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Didier Deschamps has an awkward question to answer: should he drop the Ballon d’Or holder?“If I start playing just to prove all of my critics wrong and to shut them up, I think I’d have to keep playing until I was 80,” said Kylian Mbappé as he wrote his name in the history books, surpassing Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time top scorer. He insists that his 57th and 58th goals for the national team – which secured a 3-1 win over Senegal in their World Cup opener – were not about “revenge”. But they were at least a response.Mbappé is not someone who does all his talking on the pitch. Speaking before Euro 2024, he referred to himself in the third person as he announced his opposition to far-right politicians. “Kylian Mbappé is against extreme views and against ideas that divide people,” he said two years ago. I want to be proud to represent France. I don’t want to represent a country that doesn’t correspond to my values, or our values.”The France captain made similar comments in the buildup to this World Cup. This time, his objection to the far right drew criticism from Michel Platini, who told Mbappé to remain politically neutral. “You are playing for all French people,” Platini said. “Once you take a stand, you fall out with half of the world.”Deschamps says that when Mbappé speaks, he knows he does so “for all the players” and his viewpoint is shared by the dressing room. It doesn’t make him popular, however. Polling shows that Mbappé’s popularity is on the slide and has been since his exit from Paris Saint-Germain two years ago. He is acutely aware of public perception. “I am hated enough as it is,” he replied when asked about becoming the president of his country.Before he even considers a political career, he has a World Cup to win. France’s dual-executive, semi-presidential system nicely encapsulates Mbappé’s predicament on the pitch: he needs a prime minister who will support rather than stymie him. An Mbappé-Ousmane Dembélé government would be an awkward cohabitation. Dembélé has excelled since moving into the No 9 position at PSG under Luis Enrique, winning the Champions League twice and the Ballon d’Or. At international level, though, that position is already taken.Having previously been picked on the wing, Dembélé has been given a run through the middle in recent games, albeit in a No 10 role. He was ineffective in the position in France’s warm-up match against Northern Ireland and again against Senegal in their opener. Only Mbappé (37) had fewer touches than the PSG forward (40). The failure, granted, was a collective one; France failed to muster a single shot on target in the first half. Dembélé’s blocked long-range effort was their only shot at all.At club level, Mbappé, Dembélé, Michael Olise and Désiré Doué scored 97 goals between them last season and, including assists, were involved in 157 goals. Given the attacking potential in the team, there was clearly a bug in the system against Senegal.Deschamps identified it at half-time. Dembélé was moved out to the right and Olise brought into the middle. The manager explained his decision: “We were a lot better when Michael was positioned in the middle. I did it because I thought it would provide more of a link. Michael can play on both sides, but the more he gets on the ball, the better.”Specifically, it is better for Mbappé. Olise would be the candidate of choice in Mbappé’s hypothetical government. To borrow an American perspective, Olise is the quarter-back and Mbappé is the runner, frequently found. As the Bayern Munich forward threaded the ball through for Mbappé to open the scoring, Dembélé could be seen advising a more conservative backwards pass. But Mbappé knew the pass would come and Olise knew the run would be made.While different in profile, Olise is essentially the replacement for Antoine Griezmann. The former Atlético Madrid forward is the player with whom Mbappé has played most at international level (83 times). No player has provided Mbappé more assists than Griezmann. His retirement from international football left a void but it is now being filled.Their combination was key to unlocking a game that, for more than an hour, provided plenty of cause for concern for Deschamps. France lacked creativity in midfield and variety in attack. Dembélé, Olise and Doué all wanted to occupy the same areas and there was a lack of forward runs from the wide players. Deschamps opted to start Doué, more technically gifted, rather than Bradley Barcola, a direct runner who stretches defences. Barcola’s goal from off the bench could provide Deschamps with food for thought before the Iraq game next Monday.This is a team built around Mbappé and the win against Senegal justifies his stature as the centrepiece of a highly talented attacking armada. At 27, he has already made history. He is not only France’s all-time leading scorer but, with 14 goals at World Cups, he has also surpassed Just Fontaine’s record for goals at the tournament. As he prepares to win his 100th cap, he provides assurances that others simply do not, as talented as they may be.“Even if he can’t have a great game, in one action he can make his team win,” said Deschamps after the Senegal win. Mbappé is the exclamation mark at the end of moves; his long-range finish to seal the game was just his fourth from outside the box in a France shirt. He is gradually becoming the traditional No 9 that France have lacked since Giroud’s retirement – a fox in the box.As a result, he needs service and Olise is the one who provides it. It leaves difficult questions about Dembélé’s position and, perhaps, even his place in the team. The reality may be uncomfortable but the decision is being taken out of Deschamps’ hands. It is France’s dual-executives, Mbappé and Olise, who will be the difference between success and failure.This is an article by Get French Football News

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Yet in a strange twist, winning that game means Hull must sell players before the end of the month to avoid a potential points deduction in the Premier League.The Tigers have an overspend of around £6m on their profit and sustainability (PSR) calculation. Under English Football League rules, that could lead to a six-point penalty.It is a breach caused by promotion bonuses included in the players' contracts.Had Hull lost to Boro, they would not be in danger of exceeding the maximum losses of £39m for the past three seasons and there would be no points penalty in the Championship.When the Premier League fixtures are published on Friday morning (10:00 BST), the East Yorkshire club will have more than just their opening matches to think about."That was partly due to the fact that they had some very successful player sales and they contribute towards covering those losses," Maguire said, with the Tigers earning significant fees from the sales of winger Jaden Philogene and defender Jacob Greaves."The big challenge for Hull is that, as we saw with the Nottingham Forest charges and points deduction a couple of seasons ago, if a club pays promotion bonuses, those bonuses are included in the PSR calculations."Therefore it can unwittingly knock a club over the £39m limit."Maguire says that in total a squad's promotion bonuses are worth between £10m and £15m.Hull owner Acun Ilicali has been surprisingly candid that work must be done in the next couple of weeks."We have overspent and we have to sell some players before 1 July," Ilicali told a Q&A at the MKM Stadium at the start of the month."I'm not afraid. We have managed harder things. For us, this is more manageable."Now we are a Premier League team, the values [of players] has raised up which is a good advantage."Except Ilicali appears to have played his hand a little early, surrendering some of his bargaining power by openly admitting a clock is ticking.Ilicali got Hull promoted against the odds, with the club restricted to loans and free agents in 2025-26 as punishment for making late transfer payments to other clubs.Some of their key players - including Joe Gelhardt, Amir Hadziahmetovic, John Lundstram and Lewis Koumas - were only on loan.The club would not want to lose the players that they do own who earned them promotion.That includes Regan Slater, the 26-year-old midfielder who was named players' and supporters' player of the year.Or Charlie Hughes, the 22-year-old centre-back who has won back-to-back young player of the year awards.Hull have previously rejected offers for Hughes and goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, who is part of the Croatia squad at the World Cup.With several Championship clubs interested in forward Kyle Joseph, a deal for the 24-year-old could cover much of the £6m.The Tigers are also willing to invite offers for David Akintola, Abu Kamara and Kasey Palmer, with the latter two ending the season on loan at Getafe and Luton Town.Ilicali is confident the money can be raised by selling players the club will not need in the Premier League.Then next month they can turn to squad building.Jubilant Tigers pounce on promotion chanceAttributionNewsPublished6 days agoHow did Sheffield Wednesday avoid 15-point deduction?Go over the £39m limit and it is a points deduction.It starts at three points for under £2m, then four for between £2m and £4m, five for £4m to £6m, and six points for £6m to £8m.A club can claim back one or two points in mitigation if their accounts show a positive trend, but this would not be the case for the Tigers.Hull would argue that this is not a result of regular operational overspending. It is a by-product of their success as only the promotion bonuses have caused it.This is unlikely to hold sway, as Forest discovered in 2024 when they were docked four points, as it is a sign of sporting benefit from payments made to players.Leicester City provide the precedent for Hull to receive the deduction in the top flight.In 2024, Leicester managed to avoid a penalty by arguing the Premier League did not have jurisdiction.This led to a change in the rules, with the two competitions inserting reciprocal clauses in their regulations.Such collaboration between the leagues was seen in February.The Premier League took action against Leicester for an overspend through to the 2024-25 season. The EFL agreed to apply the six-point penalty in the Championship, which ultimately caused their relegation.PSR is being replaced on 1 July by a new system called squad cost ratio SCR). Rather than assessing losses over a three year-period, it allows clubs to spend 85% of the income they generate on their squads and is assessed annually.Hull have until 31 December to submit their accounts to the EFL, with an assessment made in the New Year.There was controversy when West Bromwich Albion were deducted two points for PSR losses on 24 April - eight days before the end of the Championship season.The problem was largely of West Brom's own making, as they spent nearly three months arguing with the EFL over their accounts.The intention, as would be the case for Hull, is to issue PSR charges and reach a decision much earlier in 2027.Then there is the possibility that Hull's promotion rivals could consider action for financial compensation.A recent judgment has seen Everton ordered to pay Burnley £35m as a result of the impact of the Toffees breaching spending rules.Leeds are now considering their legal options over a historic breach by Leicester when the West Yorkshire club were beaten to automatic promotion.Hull would say that their overspend did not earn them the place in the play-offs, with the breach only triggered by promotion itself.Who could be contacting lawyers? Boro lost in the final, Hull beat Millwall in the semi-finals while the Tigers edged out Wrexham and Derby to take the last play-off spot.Time is tight for Hull to find that £6m. If they fail to do so it will hang over their return to the Premier League.Pre-match, post-match and topical Tigers contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about HullLatest Hull City news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Hull City - what do you want to know?

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Hydration breaks, ice jackets, cooling towels and isotonic drinks have been a feature of the World Cup so far as hot weather impacts matches.Some games may have been played in air-conditioned stadiums and at more modest temperatures across North America, but for Scotland it is about to heat up.The opening win over Haiti in Boston was played at around 25C and, although Steve Clarke's side return to the same venue to face Morocco, the kick-off being three hours earlier means warmer conditions are likely.It is forecast to be around 27C come kick-off on Friday (23:00 BST), and Scotland's final group game in Miami against Brazil next Wednesday is predicted to be even hotter.Temperatures could be over 30C for that one, and with nearly 80% humidity expected it will feel much more than that.Scotland have prepared for this, but it could still have an impact. Even if Steve Clarke is comfortable with joggies on at training.Scotland flew out early to Fort Lauderdaule at the start of June so they could get used to the hot weather as soon as possible.There was sun cream, tan-lines and ice buckets as the players were put through their paces before their final warm-up win over Bolivia in New York.Their training base is in Charlotte, North Carolina - which is roughly between Boston and Miami - and temperatures there have hit 30C.Before they had even set foot in the US, some of the squad went to the University of the West of Scotland to use their extreme environments chamber, which was able to mimic the Florida conditions."It's 10 or 12 days that Scotland have been there so the acclimation and adaptation to the conditions has probably taken place quite nicely," Vish Unnithan, a professor of sports science and exercise physiology at the university, told BBC Scotland."Maintaining hydration and fluid levels, but also nutritional recovery is going to be key. We know when you're exercising at the intensity these guys are exercising in the heat, the rate at which you use stored carbohydrates is much faster."So the nuitritionists with the Scotland team will be key to making sure the carbohydrate intake is where it should be."Unnithan also says because players sweat at different rates, there will be individualised programmes to allow them to stay hydrated and recover properly. Different gels and drinks will be offered to different players.Morocco and Brazil have players who are far more used to living and playing in the heat, which gives them an edge.However, after a long club season residual fatigue is a factor at any tournament, but particularly one played in roasting temperatures.That is where Scotland might have an advantage. Looking at the starting XIs from the opening games in Group C shows the Scottish team have fewer miles on the clock in the last year.Only Scott McTominay, John McGinn and Lewis Ferguson had hit 50 games before the World Cup started (all 53), while Morocco had six different players in their team against Brazil who did so.Brazil also had three players on at least 50 games, but their starting side had played a total of 475 games last term, compared to Scotland's 410.There is a fine line between being fresh and being undercooked, though.Ben Gannon-Doak shone for Scotland in their win against Haiti, but had to be replaced on 75 minutes because of his "calves leaving the stadium" before he did.That might be a result of the winger's limited game time this season, having missed most of Bournemouth's campaign through injury.As Clarke said before the tournament kicked off, this will be a World Cup where most of the 26-player squad is utilised.How Scotland approach the match in the conditions will also be a factor.The game against Haiti was a nervy affair, with both sides regularly giving up possession in a fairly fenetic encounter.Scotland only had 46% of the ball against the weakest side in the group, and though they may come out with a similar number against Morocco and Brazil, taking care of the ball is a priority in the heat and humidity.Graeme Souness captained Scotland against Brazil in the heat of Seville at the 1982 World Cup."The problem when you play in heat is if you keep giving the ball away, sooner or later someone's going to punish you," he told the BBC."And I just felt, in the second half [against Haiti], when we were holding on to that lead, we should have been better at that. Don't give the ball away. Good players don't."Former Scotland striker Stuart McCall believes Clarke may sacrifice one of his strikers to bolster the midfield to add more mobility and try to add control."I would imagine they'll take Lawrence Shankland out and add another midfielder," he told BBC Scotland."Whether that's Ryan Christie or Kenny McLean, who could sit in with Lewis Ferguson and let Scott McTominay play as a number 10 a bit further forward."The hydration breaks 22 minutes into each half have also been a signifcant talking point at the World Cup so far, which Scotland will aim to use to rest and rest.At last summer's Club World Cup in the United States some teams like Bayern Munich even left their substitutes in the air-conditioned dressing room during the first half, rather than have them getting too hot on the bench.One way or another, the conditions will have to be factored in to the game itself as well as the preparation.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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Norway's star striker Erling Haaland has chosen to add the name 'Braut' to his shirt while representing his country.While his Manchester City shirts simply use the name Haaland - his father Alf-Inge's surname - he has included his mother Gry Marita Braut's surname for international appearances.It is common in Norwegian culture for people to include both maternal and paternal names in their surname.Alf-Inge Haaland is a former Premier League player and Gry Marita Braut is a former elite heptathlete.In Erling Haaland's early career at Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, the striker was referred to by the double surname.But he dropped Braut while playing for Dortmund and for Manchester City.When asked to pronounce his name for World Cup media purposes, Haaland, 25, spoke his name as Erling Braut Haaland.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.Contact formContact formMore questions answered...Why have there been two World Cup trophies?

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CommentsThe small, skinny, teenage midfielder was very protective of his flowing locks. But the attention spent on his hair was becoming a problem for the coach."I was freaking out," smiles Romeo Jozak. "Of course, I didn't know he was going to become the Luka Modric down the road."Any pass he was going to do, it was [flick of the hair]. We even had a couple of fights. Well, I was the coach and I had the last word, so he eventually cut that hair!"Modric, Croatia's most successful ever footballer, has since regrown those locks and that small, skinny frame has carried him to six Champions League titles with Real Madrid and a Ballon d'Or.He captained Croatia to a World Cup final in 2018, third place four years ago and, aged 40, will lead his side into their 2026 opener against England on Wednesday (21:00 BST).Modric and Jozak, who has played a key role in the development of the nation's top talent, can laugh about their early exchanges now."He did say 'do you know you and the army [Modric spent a year doing national service] are the only ones that cut my hair'," says Jozak. "There's a respect and I feel it whenever we see each other, even though he's now the superstar."Modric's rise to such superstar status - from a child displaced by war to a national icon approaching 200 caps for Croatia - is an underdog story synonymous with a country that continuously defies the footballing odds.Modric's childhood was shaped by war. He is one of the few players in the current squad who lived through a conflict that ran until 1995 after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.He was six when his grandfather, Luka, was killed by Serbian forces close to his home near the Velebit mountains, where he would herd goats. The family home was burned and Modric's father went to war.The youngster was forced to move to Zadar with his family, living as refugees in hotels where he would play football with other children displaced by the fighting.The Croatia national team, meanwhile, were admitted by Fifa in 1992, then Uefa in 1993, meaning they missed out on qualification for the 1994 World Cup.But stars such as Zvonimir Boban, Davor Suker and Robert Prosinecki, who all previously represented a strong Yugoslavia side, reached the quarter-finals at Euro 96 and finished third at the World Cup in France two years later, beating Germany and the Netherlands.The conflict, Jozak says, played a role in the players' drive and character, but there was, and remains, pride in representing a country of less than four million people and a confirmation in their ability from outperforming bigger nations."We don't use it as a motivation per se, because that motivation is built within the players," says Jozak."[But] some had relatives killed in the war and those things stay inside of you. You take it out of your genes and use it when you need it the most."Pride initially came from the country, from the patriotic things that we've had in the past regarding the war."Yes, we're a small country, but lately with the results we've had and even we have with the youth, it is not only pride, it's self-confidence."It would, however, take 20 years for Croatia to emerge from the group stage of a World Cup again, bettering the original golden generation by reaching the final in Russia in 2018. But the seeds had long been planted.Jozak, whose own professional career was cut short by injuries, held a number of coaching roles with Dinamo Zagreb's youth teams before at various stages becoming the club's academy director, sports director and most notably technical director of the Croatian Football Federation (CFF).He was still a young coach leading Dinamo's second team when Modric joined as a 16-year-old from Zadar, having been overlooked by Hajduk Split."He was always a good guy, well-educated, humble," explains Jozak. "He wasn't a doubt, because we always saw something in him."But you couldn't say 'Listen, he's going to be a superstar', because he was short and skinny and how are you going to say this guy is going to be dominating the world, right?"He was always reliable in the way that you can put him on the team, he's not going to lose the ball where he's not supposed to lose it. He's always going to fight, he's always going to run, he's going to deliver."But he wasn't even in the top three prospects at that time."The young midfielder, obsessed with his hair, was sent on loan to Zrinjski Mostar of the Bosnian Premier League to earn first-team exposure, before spending a season in Croatia with Inter Zapresic."Football is very unpredictable, personality-wise," says Jozak. "His personality drove him. Spending one year in Bosnia made him tougher. He literally survived."He was a kid, he was skinny and young, but he had this drive, he had this hunger - like a bull terrier, he wanted to rip off every potential tackle and duel he was confronted with."What Jozak created at Dinamo was huge internal competition between young players, with almost all of them representing Croatia at youth level."That was a talented group - a pure privilege for me as a coach," he explains. "Because of the internal quality in a training session, it was survival."You cannot afford to lose any ball because the other guy is right there stepping in."Internal quality is one of the crucial components in the coaching process that you cannot artificially create. 'There's this little lion next to me. He wants to make it as well.'"You have to feel the pressure to push you and be better every single day."Later, when he became academy director in 2008, Jozak helped turn Dinamo into one of the most prolific talent factories in Europe.That same year, Modric left for Tottenham Hotspur, following former team-mates Vedran Corluka and Eduardo to the Premier League.But more talents emerged. Mateo Kovacic earned a move to Inter Milan, Tin Jedvaj and Sime Vrsaljko also went to Serie A, Alen Halilovic was signed by Barcelona.Such was Dinamo's reputation, in 2014 a 16-year-old Dani Olmo went the other way - leaving Barcelona's famed La Masia academy to join the club.One of the most important aspects was getting the right coaches in place, as Jozak says "behind every drill, there has to be a person"."Wrong people cannot stay on the bus," adds Jozak, who also nurtured a great appreciation of the ball."When you go to the bathroom, you go with the ball. When you pick up your phone, you go with the ball. Everything's done with the ball."Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol was one of the beneficiaries, joining the academy during Jozak's tenure and being deployed in midfield or as a number 10 throughout his development."That's why he's got this left foot," smiles Jozak. "He was playing midfield. He was talented, growing in the density of the internal quality. He has a super technique. Then later he grew to be tall and fast."That benefited Dinamo, of course, but Croatia too. Almost half this World Cup squad is made up of players who have passed through the Zagreb club.But as Croatia's technical director between 2013 and 2017, one of Jozak's tasks was to build a "bridge" between all clubs and the national team."The academy directors are the key to the success of any country. So they felt appreciated and respected," says Jozak.The youngest player in the squad, for example, is Luka Vuskovic, the 19-year-old Tottenham centre-back who progressed through Hadjuk Split's academy - he was not even born when Modric made his Croatia debut."He will be one of the top superstars for the future, for sure," adds Jozak, who wrote the country's coaching manual and identified the principles for developing young talent.The environment is key, too. The Croatian league is competitive but also a good platform for clubs to blood young stars before they move on - 18 of the World Cup squad now play for top-flight clubs in England, Spain, Italy and Germany.Jozak was unable to convince Christian Pulisic to represent Croatia - despite the CFF helping him obtain a passport that allowed the midfielder to join Borussia Dortmund aged 16.But their footballing reputation is now so established the Balkan nation are benefiting from a diaspora wanting to pull on the red and white checked shirt."The locker room of Croatia is as it's supposed to be," adds Jozak. "They're very passionate, very patriotic, very disciplined in the way they like to fight for something. It's always with pride and always a privilege."For all the talent coming through, though, Croatia only won one game at a World Cup after 1998 before head coach Zlatko Dalic was appointed in 2017 - who has steered them second and third in his two tournaments in charge."He understands the social, emotional relationships and the people. He's compassionate. He's a knowledgeable coach and super talented," says Jozak."He understands the mentality - the emotional connections and when to put your foot on the gas, when to take it off, when it's time to yell and when it's time to hug somebody."In Croatia, we are very emotional and very social people. We want to get together. You're never going to see players in the locker room not speaking to one another."If they push in the same direction it's a huge power and he's the one maintaining those relationships and emotions. I would call him a very intelligent emotional and mental coach other than the pure football knowledge he has."Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game

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Röhl departs for RB Salzburg by mutual consentMcInnes linked with move to Ibrox from HeartsRangers have confirmed the departure of Danny Röhl to RB Salzburg by mutual agreement.Röhl, who replaced Russell Martin as head coach in October last year, will take charge of the Austrian Bundesliga side after a seven-figure compensation package was agreed between the clubs. The performance manager Sascha Lense and first-team analyst Tristan Steiner will also depart Ibrox.“I’d like to thank Danny for his service and commitment to Rangers,” the Rangers chairman, Andrew Cavenagh, said. “He and his staff put in a significant amount of hard work during his time in charge, which we are greatly appreciative of. We wish them the best of luck moving forward.”Röhl made an encouraging start to his Rangers reign as he hauled the team into title contention after inheriting a side in the bottom six following a dire start under Martin. However, the 37-year-old German came under fire in the closing weeks of the season as Rangers capitulated after the split, losing four games in a row to finish a distant third.Rohl looks likely to be succeeded by the Hearts manager, and former Rangers player, Derek McInnes. McInnes rejected the opportunity to manage Rangers in 2017, but it would be a surprise if the 54-year-old turned them down a second time. Steven Gerrard has also been linked with the Rangers post, having managed there previously.“A further update from the club on the vacant position will follow in due course,” a Rangers statement read.

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This week’s newsletter spends a day with the Italy midfielder as she continues to battle her way back to a peak physical condition“It was accepting that I couldn’t play football because it was my life. It was everything that I knew.” For Everton’s Aurora Galli, the past 20 months have been anything but straightforward. Her return from a serious knee injury has been difficult, one beset with obstacles before, ultimately, a long-awaited comeback.It was September 2024, 83 minutes and three seconds into the first game of the Women’s Super League season to be exact, when Galli went down in agony. Everton were losing 4-0 to Brighton and, in her eagerness to salvage something for her team, the midfielder attempted to challenge for the ball when her standing leg buckled. As expected, it was confirmed that she had ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.Sitting at Finch Farm, Everton’s training ground, almost two years on, the rawness of that day clearly lingers. “The night before, I couldn’t sleep very well but I dreamt about my ACL,” she remembers. “I discovered that my sister also had a feeling that something would happen. During the game, I was not thinking about it. But the feeling of the knee that went down, it was like I broke my leg completely. I remember screaming and the doctor was like: ‘Do you want oxygen?’ I said: ‘No. I’m going to walk out of the pitch alone. I don’t want anything,’ because I’m very stubborn … I remember every single thing from that day. I don’t know why.”The reality soon hit. Galli is a vivacious character but even with her natural exuberance the severity of her injury was difficult to process. “The first day, I was not myself,” she says ruefully. “I’m not a crying person but I was crying so much when everyone couldn’t see me. Football was why I wake up in the morning. All the frustration that you have, I couldn’t just put it away because I didn’t have football. Then you feel your body and your head are not working. It’s really hard.”The 29-year-old continues: “It’s very mental. Every single step that you do on the pitch, it’s like: ‘Is there any problem?’ Or even if someone just goes down, I feel so worried. You don’t want to think about it but it’s just something that will never go away.”For Galli, the motivation to return was immediate, with far more than a lost domestic campaign at stake. Italy had cruised through qualifying to book their place at the 2025 European Championship and the idea of missing out was not one she could countenance.“I had a Euros to go to,” she states. “I was like: ‘In six months, I need to be back playing.’ I think it was actually like seven and a half. I pushed it. I had so many meetings with the physio and doctors to explain my point of view … if I have a goal, I will arrive there no matter what.”Under the guidance of medical staff, she pushed her recovery and, despite one small setback, made her return on the final day of the 2024-25 season. It was just a four-minute cameo against Tottenham but it was enough to bring her back into the national team conversation. Ultimately, she was not named in Andrea Soncin’s final squad but was there with the group as they reached a historic semi-final.“I was not in the team but I was part of it, so it was half of the goal,” she says. “I’m very proud of them because they did amazing things. It was nice to be back after such a long time, to see my friends and just enjoy football again.”In hindsight, however, she had “pushed [her recovery] maybe a little bit too much”. When she returned to Liverpool for pre-season, the cartilage in her knee swelled to the point where she was unable to complete sessions and she was forced to sit things out until January, eventually making a comeback against Manchester City.“It was a balance I couldn’t handle and the staff had to stop me,” she points to her knee with a smile. “That is what I learned for the second time [needing to take care of her body] because maybe the first was not enough. It gave me more awareness of my body; how I feel it and how it answers me.”Her return coincided with Everton’s upturn in form after an inauspicious start. After the dismissal of Brian Sørensen in February, the team secured an eighth-place finish under their interim manager, Scott Phelan, with Galli making five starts as she built up her minutes.For the Italian, Everton have become a family, a home away from home for the past five years. She joined the club at 24, becoming the first Italian to play in the WSL, and quickly became a mainstay of the group. A hard-working, technical and versatile central midfielder, her intense drive to succeed is partnered with her infectious nature, helping her to lead by example.“I know how to help people to just push them to be the best version of themselves,” she says. “If that means being a leader, yeah. If it’s not, I’m not. I’m just really focusing on what I’m doing because I love it. And if the people that are around me love it like I do, we can work together; otherwise, we can fight with each other and see who wins.”A timely summer break awaits, one that involves Swedish mid-summer, attending a friend’s wedding and a much-needed holiday with her partner, Chelsea’s Nathalie Björn. With a World Cup on the horizon, the goals are clear and it is a further opportunity to rediscover her best within the new parameters that her body will allow.“I would say that I still don’t feel myself and I don’t think that I will feel it again like before,” she admits. “I think that an injury, especially the ACL, changes your body. It changes the way you are thinking so it’s more [about] growing and accepting the change.”If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email moving.goalposts@theguardian.com.This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, visit this page and follow the instructions. Moving the Goalposts will be sent out once a week, on Wednesdays, in the close season but will be back on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September.

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Danny Rohl has left Rangers after just eight months in charge to become Red Bull Salzburg's head coach - with the club saying news of his replacement "will follow in due course".Hearts head coach Derek McInnes is widely expected to be the German's successor as Rangers ready themselves to appoint a third boss in 12 months.Rohl, 37, replaced Russell Martin in October and steered Rangers into a three-way title fight, but a post-split collapse yielded a third-place finish behind Celtic and Hearts as the Ibrox club ended the campaign without silverware.Chairman Andrew Cavenagh publicly backed Rohl at the end of the season, but the German now returns to the Red Bull stable, having begun his coaching career at Leipzig under Ralph Hasenhuttl."I'd like to thank Danny for his service and commitment to Rangers," Cavenagh said."He and his staff put in a significant amount of hard work during his time in charge, which we are greatly appreciative of."We wish them the best of luck moving forward."Rohl, who had two years left on his deal, departs to take over a Salzburg side that came third in Austria last season - the club's lowest finish in two decades - and will enter the Europa League at the third qualifying round, the same stage as Rangers.Daniel Beichler was sacked as Salzburg boss last month after just 14 games.Rohl joined Hasenhuttl at Southampton in 2018, then moved to Bayern Munich as assistant to Hansi Flick and helped the club win the Bundesliga. He was then appointed Sheffield Wednesday manager in 2023.Would Hearts' McInnes be 'perfect fit' for Rangers?I wonder if Rohl was ever really happy at Rangers. He never gave the impression he was totally at ease with the league.I think the club have done everything to try to put him at ease and they gave him money to spend, but I'm not sure he's ever been a natural fit for Scottish football.For Rangers, McInnes is a no-brainer, an obvious call.He's very experienced, a gnarled pro in Scotland, there's nothing he doesn't know about this league. His worth ethic is through the roof.Rohl's Rangers record across all competitions stands at 22 wins, 11 losses and seven draws in 40 fixtures.Having initially withdrawn from the running to replace Russell Martin, he had a change of heart and took the job after the club were unable to secure Steven Gerrard or Kevin Muscat.The German revived Rangers' fortunes following an abject start to the season, turning the team from mid-table stragglers to title contenders.However, Rangers wilted post-split, as a run of four straight defeats in their final five games wrecked their hopes of a first Premiership crown in five years.Being eliminated from both domestic cups by Old Firm rivals Celtic further heightened fans' frustrations and turned up the pressure on Rohl.However, Cavenagh - whose American consortium took control a year ago - moved to quell speculation over the head coach's future last month amid reported interest from Wolfsburg and vowed Rohl would oversee a "summer of substantial change".Rohl was given funds to bring in four players in January and Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland has already been lured from Hearts as a squad reshape beckoned in his first summer at the helm.However, that will now fall to a new manager, with little time to waste in Rangers' recruitment process as the squad are scheduled to return to training this week.Contact formContact formRelated topicsFootballScottish FootballScottish PremiershipRangersMore on this storyVisit our Rangers page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views

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Heart of Midlothian will face Austrian club Sturm Graz in the second round of Champions League qualifying.The Edinburgh club will be playing in the qualifiers of Europe's top club competition for the first time in 20 years after finishing runners-up in the Scottish Premiership following a final-day defeat by reigning champions Celtic.Sturm Graz also finished second in their domestic league behind LASK.The Austrian club will host the first leg on 21/22 July, with the reverse fixture the following midweek.By that time Hearts will likely be under new management, with head coach Derek McInnes seemingly poised to switch to Rangers and the Edinburgh club expected to choose a replacement within days.The Scottish set-piece guru plotting Portugal's World Cup gloryShould Hearts defeat the Austrians, they will be unseeded and face either Lyon, Bodo/Glimt, Olympiacos or the winner of Fenerbahce against Gornik Zabrze.Had they been drawn against Fenerbahce and defeated the Turks, they would have been seeded for the next round and could have been drawn against Union Saint-Gilloise, the Belgium club who also use Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics scouting system following investment by the gambling tycoon.Should Hearts lose to Sturm Graz, they will drop into the Europa League third qualifying round and would be unseeded in the same part of the draw as Rangers, who will be seeded for their first European fixture of the season.Sturm Graz lost 6-2 on aggregate to Bodo/Glimt in the play-off round last season and beat Rangers 2-1 at home and lost by the same score away to Celtic after dropping down to the Europa League and finishing 26th of the 36 teams.Head coach Fabio Ingolitsch had been appointed during the winter break moving from Austrian Bundesliga rivals Rheindorf Altach after Jurgen Saumel exited with his side sitting third in the table.Sturm Graz finished the regular season top by a point, but similar to Hearts, they finished two points behind LASK after the league split into a championship round.In Hearts' last appearance in Champions League qualifying, they defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina's Siroki Brijeg in the second qualifying round before losing to AEK Athens and dropping into the Uefa Cup (now Europa League).