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The draw is here. Who needs the easiest group? Who could make a run? And did FIFA’s seeding just tilt the field? GOAL's writers weigh in.

And so it gets real. The World Cup draw feels like an inflection point in every cycle. From the end of the previous tournament – when Lionel Messi lifted the trophy in Qatar – everything has basically been informed guesswork. We knew that some teams would be here as hosts. We could make some solid guesses as to who would join them. And even after qualifying last month yielded (most of) the rest of the field, no one substantively knows very much until the draw.

Now it's here. Starting Friday, we will get a real sense of how this tournament will look. We will know who will play who. We will know if the U.S. are odds on to make a run to the quarters, or could crash out at the group. We will have a good sense if England can bring football home. 

Still, there are some questions to be asked here. 48 teams is a lot for a World Cup. And FIFA has set up the seeding so that the highest ranked teams are unlikely to face any of their most apparent competition later in the tournament. Sure, this is randomization, but it's not as unpredictable as in years past. Is that a good thing? Or should there be more obstacles? 

GOAL US writers break down the World Cup draw and make some far too early predictions in another edition of… .

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  Out of the USA, Mexico and Canada, which team needs a friendly draw?

  Tom Hindle: ALL OF THEM, really. But the Canadians could really do with a good one. Canada manager Jesse Marsch has hammered home the point that they could play a ton of home games if they top their group. If he manifests that, then it'll be a sight to see – but they will certainly need a little luck on the day. 

  Ryan Tolmich: All three would LOVE a friendly draw, but in terms of need? Mexico, probably, simply because they're in a place where pressure and expectations don't really match up with talent and quality. For Mexico, any World Cup where they don't genuinely compete is seen as a failure, so a group stage exit from a Group of Death would be no moral victory. Because of that, a nice waltz into the knockout stage would at least quiet the noise, even if would likely fall shortly after.

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  Who's the team to watch out for if they get a friendly group?

  TH: Norway are the obvious answer, especially considering the fact that Erling Haaland is an evil space demon. But Colombia could be the real tricky one. Every game for them will basically be a home game, and Luis Diaz is in red-hot form. They're a Pot 2 team who could win their group, and you wouldn't bet against them to make a run. 

  RT: Looking at the teams deeper in the pots, it's safe to say no one is going to want to run into Norway. They have the best goalscorer of this generation in Haaland and, when you have that, you can win any game against any team. Because of that, Norway could easily top their group, despite being in Pot 3, and, from there, who knows?

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  Which newly qualified teams or long-absent teams are you excited to follow?

  TH: If Ireland manage to qualify, it will be them, especially considering everyone is now a massive Troy Parrott enthusiast! But as for the guys that are already here, why not Curacao? They're a really fun story and play with a real confidence. Will they get battered? Probably. But they won't give up. 

  RT: We've already mentioned Norway, and that's surely one. The other obvious one is Scotland. They haven't been to the World Cup since 1998, with this run ending a six-tournament drought. That's fun! You know their fans will turn up and, given the Premier League-level talent at the squad, they might just be pretty damn competitive, too.

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  What is the group stage game you most want to see?

  TH: So many options. It's a real disappointment that England and the U.S. are both in Pot 1, because that would have been TASTY. Let's have Germany-South Korea, if only to repeat a classic match-up. 

  RT: Give us Morocco-Portugal again! The former scored a historic upset over the latter in the quarterfinals in Qatar, so seeing those two teams meet again would no doubt be personal. It would also be fun, too, as there would be plenty of star power on both sides eager to make a run this summer.

Queensland quick Sam Geyer withstood an early barrage from Sam Harper to take four wickets on debut in the Sheffield Shield against Victoria.Geyer was the star of the show for Queensland on Saturday, as Victoria hit 318 for 9 declared before the home side were 15 without loss at stumps on day one of the pink-ball fixture.Crucially Matt Renshaw survived a tough final half hour under the Gabba lights to be unbeaten on two, in what could be an audition for the day-night second Ashes Test at the same venue.With questions over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and whether Travis Head will remain opener or go back to No. 5 after his Perth heroics, Renshaw has a big Sunday ahead of him in Brisbane.Saturday night’s 34-ball survival came with chief selector Tony Dodemaide in attendance, with the opener having already scored two centuries this summer.Regardless it will be Geyer who left the Gabba happiest after his 4 for 102 on debut, even if he went at more than six an over. Struck down by stress fractures in his teens, the 22-year-old paceman needed plenty of resilience after Harper took him down early at the Gabba.Harper cut the seamer’s first two balls for four on his way to 88, in a brutal welcome to first-class cricket for Geyer. But the seamer responded shortly after, having Marcus Harris well caught at slip for 18.Geyer also copped some treatment from Matt Short, but recovered to remove Mitchell Perry, Fergus O’Neill and Will Sutherland in the final session.He would have had a five-wicket haul had Tom Straker not put down a catch at fine leg to dismiss Todd Murphy.”He’s very high energy Sammy,” spinner Mitch Swepson said. “Looked like he would run through a brick wall every time I threw the ball to him. He was ready and raring to go.”Outstanding for him to get four wickets, he probably deserved five as well. He bowled brilliantly and was that spark for us.”Swepson also took two crucial wickets, getting Harper and Peter Handscomb in quick succession after the pair added 88 for the third wicket.Harper had been the chief aggressor for Victoria, bringing up his 50 in 55 balls after a series of cuts, late cuts and a big six over mid wicket off Straker.But he fell when he cut Swepson straight to backward point, before Handscomb picked out the midwicket fielder in Swepson’s next over.Veteran Gurinder Sandhu also took 2 for 55, and was arguably Queensland’s best bowler with the pressure he built with the ball.

A goalkeeper’s role in football has evolved from just being a brilliant shot-stopper. Nowadays, ‘keepers have to be just as good with their feet, with plenty of managers opting to play out from the back, meaning their No 1s are their first point to build an attack.

But with coaches demanding so much more from their number ones, who takes the crown as the best goalkeeper in world football?

Ranking factors

To help rank the goalkeepers in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their teams’ performances Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – what others say about them

Top 15 goalkeepers in the world

Rank

Player

Age

Club

Nation

1

Gianluigi Donnarumma

26

Man City

Italy

2

David Raya

30

Arsenal

Spain

3

Thibaut Courtois

33

Real Madrid

Belgium

4

Alisson

33

Liverpool

Brazil

5

Jan Oblak

32

Atletico Madrid

Slovenia

6

Unai Simon

28

Athletic Club

Spain

7

Emiliano Martinez

33

Aston Villa

Argentina

8

Diogo Costa

26

FC Porto

Portugal

9

Gregor Kobel

27

Borussia Dortmund

Switzerland

10

Yann Sommer

36

Inter Milan

Switzerland

11

Manuel Neuer

39

Bayern Munich

Germany

12

Mike Maignan

30

AC Milan

France

13

Joan Garcia

24

Barcelona

Spain

14

Jordan Pickford

31

Everton

England

15

Mile Svilar

26

Roma

Serbia

15 Mile Svilar Roma and Serbia

Mile Svilar had a standout 2024/25 season, recording 16 clean sheets and the highest save percentage in Serie A which has seen him join the rankings for the first time.

The Serbia international, who joined Roma in 2022, is now 26 years of age and appears to be entering his prime for the Italian giants.

Mile Svilar: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

Liga Portugal

2019

Belgian Pro League

2017

Belgian Super Cup

2017

14 Jordan Pickford Everton and England

Everton’s No.1 Jordan Pickford has been first choice for England for almost eight years now, and he has impressed in recent weeks for the Toffees ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Pickford starred in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford and has been a consistent performer who arguably goes under the radar when it goes to being labelled as one of the best in the world.

13 Joan Garcia Barcelona and Spain

Joan Garcia was a goalkeeper in demand during the summer of 2025 following his eye-catching performances for Espanyol.

The Spaniard looked as if he was heading to Arsenal to link up with compatriots Mikel Arteta and David Raya, however, Barcelona came in and secured a deal.

It has proven to be a smart decision, with Garcia first choice when fit, and he’s under contract at the Nou Camp until 2031.

12 Mike Maignan AC Milan and France

Mike Maignan’s impressive displays in Italy with AC Milan have resulted in recent rumours of a move to the Premier League, with the France No.1 linked with Chelsea and Man Utd.

Now captain of Milan, Maignan has made more than 150 appearances for the European giants and has won the Goalkeeper of the Year award in France and Italy during his career.

At the age of 30, Maignan appears to be approaching the prime of his career, and he has been hailed by Kylian Mbappe for his penalty-saving bailout following his Nations League heroics for France.

Mike Maignan: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

Ligue 1

2021

Serie A

2022

Nations League

2021

Italian Super Cup

2025

11 Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich and Germany

Despite turning 39 years of age in March, Manuel Neuer is still one of the best goalkeepers on the planet. He’s won everything there is to win in the game and has made more than 550 appearances for Bayern Munich.

The German icon has suffered with some injury issues over the last 12 months, but when fit, continues to be first-choice at the Allianz Arena. He’s also still under contract until 2026, so it looks as if he’ll continue playing into his forties.

Manuel Neuer: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

Bundesliga

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025

World Cup

2014

Champions League

2013, 2020

FIFA Club World Cup

2014, 2021

UEFA Super Cup

2013, 2020

German Cup

2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020

German Super Cup

2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022

U21 European Championship

2009

10 Yann Sommer Inter Milan and Switzerland

Another highly experienced shot-stopper who appears to be getting better with age is Yann Sommer.

The 36-year-old moved to Inter Milan in 2023 to replace Andre Onana and has starred in Serie A, keeping clean sheets in more than half of his appearances for the club in all competitions.

Approaching 100 caps for Switzerland as well, Sommer is another example of ‘keepers hitting their prime in the latter stages of their career, and it wouldn’t be a shock if he too ends up continuing for a long while yet.

Yann Sommer: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

Bundesliga

2023

Serie A

2024

Swiss Super League

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Swiss Cup

2007, 2012

Italian Super Cup

2024

Liechtenstein Cup

2008

9 Gregor Kobel Borussia Dortmund and Switzerland

Transfermarkt has €40m Gregor Kobel as the joint-most valuable keeper in the world today, with the Swiss shot-stopper waiting patiently to take over from Sommer as his nation’s No.1.

The 27-year-old has been an ever-present figure for Borussia Dortmund since 2021, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl calling him ‘a goalkeeper of world-class calibre who has attracted the interest of many top clubs in Europe’.

Under contract until 2028, it’ll be interesting to see if Dortmund can keep Kobel at the club in the years to come.

Gregor Kobel: Personal honours

Honour

Years won

Bundesliga Team of the Season

2023, 2024

Champions League Team of the Season

2024

8 Diogo Costa FC Porto and Portugal

Diogo Costa, a Portugal international, made a name for himself at Euro 2024, saving three penalties in a shootout over Slovenia and has continued to impress with FC Porto.

Mikel Arteta has also hailed Costa’s consistency in recent years, and right now, he is the joint-most valuable ‘keeper according to Transfermarkt.

7 Emiliano Martinez Aston Villa and Argentina

A champion with Argentina, Emiliano Martinez has continued to star years on after helping his country to World Cup glory in Qatar.

With Aston Villa, Martinez played a key role in helping them into the Champions League and has been called a “more mature” and “better goalkeeper” by Unai Emery. Named as The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper in 2024, Martinez has dipped slightly in 2025.

Emiliano Martinez: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

World Cup

2022

Copa America

2021, 2024

FA Cup

2015, 2017, 2020

Community Shield

2014, 2015, 2020

6 Unai Simon Athletic Club and Spain

Athletic Club had the best defence in La Liga for the 2024/25 season, with goalkeeper Unai Simon playing his part in a solid backing under Ernesto Valverde by recording the best save percentage in the league at more than 77%.

Despite missing the first half of the season through injury, Simon has been a regular in 2025 and has now made more than 200 appearances for his current employers.

Unai Simon: Major titles won

Trophy

Years won

European Championship

2024

Nations League

2023

Spanish Cup

2024

Spanish Super Cup

2020

Tottenham Hotspur are adjusting to a more pragmatic tactical style under Thomas Frank. This has caused several contentious talking points to spring up over the past several months.

Yes, Spurs are imperfect, and improvements are needed. But they are also fifth in the Premier League after 11 matches, and have lost only three times.

Goals are being scored, albeit with underlying attacking metrics emphasising the work is needed in creative departments. But then, even this comes with the caveat that Tottenham have been without Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, arguably the two most creative outlets at the club, since before the start of the season.

Premier League 25/26 – xG Leaders
Club	Position	xG
1. Chelsea	3rd	20.4
2. Crystal Palace	2nd	19.4
3. Man City	10th	19.0
4. Arsenal	1st	18.8
5. Man United	7th	18.2
15. Tottenham	5th	11.0
Data via FBref

Yes, more is needed. And Frank will consider across the next two international-break-filled weeks his options across the park, and how he can water the roots of his philosophy while growing his Tottenham garden into something viewed as new and growing, rather than negative and Nuno-esque.

The changes Frank needs to make at Spurs

Tottenham showed spirit and resolve against Manchester United last weekend, and though Richarlison’s late strike was cancelled out at the death by Matthijs de Ligt’s header, the hosts did not crumble but responded after a wretched first half.

That’s a glass-half-full way of looking at it, sure, but Tottenham must take the positives – as Frank did.

However, the Danish tactician needs to iron out the many creases in this squad, and one sure-fire way to start that process is by forgoing the decision to field Djed Spence and Richarlison as a left-sided partnership. Width and dynamism are needed down the flanks, and the out-of-position Spence and technically limited Richarlison don’t work well together.

When Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert connected in the second half, things changed.

Likewise, there must be a wider shift in regard to mentality and confidence. Over the past year, Tottenham have played 20 home games and they have won only three. Much-improved away results and a tougher framework from head to toe have scrubbed away the bitter lower-table position of last year, but there remains a need for more positivity, more fluency and enterprise on the ball.

The forwards need to much do more, yes, but the midfielders have flattered to deceive from this perspective this season, and it’s time for Frank to consider parting with one player who lacks the nuance in his role to thrive and make the system tick.

Frank must drop struggling Spurs star

When Tottenham signed Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus in January 2022, initially on loan and then for a fee just shy of £22m, they knew they had landed a talented and multi-faceted midfielder.

And yet he’s falling by the wayside in Frank’s system. The 28-year-old hasn’t fallen, not yet, but his performances are becoming a concern, with analyst Raj Chohan even describing him as a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

The conundrum here is two-fold: Bentancur has just signed a new contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, raising his salary considerably to around £120k per week.

But the other angle here is that the Uruguayan just doesn’t work alongside Joao Palhinha, a player who has been regarded by many as one of the best Lilywhites players so far this season, having arrived on a loan deal from Bayern Munich in the summer.

So, if Palhinha has to play, his tough-tackling, protective presence in the middle, Frank must start playing a deep-lying midfielder beside him who can drive play forward with surgical passes. Instead, two pragmatic midfielders have been yoked together in a midfield lacking creativity under a manager who is facing criticisms for a pragmatic style of play.

It is not that difficult to identify the potential problem here, especially when bringing Xavi Simons into the equation, the playmaker yet to adapt to the rigours of the English game, and then addressing again the duel absence of Kulusevski and Maddison.

Rodrigo Bentancur in the Premier League
Season	Apps	Minutes played
25/26	10	659′
24/25	26	1,653′
23/24	23	1,007′
22/23	18	1,506′
21/22	17	1,365′
Data via Transfermarkt

As per data-led platform FBref, Bentancur actually ranks among the bottom 39% of Premier League midfielders this term for progressive passes per 90, underscoring the issues presented in the build-up. Palhinha, unsurprisingly, does not rank highly himself (bottom 11%).

The decision to start Bentancur from the bench against Man United – ending the South American’s run of six successive Premier League starts – tells of Frank’s awareness about all this, but then Pape Matar Sarr wasn’t at his best on that day in any case, albeit growing into the game after a shaky start, his energy and optimism a nice counterpoint to Palhinha’s ruggedness.

Much to chew on. Lucas Bergvall has the progressiveness to forge a protean partnership with Palhinha in the centre, but the teenager has not yet nailed down a prominent role under Frank.

Bentancur might have signed a new contract recently, but that does not mean he is unsellable. Conversely, this could provide an insight into a longer-term plan; this summer, Atletico Madrid were among those interested in an experienced midfielder whose stock has now risen from a financial vantage.

If Tottenham are to persist with the anchoring presence that is Palhinha, it might not be a bad thing to ship Bentancur and his limitations out. When the injured parties return, the picture will become a whole lot clearer, and Bentancur may well be absent from the view.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2

By
Dan Emery

Nov 10, 2025

“My time as an explorer of the game around various leagues begins today,” R Ashwin says

Sidharth Monga27-Aug-2025R Ashwin has retired from the IPL. He made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning, vowing to start exploring “the game around various leagues”.He ends as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 187 strikes at an economy rate of 7.2. Ashwin started off and ended playing for Chennai Super Kings, the team that represents his home city, but he also played for Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals, and captained Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Special day and hence a special beginning.

They say every ending will have a new start, my time as an IPL cricketer comes to a close today, but my time as an explorer of the game around various leagues begins today.

Would like to thank all the franchisees for all the…

— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) August 27, 2025