Kick Off: Diallo's talent brings in victory; Mahrez's double seals great start

Welcome to All Football's Kick Off,  AFCON is underway, and we aim to bring you all important news in the past 24 hours. Make sure you do not miss out!

Top Headlines

Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique: Amad gets AFCON holders off to victorious start

Manchester United's Amad Diallo scored the winner as Ivory Coast began their defence of the Africa Cup of Nations title with a deserved 1-0 victory over Mozambique.

Algeria 3-0 Sudan: Mahrez at the double in AFCON opener

Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Algeria made a winning start to their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, beating 10-man Sudan 3-0 at the Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan. 

Match Report

Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea: Les Étalons' last-minute goals turn the tide

Two stoppage-time strikes ensured Burkina Faso claimed an incredible 2-1 comeback victory over 10-man Equatorial Guinea, extending their winning run to five games after a pulsating Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group E opener.

Cameroon 1-0 Gabon: Etta Eyong hits winner after troubled AFCON build-up

Cameroon made light of their troubled preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations as Karl Etta Eyong's early goal secured a 1-0 win over Gabon in their opening Group F game.

Al Nassr FC 5-1 Al Zawra'a: Coman shines and the team straight wins in the group

Coman shines as Al-Nassr thrash Al-Zawraa

These Things Happen

Denis Omedi’s remarkable journey: From prison uniform to AFCON lights

Denis Omedi was a part-timer footballer and persuing a diploma in nursing back in 2019 and then became a prison warder.

Atletico Madrid seeks to sell Gallagher with 35M, while Man Utd could take him

According to the Daily Mail sourced, Manchester United has not yet initiated negotiations on Gallagher's transfer with Atletico de Madrid.

OFFICIAL: Osasuna signs Atlético left-back Galán for €500k + 6-month contract

Agreement with Osasuna for the transfer of Javi Galán to the Navarrese team.

Micky van de Ven apologised to Isak for breaking his leg and sent him messages

Micky van de Ven has apologised to Alexander Isak for the challenge that left him with a broken leg and had Arne Slot enraged.

Hughes to meet with Salah agent as top Liverpool source predicts win-win exit

Richard Hughes is poised to meet with the agent of Mohamed Salah for showdown talks that will determine the Egyptian’s fate at Liverpool, and one top source has predicted when an exit will be finalised.

15 players could miss Man United vs Newcastle as injury issues deepen

Manchester United host Newcastle on Boxing Day with the Red Devil is having the chance to move to fifth in the Premier League table

AS: From boos to applause, Tchouameni achieved self-redemption in 2025

The French midfielder has gone from being booed at the Bernabéu to being applauded for his performances throughout 2025.

Isak issues new statement after Liverpool leg break and reveals next steps

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has been ruled out for a significant period and has issued an emotional statement

Whom Ruben Amorim could turn to replace the injured Bruno Fernandes

For the first time since he joined in 2020, Manchester United face the prospect of losing the talismanic Bruno Fernandes through injury for a sustained period of time.

Marcus Rashford makes his intentions clear for next season

Marcus Rashford has found a new lease on life at FC Barcelona. After several difficult seasons in England, the English forward has rediscovered consistency and confidence under Hansi Flick, quickly becoming an important piece of the Catalan attack.

Maresca only focused on Villa amid Semenyo transfer links to Chelsea

Enzo Maresca insisted he was fully focused on Chelsea's Premier League clash with Aston Villa amid rumours linking the Blues to a move for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. 

Arsenal conceding late goals is not a defensive problem for Mikel Arteta

Another fright before Christmas. Arsenal never seem to do it the easy way.

Real Madrid demands Barcelona audits and invoices tied to Negreira case

Real Madrid has escalated its legal push in the Negreira case, formally requesting access to a wide range of Barcelona financial records dating from 2010 to 2018.

Jude Bellingham’s unexpected problems at Real Madrid and with England

This season has been a rollercoaster for Jude Bellingham. After undergoing shoulder surgery over the summer, Xabi Alonso rushed him back into the starting lineup for the Madrid derby at the Metropolitano, and the experiment failed. Real Madrid suffered their first serious setback of the season, a 5-2 loss.

Joe Cole believes Chiesa deserves a run in the team with Mo Salah now missing

Former Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole believes Federico Chiesa deserves a run in the team with Mohamed Salah now missing.

Amorim sees Fernandes absence as chance for other Man Utd leaders to emerge

Ruben Amorim says replacing Bruno Fernandes is impossible, but he is viewing the midfielder's hamstring injury as a chance for other leaders to emerge in Manchester United's squad. 

Endrick’s worst moments at Real Madrid

Lessons come during development, at every level, in football and in life.

What They Say

Paul Scholes names Man Utd’s worst-ever signing: ‘He was so unprofessional’

Paul Scholes believes Mark Bosnich is one of Manchester United’s worst-ever signings in the club’s history.

Amorim wants change in the transfer market: “We cannot make the same mistakes”

After a difficult start to the season, Manchester United have finally found some consistency under Ruben Amorim.

Mahrez says opening AFCON double was not about silencing doubters

Riyad Mahrez said his brace in Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations opener against Sudan was not about answering his critics, having become his nation's all-time leading scorer at the event.

Slot: Liverpool cannot make top four with current set-piece shortcomings

Arne Slot believes Liverpool have no chance of finishing in the top four or top five of the Premier League table if they continue to struggle from set-pieces at both ends.