsistency and inability to fully claim the starting striker role have only strengthened the club’s desire to bring in a more dependable option, making the pursuit of Álvarez all the more pressing.

Lamine Yamal may have Eduardo Conceição as a teammate at Barcelona, but Manchester United could ruin that plan. Players get transferred earlier nowadays. The precedent started by Vinicius’ move to Real Madrid was followed by other promising players like Endrick and Estevao. Barcelona has had success with very young players like Lamine Yamal, but their plan to replicate it with Brazilian talent Eduardo Conceição is in doubt, as he is also being followed by Manchester United and Manchester City. Despite not yet playing for Palmeiras’ first team, the 16-year-old forward has already attracted strong interest. According to the Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona is the favorite destination. The club has already contacted the player’s agent through Deco, but several teams are in the race. Manchester United are the latest to join the race for Palmeiras’ talent. With the English club looking much better than in recent years, their chances of landing Conceição may be higher. Even if a club agrees to a fee, the player will not be able to move immediately, as he is only 16 years old. Conceição rejected Manchester City The list of major clubs has grown in recent years with increased financial power. This has put Manchester City in position to pursue almost every top young talent, and they made an offer for Conceição, according to Sport. Deco has contacted the player’s agent (David Ramos/Getty Images) Manchester City reportedly offered around 40 million euros to Palmeiras for Conceição. The response came from the player, who appears willing to wait longer to reach his preferred destination. Despite a momentary rejection from the player, Manchester City remain interested in him and could return with another approach in the future. Other offers that Conceição has turned down include clubs such as Napoli and Newcastle. Conceição’s first transfer out of Brazil Conceição has caught attention with his performances in Brazil’s U-17 South American competition. He had already been called up to Palmeiras’ U-20 team at just 15 years old. However, his first move out of Brazil cannot happen before December 2027, when he turns 18.

Chelsea faced off against Brighton and Hove Albion at the American Express Community Stadium earlier tonight as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Blues made a slow start to the game and conceded the opening goal in the third-minute when Fedri Kadioglu found the back of […] The post Delap, Neto And Cucurella Get 6 | Chelsea Players Rated In Dismal Loss Vs Brighton appeared first on The 4th Official - A view from the sideline.

Watch extended highlights of Athletic Club and Osasuna, player stats, results and goals from La Liga, April 21, 2026 The post Athletic Club vs Osasuna Highlights and Goals appeared first on DasFootball.

Former Real Madrid player Rafael van der Vaart predicted a big transfer for Kees Smit. Real Madrid are likely to finish the season without a trophy unless Barcelona collapse in La Liga. That means the transfer window is already a major topic around the club. One player Rafael van der Vaart has singled out is Kees Smit, a young talent Ronald Koeman has compared with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. Smit plays for AZ Alkmaar but could soon be set for a move to a bigger club. The 20-year-old Dutch midfielder is already seen as one of the brightest prospects in his country, standing out for his ability to carry the ball forward, link play in advanced areas, and contribute to attacks. Van der Vaart praised him highly in an interview with the TV show Rondo. Van der Vaart said: “Smit is simply an incredibly good player. We often rush to label a player as really good, but in this case, he is. If he keeps progressing like this, he will undoubtedly end up at Real Madrid or one of the biggest clubs in the world.” Koeman compared Smit with Pedri and De Jong Van der Vaart also praised the player for the way he carries himself, which is important when dealing with pressure: “He continues being a person with his feet on the ground. He does not allow himself to be pressured. He gives good interviews, he behaves well.” Van der Vaart played for Real Madrid from 2008-2010 (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) A strong opinion about the midfielder’s future also came from Netherlands legend Koeman, who compared him with Barcelona stars Pedri and Frenkie de Jong based on his playing style. Koeman said in an interview with Cayo TV a few days ago: “He’s a player for Barça. He can be a mix between Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. If you are a mix of both, you are very good. In the Netherlands, no club can afford him; they are asking for 60 million euros. He will go abroad; hopefully, he will continue getting playing time.” Smit’s season with AZ Alkmaar His importance to AZ Alkmaar does not fully show up in the numbers, since he plays in a role that traditional statistics do not capture, but he has been a key player. His consistency has stood out, with 44 appearances and five goals. The valuation Koeman mentioned was 60 million euros, though that figure would likely come down when negotiations begin.