This week witnessed historic firsts, shocking defeats, tactical masterclasses and managerial earthquakes across every continent, cementing football’s reputation as the world’s most unpredictable and thrilling sport. From Cape Verde’s fairy-tale journey to Morocco’s youth triumph and Liverpool’s Anfield heartbreak, here’s everything that defined the beautiful game this week.
International Football
Cape Verde Script History with Maiden World Cup Qualification
Cape Verde, a nation of barely half a million people, produced scenes of unparalleled joy as they sealed their first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification with a commanding 3-0 victory over Eswatini in Praia on October 13. Second-half strikes from Dailon Livramento, Willy Semedo, and veteran captain Stopira completed a fairy-tale journey that saw coach Bubista’s Blue Sharks top CAF Group D with 23 points, four ahead of eight-time qualifiers Cameroon. From a team that once lacked proper kits to gracing football’s grandest stage, Cape Verde’s achievement symbolizes the rise of smaller nations in an expanded 48-team World Cup format, inspiring a new wave of African underdog dreams and becoming only the second-smallest country ever to reach the tournament finals.
Samurai Blue Produce Historic Comeback to Topple Brazil
Japan secured their first-ever victory over Brazil in 14 attempts, staging a remarkable second-half comeback to triumph 3-2 in Tokyo on October 14. Trailing 2-0 at halftime following goals from Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli, coach Hajime Moriyasu’s side roared back through Takumi Minamino, Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda’s 71st-minute header. The historic result at the National Stadium sent 60,000 fans into raptures and announced Japan as genuine contenders ahead of the 2026 World Cup, already qualified alongside Brazil for the North American showcase
Italy End Israel’s World Cup Dream with Dominant Victory
Italy kept their faint automatic qualification hopes alive while ending Israel’s World Cup aspirations with a comprehensive 3-0 victory in Udine on October 15. Mateo Retegui scored twice, first converting a penalty in first-half stoppage time before adding a sublime curling finish in the 74th minute, while Gianluca Mancini’s stoppage-time header completed the scoring. The Azzurri’s fifth win in six Group I qualifiers moved them to 15 points, guaranteeing at least a playoff spot ahead of their crucial final match against group leaders Norway on November 16. Israel’s defeat, their fourth in seven qualifiers, left them on nine points and mathematically eliminated from contention for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Morocco Stun Argentina to Claim Historic U-20 World Cup Glory
Morocco wrote one of the tournament’s greatest underdog stories, defeating six-time champions Argentina 2-0 in Santiago, Chile, to lift the FIFA U-20 World Cup on October 19. The North African side became only the second African nation to claim the coveted trophy, delivering a tactical masterclass to silence the South American favorites. The triumph marks a watershed moment for African youth football and validates Morocco’s growing investment in grassroots development programs following their senior team’s impressive 2022 World Cup campaign.
Premier League
Red Devils End Nine-Year Anfield Hoodoo with Maguire’s Dramatic Winner
Harry Maguire’s 84th-minute header sealed Manchester United’s first victory at Anfield since 2016, stunning Liverpool 2-1 and handing the defending champions their fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions. Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener inside the first minute set the tone before Cody Gakpo’s 78th-minute equalizer seemed to have salvaged a point. But Maguire rose highest from Bruno Fernandes’ cross to spark jubilant scenes among the traveling Red Devils faithful, lifting United to ninth place while Liverpool slumped to fourth, four points behind leaders Arsenal.
Postecoglou Sacked After Shortest Premier League Reign in History
Just 39 days after his appointment, Nottingham Forest brutally dismissed Ange Postecoglou following a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea. The Australian became the shortest-serving permanent Premier League manager to be sacked during a season, failing to register a single victory in eight matches across all competitions. Pedro Neto starred for the Blues with a goal and assist in three second-half minutes as Forest slipped to 17th place, just one point above relegation. Owner Evangelos Marinakis departed his seat midway through the match, sealing Postecoglou’s fate before the final whistle.
Arsenal Edge Fulham to Maintain Premier League Summit
Leandro Trossard’s 59th-minute strike secured Arsenal a gritty 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage, keeping Mikel Arteta’s side three points clear at the Premier League’s summit. The Belgian midfielder pounced on Gabriel’s flick-on from a corner to break Fulham’s stubborn resistance in a tightly contested London derby. Arsenal survived a VAR review that overturned a penalty before recording their fifth clean sheet of the campaign, moving to 19 points from eight matches and maintaining their 22-year pursuit of English football’s biggest prize.
Haaland’s Unstoppable Form Continues with Everton Brace
Erling Haaland extended his phenomenal scoring streak to 11 consecutive matches for club and country, netting twice in Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Everton at the Etihad on October 18. The Norwegian’s powerful 58th-minute header broke Everton’s defensive resolve before he added a second five minutes later to take his seasonal tally to a staggering 23 goals in just 13 appearances. Haaland’s 11 Premier League goals account for 64.7% of City’s total this season, the highest individual contribution in the league as Pep Guardiola’s men temporarily climbed to second place.
Bundesliga
Harry Kane Reaches 400 Club Goals in Bayern’s Klassiker Triumph
England captain Harry Kane celebrated his 400th career club goal with a trademark header as Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in Der Klassiker, maintaining their perfect 11-match winning streak across all competitions. The 32-year-old’s 22nd-minute strike, his 104th goal in just 107 Bayern appearances. extended his scoring run to seven consecutive matches and keeps the Bavarian giants five points clear atop the Bundesliga. Kane’s remarkable tally includes 280 goals for Tottenham, with his seasonal total now standing at an astonishing 22 goals in 16 matches across all competitions.
La Liga
Araujo’s Stoppage-Time Heroics Keep Barcelona’s La Liga Dream Alive
Ronald Araujo emerged as Barcelona’s unlikely savior in the Catalan derby, poking home a 93rd-minute winner to snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory over Girona at Montjuïc. Pedri’s sublime 13th-minute curler had given Barça the lead before Axel Witsel’s spectacular bicycle kick leveled proceedings. Girona squandered multiple golden chances including hitting the woodwork, but Araujo’s predatory instincts from Frenkie de Jong’s cross sent the home crowd into delirium. The victory returned Barcelona to La Liga’s summit ahead of El Clásico, though coach Hansi Flick received a red card and will miss the season’s biggest fixture.
Atletico Madrid’s Unbeaten Streak Extends with Almada’s Maiden Strike
Substitute Thiago Almada scored his first goal for Atletico Madrid, earning Diego Simeone’s side a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Osasuna to climb into La Liga’s top four on October 19. The Argentine midfielder, set up by coach Simeone’s son Giuliano, broke the deadlock in the 69th minute after Alex Baena’s earlier effort was ruled out for offside. Jan Oblak produced a crucial late save to deny Ante Budimir and preserve Atletico’s sixth consecutive match unbeaten across all competitions, lifting Los Rojiblancos to 16 points and six behind leaders Barcelona.
Real Madrid Grind Past Getafe, Rayo Rout Levante
Real Madrid kept pace at La Liga’s summit with a narrow 1-0 victory over Getafe on October 19, maintaining their challenge behind Barcelona. Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano demolished Levante 3-0 away from home to push into European qualification contention, while Sevilla suffered a disappointing 1-3 home defeat to Mallorca. Villarreal and Real Betis played out a thrilling 2-2 draw, and Celta Vigo earned a hard-fought 1-1 stalemate against Real Sociedad in a weekend showcasing Spain’s competitive depth.
Real Madrid Explore Controversial 123-Year Ownership Restructure
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is accelerating plans toward a historic transformation of the club’s 123-year-old ownership model, potentially allowing external investors to purchase stakes for the first time since the club’s 1902 founding. The 78-year-old leader is expected to present detailed proposals at the upcoming general assembly in November, with one option involving splitting Madrid into separate football and business entities to enable investment while retaining member control. The proposed changes would challenge Spanish football’s traditional socio-owned structure, currently maintained only by Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Osasuna, amid Pérez’s concerns that member ownership limits competitiveness against state-backed rivals.
Serie A
Como Stun Juventus as Serie A Title Race Intensifies
Promoted side Como produced one of Serie A’s shock results, defeating Juventus 2-0 at home on October 19 to throw the title race wide open. The victory underlined the unpredictability of Italy’s top flight this season, while AC Milan edged Fiorentina 2-1 to maintain their resurgence under Massimiliano Allegri. Bologna continued their impressive campaign with a 2-0 victory at Cagliari, climbing into Champions League qualification spots with 13 points from seven matches.
Inter Milan Make History with Fifth Consecutive Roma Victory
Ange-Yoan Bonny’s sixth-minute strike secured Inter Milan’s place atop Serie A following a 1-0 triumph at the Stadio Olimpico, marking an unprecedented fifth consecutive away victory against Roma. The 21-year-old French striker sprung Roma’s high offside trap to race clear from Nicolò Barella’s raking pass before rifling past Mile Svilar. The historic win, achieved with an aggregate 11-2 scoreline across those five fixtures, lifted Cristian Chivu’s side level on 15 points with Roma and Napoli at the summit, extending their perfect run to six consecutive victories across all competitions.
Napoli’s Title Defense Derailed by Former Hero Simeone
Defending champions Napoli suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Torino as former striker Giovanni Simeone scored against his old club, with a late equalizer ruled out for offside deep into stoppage time. The Argentine, on loan from Napoli, broke the deadlock after 32 minutes but refused to celebrate, appearing visibly emotional before receiving standing ovations from both sets of supporters. Noa Lang thought he’d salvaged a point in the 93rd minute, sparking wild celebrations, but VAR confirmed he was offside when tapping in the rebound. The loss leaves Napoli tied on 15 points at the top but with their momentum stalled by mounting injuries to key players including Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund.
Outside Europe
Messi Seals First MLS Golden Boot with Nashville Hat-Trick
Lionel Messi clinched his first-ever MLS Golden Boot on Decision Day, scoring a magnificent hat-trick in Inter Miami’s 5-2 victory at Nashville on October 18. The Argentine legend finished with 29 goals in just 28 regular-season appearances, adding 19 assists for a staggering 48 goal contributions that fell just one short of Carlos Vela’s MLS record. Messi edged LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who both netted 24 goals, to become Miami’s first Golden Boot winner and only the fourth player since 2005 to score at least 29 goals in a single campaign. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now becomes the only player in football history to win both the European and MLS Golden Boots.
Joao Felix Hat-Trick Powers Al-Nassr’s Perfect Start
Portuguese playmaker Joao Felix scored his second Saudi Pro League hat-trick of the season as Al-Nassr thrashed Al-Fateh 5-1 at Al-Awwal Park on October 18, extending their perfect start to five consecutive victories. Felix’s stunning 13th-minute opener from 30 yards set the tone before Cristiano Ronaldo, who had seen his penalty saved, atoned with a magnificent curling strike from the edge of the box. Felix added two more goals while Kingsley Coman also netted, lifting Al-Nassr four points clear atop the league with 15 points from five matches. The victory marked Al-Nassr’s third perfect five-match start in club history, with the previous two campaigns (2014-15 and 2018-19) both culminating in league titles.
Indian Football
Mohun Bagan’s historic triumph
In Kolkata, Mohun Bagan Super Giant ended a 22-year drought to finally lift the IFA Shield, defeating arch-rivals East Bengal 5–4 on penalties after a dramatic 1–1 draw. On the managerial front, Chennaiyin FC unveiled Clifford Miranda as their new head coach, signaling a strategic domestic rebuild.
Singapore Stun India in AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers
Singapore pulled off a crucial 2-1 victory over India in their AFC Asian Cup qualifier on October 14, dealing a significant blow to the Blue Tigers’ qualification campaign. The result in the away fixture left India needing to regroup for the reverse fixture, highlighting the challenges facing Indian football as they attempt to qualify for the prestigious continental tournament. The defeat compounds India’s struggles in the ongoing qualification phase as they seek to build on their recent developments in Asian football.
Delhi Returns to Top-Tier Indian Football with Sporting Club Launch
Jindal Football unveiled Sporting Club Delhi on October 18, marking the national capital’s return to elite Indian football after six years. The rebranded club (formerly Hyderabad FC) appointed Polish tactician Tomasz Tchorz as their inaugural head coach, with their debut match scheduled against Mumbai City FC in the AIFF Super Cup on October 27.
Up Ahead
As the dust settles on another thrilling week, attention turns to blockbuster Champions League clashes awaiting us—Real Madrid host Juventus, Liverpool travel to Frankfurt, and Chelsea welcome Ajax and Arsenal facing an in-form Atlético Madrid on October 22-23. Weekend fireworks include the much awaited El Clásico, Inter visiting Italian Champions and Arsenal hosting The Eagles in a much crucial PL fixture. Get ready for more thrills as the beautiful game’s relentless drama continues!
