GM football fans. It’s Tuesday, Dec. 23 - PSG are considering offering Luis Enrique a lifetime contract, eight NWSL teams make the women’s top 25 most valuable sports teams, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURE
English League Cup, QF (Dec 23): Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET. The fourth and final 2025-26 EFL Cup semi-finalist will be decided with this fixture. Arsenal enter the quarter-final on a three-game winning streak in all competitions and have prevailed in 11 of their 12 home matches this season. Meanwhile, Palace are on a three-match losing streak, losing both of their last two Premier League matches. See the EFL Cup semi-final bracket here.
Results…
Premier League: Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Table)
Italian Super Cup final: Napoli 2-0 Bologna
AFCON (All Results)
TOP TALKING POINTS
First Lifetime Contract Considered
Paris Saint-Germain are seriously considering the possibility of offering Luis Enrique a long-term contract, even described as a "lifetime contract,” according to reports in Spain. While the details of the contract are unknown, it would be the first contract of this nature offered to a head coach.
Reports suggest the club are determined to continue their collaboration with Enrique for as long as possible, viewing him as a central figure in PSG’s long-term project. The Spanish coach’s current contract expires in June 2027.
Over the past 12 months, Enrique has guided PSG to the Champions League, Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Uefa Super Cup. Their Intercontinental Cup win over Flamengo this month capped an almost perfect 2025, with only Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory preventing a clean sweep.
NWSL Valuations Rise
Eight National Women’s Soccer League teams feature in Forbes’ list of the 25 most valuable women’s sports teams, with Angel City ranked sixth overall at around $280m (£208.4m). The Kansas City Current sit seventh ($275m), while reigning NWSL champions NJ/NY Gotham rank 23rd, valued at $110m.
According to the report, the growth of the women’s game is being driven by NWSL clubs securing blue-chip sponsors, including AT&T and Google. The KC Current were highlighted for the impact of a team-owned stadium, with projected revenue of $45m in 2025. In Europe, investor interest has also accelerated valuations, including Chelsea Women selling 10% at a $250m valuation, pushing the club into the top 10 globally.
Five European clubs made the list, including three from the WSL and two from Spain’s Liga F. Arsenal Women rank eighth and are the highest-valued European side at $260m. Forbes added that several European clubs not included could still command valuations above $100m if sold, with teams such as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich benefiting from the brand equity of their men’s sides.
AFCON’s Europe Reliance
Almost 30% of players competing at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco were born outside the continent, with 191 of 664 players taking part in this year’s competition being born in Europe. The numbers represent the growing reliance (paywall) many African countries have on players from Europe.
All but one player in Comoros’ 26-man squad were born in Europe, while 19 of Equatorial Guinea’s 28 players were born in Spain. Both nations have seen improved results in recent years, with Comoros appearing at their second Afcon and Equatorial Guinea reaching five of the last eight tournaments. Botswana, Egypt, and South Africa are the only teams whose squads are made up entirely of home-born players.
Twenty years ago, Fifa changed its rules on international eligibility, allowing players who had represented one country at the junior level to switch allegiance if they had dual nationality. In 2021, a new rule was introduced that allowed players who had played up to three senior international caps prior to the age of 21 to switch nations.
POLL
Would you enjoy matches on Christmas Day?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Pep Guardiola says Manchester City players will be weighed when they return to training after Christmas (More)
> Bruno Fernandes is facing at least one month out of action due to a soft tissue injury in his right leg (More) | Alexander Isak has sustained a fracture in his left leg and undergone surgery, with the club yet to confirm a timescale of his recovery (More)
> Real Madrid’s Endrick has joined Olympique Lyon on loan, with no buy option clause and 50% of his salary covered (More)
> Plans to play a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Australia in February have officially been abandoned (More)
> West Ham Women are set to appoint Rita Guarino as their new women’s team manager following the sacking of Rehanne Skinner (More)
Americas
> Neymar has undergone minor surgery on his left knee and hopes to reach the World Cup (More)
> Several NWSL teams are interested in acquiring Chelsea and United States forward Catarina Macario (More)
> Corinthians have won the final of the Brazil Cup against Vasco da Gama with an aggregate score of 1-2 (More)
Rest of the World
> Japan’s Kazuyoshi Miura, 58, has signed for Fukushima United in what will be the 41st season of his career (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think Kylian Mbappe will exceed Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🤩 Yes (54%)
🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (43%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (3%)
Your punditry takes:
🤩 L.T: “There’s no reason Mbappe can’t overtake Ronaldo’s legacy. Ronaldo was a numbers player, helping Real Madrid win countless trophies. If Mbappe is able to do the same, and his numbers now suggest he can, I don’t see why he shouldn’t overtake him.”
🤩 K.W: “While I do agree Ronaldo walked so Mbappe could run at Real Madrid, Mbappe is in his prime now, while Ronaldo was a couple of years away from his absolute prime at the same age. It means Mbappe could have longer to rack up as many goals and trophies as Ronaldo did. I guess it’s a question of Mbappe’s longevity, which Ronaldo had (and still has) in abundance.”
🙅♂️ J.K: “He may end up scoring more goals if he stays long enough, but I just don’t see him surpassing the legacy factor. Legacy is more than goals, it’s the impact you have and the high-profile games you win.”
EXTRA TIME
The lost tradition of football on Christmas Day.
Who's leading the race for the Golden Shoe?
The 100 best male footballers in the world 2025.
Is this the most loyal fan in football?
Why the Arsenal Invincibles never won again.
Every MLS transfer in the off-season.
GAME FACE ON
Question: This year, what do the following Frenhcman have in common?
Kylian Mbappe. Marcus Thuram. Desire Doue. Randal Kolo Muani.
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
They come back on the 25th and I will be there controlling how many kilos come up. The moment they arrive after three days, I want to see how they come back.
Answer
They are the only Frenchmen to have two or more Uefa Champions League 2025-26 goals.
