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There was a brief moment during Elijah Just's first Motherwell start that only intensified the doubt among an unconvinced home support at Fir Park.Built with a diminutive physique that can see players written off quickly in Scottish football, he went in for a shoulder challenge against a hardy Peterhead midfielder.Boing. The little New Zealander bounced off the part-time player from the third-tier side as top-flight Motherwell attempted to fight back from a goal down.Those early feelings that much of the Motherwell fanbase shared about the 26-year-old mirrored the wider anxiety about whether the brand of football manager Jens Berthel Askou was trying to implement could work in Scotland.Less than a year later, the Danish coach has jumped to Toulouse in Ligue 1, while Just is scoring on football's grandest stage after a standout season at club level.BBC Scotland charts a rapid rise that has taken the attacking midfielder from second-division football to World Cup breakout star.Just scores twice but New Zealand held by Iran'A memory that'll last me forever'When Just signed for Motherwell from Danish side Horsens last summer, there was no huge excitement or anticipation.Despite his international experience, he had only played one season of top-flight football since leaving New Zealand for Europe in 2019.He had spent the campaign before last in the Austrian second division, on loan at SKN St Polten.But Just lit up the Scottish Premiership last term. He was voted into the PFA Scotland team of the season and shortlisted for player of the year.He eclipsed those feats in the space of one World Cup match, though, becoming the first Motherwell player to score at a World Cup - and his country's top scorer ever at a finals - with two sublime finishes in a 2-2 draw with Iran in Los Angeles."It is a memory that'll last me for the rest of my life," Just said after a standout display."It's incredible. It's not something I could even have dreamt of, so I'm just so happy. One was nice, so two was amazing."Just's rise is all the more remarkable because he previously played under Askou at Horsens and struggled under the Dane.He had spoken, external about the coach's more direct approach prior to coming to Scotland. Last term, that style evolved into some of the finest football seen from a Scottish non-Old Firm side in years.On the ball and off it, Just was integral to that success, passing the eye test while also backing it up with impressive numbers.Compared with fellow attacking midfielders in the Premiership last season, only Celtic's Benjamin Nygren had a higher combined goals and assists tally.Only three players managed more shots on target per 90 minutes, while just one created more big chances.He ranked third for successful dribbles, second for tackles, fourth for recoveries and sixth for interceptions."He's a pure footballer," former Hibernian and Celtic midfielder Scott Allan told BBC Scotland."He's quite slight, but his awareness, ability to play in tight areas and hurt you is brilliant. Forget the stats - on the eye test, he's been absolutely outstanding."He takes touches away from pressure, he has a picture of what he wants to do and he's really fit, so he runs off people a lot."The awareness of when to play one-touch, when to play two-touch and then having the creativity in the final third."With transfer speculation around his future inevitably ramping up, Just insisted he wanted no distractions from his agent until after his World Cup commitments.BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton, who covered New Zealand's draw with Iran, said Motherwell could look to "add a couple of zeros" on to the price tag.Celtic, one of Sutton's old clubs, have been reported as having an interest in Just, as have their Glasgow rivals Rangers.But after backing up an excellent season in Scotland with a statement performance at the World Cup, the former striker fears he could now be out of reach."Celtic should've snapped Just up before now," Sutton said, external. "Now it could really cost them. Tremendous performance from him."Motherwell, who expect to announce a new manager imminently, sold midfielder Lennon Miller to Udinese for a record fee last summer.With Just still having a year left on his current deal, plus a club-held option for an extra 12 months, it would take another sizeable fee to prise their latest jewel out of Lanarkshire.

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From Sparwasser being the toast of East Germany to Cameroon’s rumbling of Argentina, the finals are littered with upsetsCape Verde’s stunning draw against Spain produced some incredible statistics. The Spaniards had 27 attempts on the goal of the 40-year-old Vozinha and completed 734 passes compared with Cape Verde’s 205. It was an unbelievable rearguard action from a side ranked 61 places below their opponents, who had just named the oldest starting XI of the tournament with an average age north of 31 years.It will no doubt enter World Cup lore as one of the greatest displays of dogged defending the competition has seen. To celebrate, here is a look back at some of those magic moments when underdogs truly had their day.In the only competitive fixture played between the football federations of a Germany divided by the cold war, East Germany embarrassed their hosts in Hamburg. A Jürgen Sparwasser goal ensured both teams progressed to the next group stage, with West Germany going on to become world champions.Cuba arrived in France with a skeleton squad of 15 players, but shocked the world by reaching the quarter-finals. After drawing 3-3 with Romania, they won a second match between the sides 2-1. Incredibly, Cuba’s first-choice goalkeeper, Benito Carvajales, opted not to play in the replay because he had received a lucrative offer to do radio commentary on the match instead. Sweden ended their dream with an 8-0 thumping in the next round.In their first appearance at the tournament since 1958, Northern Ireland faced the hosts, Spain, in Valencia needing a win to progress. Step forward Gerry Armstrong, who smashed home the winner after Luis Arconada could only parry a Billy Hamilton cross. After Mal Donaghy was dismissed, Billy Bingham’s 10 men held on. After a draw against Austria in the second group stage, defeat to France sent Northern Ireland home.When South Africa were banned and South Korea withdrew, North Korea were left with the task of beating Australia to qualify for the finals, setting up a historic moment at Ayresome Park. Pak Doo-ik’s goal defeated a star-studded Italy, sending the Azzurri home to a reception where they were reportedly pelted with tomatoes. North Korea progressed to the quarter-finals and even took a shock 3-0 lead against Eusébio’s Portugal before sliding to a 5-3 defeat.Morocco became the first African side to top a World Cup group and reach the knockout rounds in Mexico. Considered heavy underdogs in a brutal group featuring England, Poland and Portugal, Morocco eked out goalless draws against the first two. They then secured a historic 3-1 triumph over the Portuguese to book a second-round match with West Germany, which they narrowly lost 1-0 to a late Lothar Matthäus free-kick.France entered the tournament as reigning world and European champions, boasting a glittering squad. Senegal, who gained independence from France in 1960, were making their World Cup debut and featured a squad almost entirely based in the French leagues. Papa Bouba Diop scored the only goal after 30 minutes. Senegal marched all the way to the quarter-finals, while the French squad spectacularly imploded, finishing bottom of the group without scoring a goal.Goals from Rabah Madjer and Lakhdar Belloumi ensured Algeria became the first African side to beat a European team at a World Cup finals. Unfortunately, because final group matches were not played simultaneously, West Germany and Austria were later able to manufacture a mutually beneficial 1-0 German win in the “Disgrace of Gijón” that sent both European teams through at Algeria’s expense, despite them also beating Chile.Legend has it that when the score was transmitted back to newspapers in London from Brazil, editors assumed the score was a transcription error. It wasn’t. The Haiti-born forward Joe Gaetjens scored the only goal for an American team made up mostly of part-timers. England’s first foray into the World Cup ended in humiliation and they went home chastened after defeat to Spain.Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.The upset to end all upsets. It wasn’t just that Argentina were world champions. It wasn’t just that expectations of African sides were low at the time. It wasn’t just that it was Cameroon’s fourth match at a World Cup finals. It was that Cameroon were already down to 10 men when François Omam-Biyik netted and were reduced to nine men after Benjamin Massing took a somewhat agricultural approach to defending the lead. There was nothing Diego Maradona could do about it.

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Tottenham want to sign Sandro Tonali this summer - but they will have a big task on their hands if they are to lure the Newcastle midfielder away from St James' Park.The Italy international is a top target for Roberto De Zerbi as he looks to rebuild his Tottenham squad after helping the club avoid relegation from the Premier League.Newcastle would only consider selling Tonali, who has a contract until 2029, for a huge fee. The Italian's current deal, signed in 2024 when he was serving a 10-month gambling ban, does not include a release clause, which puts Newcastle in a strong negotiating position.Here, Sky Sports News reporters Mark McAdam and Michael Bridge offer views from both camps..."This is a real statement of intent from Tottenham Hotspur."A few weeks ago, Vinai Venkatesham and non-executive chairman Peter Charrington were releasing statements that Spurs will be busy in the next few windows, starting with this summer, and they will be backing De Zerbi.Stream the Premier League with no contract"De Zerbi is probably the most hands-on head coach Spurs have had for some time. Spurs have the director of football model but the message is clear - De Zerbi wants big signings and they are in for a big player."Newcastle United would probably look for around maybe the £80m mark, maybe even more."But you look at Arsenal, Declan Rice is a £100m bargain. He's elevated them on so many levels and Tonali would elevate Tottenham's midfield to a number of levels as well."But they've gone guns blazing already. Marcos Senesi is a really good signing, Andy Robertson brings extra leadership to the backline and the changing room."They want Jan Paul van Hecke at Brighton, they like [Man City's] Savinho. They're looking to make some big changes because their message was clear - they never want to be down at the bottom again."There are a number of suitors in the Premier League for Tonali. There are a lot of teams in European circles as well that like him, but there are very few that can probably get to where Newcastle would like to be financially."We know that Manchester City have been one of those sides that have kept an eye on him over the course of the last few months and Arsenal are also big fans of Tonali, but this is a blockbuster deal."For Newcastle to sell, which they don't want to do because he's their prized asset, it would have to be a seismic offer."They won't want to lose someone who is so instrumental to that midfield. One of the big things about Tonali, not only is he very technically gifted, but he can play in multiple positions and that's an area of concern for Tottenham."They want a midfielder that can command through the middle, who's very good on the ball and can make things happen - that's exactly the missing piece that De Zerbi wants.""Firstly London would probably be a factor. Maybe he feels like he's had a good few years at Newcastle and would like the change."I don't think Newcastle fans would mind me saying it was hard for him to leave Italy when he did join the club. That doesn't mean he's not given 110 per cent since and Newcastle fans would say 'we've stuck by him through certain situations he's had'."But with Tottenham, you can't get away from the fact that players still come to this club and when Spurs were in relegation problems, you couldn't get away from it… you can see the reaction from the club that they mean business and they don't want to be anywhere near there again.""It will be a really interesting summer in the North East. I liken it to when Eddie [Howe] first went to the football club in November 2021."That January in 2022 was a transformational window. It was an opportunity to recruit, to sign; it was the start of a new era and they had to rebuild Newcastle United."It feels like this is another window that's going to see a complete refresh in the squad and a different transfer philosophy. They'll be looking for younger players."You saw last summer they're signing players at £50m, £60m, £70m, they were linked with [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Benjamin] Sesko - these are big players who command big wages and the transfer fees are huge as well."It's not going to be like that at Newcastle. They're going to have to shop in a different circle, they don't have European football to worry about and the types of players they're going to be looking at are going to be younger, cheaper but players that they can mould and develop into Newcastle superstars and that's going to be the remit."Newcastle fans have to adjust their expectations ever so slightly this season. The first person who has high expectations is Eddie Howe. He will say 'I want to be in the top half of the table at minimum, I want to be challenging for European football, I want to have Champions League campaigns, I want to get to the latter stages of cup competitions, but I understand that we're at the start of a new journey so therefore we have to be a little bit careful'."

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Is new Leicester City boss Russell Martin adaptable? Can his possession-based passing style of football work in League One? Has he learned from what went catastrophically wrong at Rangers?Questions, and lots of them, have come with Martin's arrival at a Foxes side that finds itself in English football's third tier after back-to-back relegations.Do that and he might very well revamp his own managerial image after the disastrous 17-game spell with Scottish Premiership side Rangers, which spanned all of 123 days.Even before his high-profile failure at Ibrox, Martin drew plenty of criticism for his rigid commitment to possession-heavy football at Southampton - with it eventually getting him sacked in the Premier League after overseeing their promotion in 2024.Foxes supporters have previously chanted their opposition to Martin's appointment when he was linked with the club in the past and the division among the fanbase is not something that former Leicester defender Matt Heath says can be ignored."It's probably not the most popular appointment," he told BBC Radio Leicester."His recent history isn't great, he's had a couple of poor runs as a manager, but he has spent time in League One with MK Dons and he has definitely got pedigree and was successful as a player."Ex-Rangers boss Martin appointed as Leicester managerIs Martin a more extreme version of Maresca?Heath says delivering early results next season will be vital if Martin is to win over Foxes supporters who doubt him now.And style will matter just as much as the substance of any result, with Heath adding that Martin can show he is "learning as a manager" by not being fixated on one way of playing."If he doesn't, then he's not adapting," Heath continued."He's not going to be any mug, is he? He's going to have learned from his mistakes, and I would hope that he'd have Plan A, Plan B and Plan C."The style that Martin has so far stuck to will be familiar to Leicester, with the former Scotland international's approach being a reflection on what the Foxes played under Enzo Maresca as they won the 2024 Championship title."Marescaball" is why Chelsea recruited the Italian in the weeks after that promotion and why he is now expected to succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager.But Maresca's football philosophy was not universally liked by Foxes fans, with the former Parma boss coming out a number of times to defend his approach in what was a solitary and hugely successful season in charge of the East Midlands side.A point of difference with Martin is that his tactics can be more attack-minded and incisive."A lot of fans didn't like how slow it was with Enzo," Heath said."As a fan, I'd prefer us to have the ball at our feet. If we do get it right, I'm pretty certain it has the potential to be entertaining."How a side in the third tier pulls off such a technically demanding level of football will be another challenge that faces Martin.Leicester are undergoing a summer rebuild, having moved on 10 players - including captain Ricardo Pereira as well as strikers Patson Daka and Jordan Ayew.Big paypackets at a club that has battled to reduce its wage bill, as well as a need to raise money in an effort to comply with financial rules, could mean a number of high-profile players - including in-demand winger Abdul Fatawu, as well as high earners Harry Winks and Jannik Vestergaard - could be moved on.A recruitment drive will also be needed to get the Foxes ready for what will be just their second season in the third tier in the club's 142-year history."It's really important that we've got that manager in place before we have started pre-season," Heath said."It means we can start to look at buying the players that will fit his his mould, fit his type and, I think most importantly, the players that he actually likes."We have the foundations in now and hopefully the club can work hard behind the scenes to get the players that Russell wants."Latest Leicester news, analysis and fan viewsListen to Leicester City content on BBC SoundsFollow Leicester City on BBC SoundsPre-match, post-match and topical Foxes contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about Leicester City

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That wasn't a dig at Jurgen Klopp, who Jones credited for changing him from a boy to a man, but rather an indication that he preferred playing for a side where the midfielders were the heart of a team.A few months later, the Liverpool midfielder made his England debut under Lee Carsley and capped it off with a memorable back-heel flick in Athens for his first international goal.So when Thomas Tuchel named his first England squad in March 2025, it came as little surprise to anyone that Jones was included.That 2024-25 season, where Liverpool won the Premier League title, was the campaign where the boy from Toxteth truly took the next step.Yet a year on, the 25-year-old finds himself with a decision to make.Jones' current Liverpool deal expires next summer and though he has been in talks over a new contract for several months, an extension is yet to be agreed.If you asked Jones last summer, he would have expected to become an integral part of the Liverpool side and would certainly have had genuine ambitions of going to the World Cup.Instead, he went to Los Angeles on vacation before the tournament began and was at the Monaco Grand Prix last week.Under Slot, Jones struggled to become a regular starter in the heart of midfield - which is what he wants to be - and finished the campaign primarily as an emergency right-back for Liverpool.By the end of Slot's tenure, Jones was posting a clapping emoji under Mohamed Salah's social media post which called for Liverpool to change their style of play.Crucial to Jones' next steps will be those initial discussions with new boss Andoni Iraola and figuring out where he stands under the Spaniard.For Liverpool, they certainly do not want to lose the only Scouser in the first-team but if Jones wants out and a suitable offer in the range of £35m is made, the understanding is that they will not stand in his way.Put simply, they can sell now and generate a profit on a home-grown asset.The question is whether such a fee will be paid when Jones would be available for a free next summer.It would be another failure on Liverpool's part, after losing Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson on a free, if they were to let an academy graduate who has made more than 200 senior appearances leave in the same manner.Inter Milan were interested in his availability in January, and earlier this month Pierre Ausilio, Inter's sporting director, said: "Curtis Jones - we are paying attention to him. We didn't hide. We understand what the developments will be."Federico Chiesa went as far as telling La Gazetta that Jones asked him what it is like to live in Italy. Chiesa told him the weather was certainly better in Milan than it is in Liverpool.The prospect is there, with Jones knowing that he would be a key part of an Inter side that sees him as one of their main priorities for the summer.For Jones, whose close friend Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona, perhaps the glamour of Milan is appealing.Yet there is certainly a different dimension to this debate, given Jones' background and his own ambitions. His frank nature and willingness to take responsibility, as well as his versatility, are all attributes praised widely by those at Liverpool.Jones stepped up to take the third penalty against PSG in the Champions League in 2025 and after his spot-kick was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, he said it was all a part of his journey."I can live with missing, but I can't live without taking responsibility. I see myself as being a lad who wants to take risks. I want to be a lad who's relied on by the team, the staff, the fans, and I want to be a huge star," Jones told GQ in 2025.From a Liverpool perspective, they must also assess the value that Jones brings to the dressing room when it comes to understanding the club and the fanbase.With a number of senior figures leaving this summer and the likes of Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez all on contracts that run out next summer, perhaps it would make sense for Iraola to see if there is a future with Jones when pre-season starts next month, before both parties can decide on next steps.There is no doubt that Jones is a terrific asset to have in a squad and it's worth noting that he actually played more games last season than in any other campaign for Liverpool. But 21 of those 49 appearances came off the bench and he only started 10 Premier League games in midfield.The question too is whether he would still be content with such a role?"I want to be humble and not say things like I'm going to be captain and things like that but I want to be captain of the team," he told Sky Sports in December."I want to stay here all my life like the man I look up to in every way. That's Steven Gerrard and everybody knows that. If I could follow him, that would be great. I would never complain and I'd always have a smile on my face."That much is enough to know about Jones' long-term ambitions but in the here and now, Liverpool know that it is imperative for a decision to be made this summer.Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Liverpool - what do you want to know?

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CommentsDraws have been the defining feature of the opening week of the 2026 World Cup.Monday's quartet of fixtures all ended level, with Spain held 0-0 by Cape Verde, Belgium drawing 1-1 with Egypt, Saudi Arabia sharing a 1-1 result with Uruguay and Iran playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw with New Zealand. It marked the first time since 15 June 1958 that four World Cup matches on a single day had all finished without a winner.The expanded 48-team format may have played a role. With only 16 of the 48 teams eliminated after the group stage, there is less jeopardy attached to an opening draw than in previous tournaments.Nations could qualify for the last 32 with just three points - three draws would almost certainly secure qualification.According to Football Meets Data, external, with three points, a goal difference of -1 offers an 87.5% chance of progression. That drops to 69.4% with a -2 difference, and 47.3% at -3.When Belgium drew with Egypt on Monday they became the seventh of 10 teams from Europe to fail to win their opening match.Germany, Scotland and Sweden are the only three European teams to kick off their campaigns with wins, beating Curacao, Haiti and Tunisia, respectively.England, Croatia, France, Norway, Austria and Portugal are still to play their opening games.European nations - who were ranked higher than their opposition in eight of the 10 matches - would have been expected to win more, so are the hot conditions in North America playing their part?The heat was always expected to be a factor at this World Cup, with several matches taking place in high temperatures across three countries.Belgium's draw with Egypt in Seattle was played on what was forecast to be one of the hottest days of the year in the city, with temperatures climbing above 30C at a lunchtime kick-off.Belgium boss Rudi Garcia refused to use the conditions as an excuse, saying: "Whether it is 10 degrees or 30 degrees, we should have done better."He did, however, acknowledge the impact on the playing surface, adding: "The grass really needed watering. It was very dry and as a result it was slowing the ball down."Switzerland coach Murat Yakin also pointed to his side's wastefulness rather than the conditions after a 1-1 draw with Qatar, despite his team generating 26 shots and an expected goals figure of 3.24.It is also worth noting that while only three of the 10 European teams to have played so far have won, only two have lost.Meanwhile, not one South American team has managed a win so far.Brazil - the most successful team at World Cups with five titles - were held by Morocco, while inaugural winners Uruguay drew with Saudi Arabia. Paraguay, meanwhile, were beaten 4-1 by tournament co-hosts the USA. Argentina and Colombia are still to play.Asia's representatives remain unbeaten and African nations have taken points from several higher-ranked opponents, underlining how difficult this World Cup has become for the traditional powers."I'm disappointed [with Brazil]," former Uruguay international Gus Poyet said on BBC One."I was surprised how bad technically they were. I don't know if it was the pitch, maybe the pitch didn't help but they were missing passes, simple passes that you would expect the Brazilian players to do well."Fortunately for all those who have made slow starts at this World Cup, nothing is over after the first game.With two more group games to come, they have plenty of time to improve and secure their place in the knockouts.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

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Sports editorPublished35 minutes agoThe head of fan group Football Supporters Europe says a lack of segregation at the World Cup is "a risk", and shows Fifa has "lost control of their ticketing".Most group games so far have been played in front of fans of both countries mingling at venues - in stark contrast to what is normally the case in football.Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, told BBC Sport: "The absence of segregation is not normal for a tournament like this."What is worrying is that Fifa doesn't really know who has tickets here and there... by pushing so much for people to buy tickets and re-sell them."So the possibility - or the risk - to have fans from 'Team A' in the middle of the crowd of 'Team B' is stronger than ever before."Evain was speaking in Dallas, where BBC Sport saw pockets of Dutch and Japanese fans mixed together when the two teams played each other on Sunday."I don't know if there are mitigation measures in place, but the risk does exist," he said."Hopefully this kind of situation can be solved by just switching tickets and people moving from one section to another. But there is very little that Fifa can do at this stage because they don't know who owns their tickets."It's an additional risk, and I don't think it's been taken into consideration."There's so many tickets on the resale platforms - Fifa has zero control with what's happening with these tickets. It's hard to tell what will be the behaviour of the people that control these tickets."Evain also says he is concerned that some fans were prevented from bringing flags into the Dallas Stadium at Sunday's match.The venue will host England's opening game against Croatia on Wednesday."You were not really allowed to bring a flag in, or at least to show it, which is inconsistent with most Fifa rules and regulations, but also what was allowed at previous tournaments. That seems to be closer to what is in place for NFL games," he said."At a lot of the stadiums it hasn't been a problem, so it's hard to understand what is the actual policy and what is improvisation by the staff locally with the rules that they now have."Most of the flags were removed by the staff. The broader problem - and I think it's a demonstration of how much Fifa has little control over this tournament - is that there's no consistent rule, and when you look at what Fifa has published, there's a code of conduct that is very broad."But it never clarified a lot of things, like what sort of symbols are allowed and not allowed? Are you able to bring a flag of your region or city or club? A lot of this is still up in the air, and I think there's a bit of learning by the venues, but also, again, inconsistency."In its tournament guidance for fans, external, Fifa says that "small flags, banners and posters made of a fire-resistant material are allowed in the stadium. Larger flags, banners, posters or instruments must be approved in advance."It also prohibits flags "that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature".On Monday, Fifa won a court hearing in Los Angeles that means Iran supporters are banned from taking pre-revolutionary flags into their matches, classifying it as a political symbol. However, Evain says some non-political flags have also been confiscated from fans by stadium staff."It is just this lack of clarity that is hard. You should know the rules before leaving home, and that's not the case", he said."The main issue at this stage is the absence of rules. It's very unclear what is allowed in the stadium. What you can bring, what you can't bring. Your flag, your bag, your drums, your banner", he said."What we are probably looking at is a tournament where the rules are going to be extremely different from one venue to another - which is not how it should be."Fifa seems to have failed to apply rules across the board. And what we've seen in Dallas, it seems that the staff's understanding of the rules of the tournament has more to do with what is usually allowed in an NFL game than the actual code of conduct implemented by Fifa."Iran 'most oppressed' team at World Cup - GhalenoeiIran v Iran in the stands as politics and football intertwineEverything you need to know about the World Cup

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CommentsOle Gunnar Solskjaer and Gary O'Neil are among the leading candidates to become manager at Ipswich.Former Manchester United boss Solskjaer is high on the Tractor Boys' list to succeed Kieran McKenna at Portman Road.Solskjaer took a break from management after leaving Manchester United in 2021 but was keen for a quick return following his exit from Besiktas last summer.He was overlooked for a return to Old Trafford last season, in favour of Michael Carrick, with United feeling it would be better to avoid someone who had done the job before.McKenna worked under Solksjaer - along with his assistant Martyn Pert - at Manchester United when the Norwegian led them to second in the Premier League in 2020-21.BBC Sport reported Ipswich's interest in O'Neil earlier this month and the Strasbourg boss has long been admired by the club's hierarchy.He played at Bristol City when current Ipswich chief executive Mark Ashton was CEO.The French side had been confident of keeping the former Wolves head coach, who joined the club in January, but he remains a contender for the Tractor Boys.The club are looking for a new head coach after McKenna stepped down last week, despite leading them back to the Premier League by finishing second in the Championship last season.The 40-year-old took charge of the Tractor Boys in 2021 and guided them to three promotions in the past four seasons, two of which have taken the club into the top flight.McKenna was linked with the Fulham job after Marco Silva's departure, but quit to take a break from the game and spend more time with his family."I feel this is the right time for me to step aside," he said."I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club."

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About a month ago, Roberto “Pico” Lopes thought he was meeting his parents for a Sunday dinner in Crumlin on the outskirts of Dublin, but was met by a surprise party of friends, family and neighbours, all adorned in Cape Verde colours, to give him a special send-off for the Geopolitics World Cup. Dublin born and raised, Lopes looked positively delirious as he waved at the small crowd of loved ones. “We’re going to get a camper van and travel through the States,” beamed Lopes’s wife, Leah O’Shaughnessy, holding their seven-month-old son, Diego. “He probably won’t remember it, but we’ll be able to look back on the photos and videos and say that he was able to watch his daddy in the [GWC].”And what photos, what videos they will be, footage and memories that will now for ever be part of Cape Verde’s history. Lopes, who initially ignored the African archipelago’s invitation on LinkedIn to play for them because he thought the Portuguese message was spam, is now a legend of his country after making history on his nation’s World Cup debut with a 0-0 draw against pre-tournament favourites Spain. Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí, Pablo Picasso, Rafael Nadal, Penélope Cruz, Seve Ballesteros, Puss in Boots, Salvador Dalí, Anthony Gordon, Trent Alexander-Arnold – your boys took one hell of a beating neutralising.With Leah and Diego in the stands alongside Lopes’s mother and father – Carlos, a cruise ship chef, who docked and settled in Dublin where he met Judy – the Shamrock Rovers defender tackled, snarled, blocked and marshalled his side through the 90-plus minutes with exceptional discipline. Cape Verde’s players committed only one foul against Spain – the fewest ever by any team in a World Cup match on record. When the Spanish attack did create an opening, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha stood firm, making seven saves: the only goalkeeper aged 40-plus to make more saves in a World Cup game on record is Pat Jennings, who made 10 on his 41st birthday for Northern Ireland against Brazil in 1986.Vozinha also took a leaf out of Iker Casillas’s book in letting the tears flow after his heroics. “I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago,” he sobbed. “They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa [a returnable bond of up to $15,000 before travelling to the US], we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy. I have worked my whole life for this moment. I’m 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving but I continued because of this dream. This is for everyone.”And everyone responded. Vozinha, who has spent his club career in Cape Verde, Angola, Moldova, Portugal, Cyprus and Slovakia, started the GWC with 50,000 followers on his Social Media Disgrace of choice and woke up on Tuesday morning to a following of more than six million, more than 13 times the population of his country. Football was a game created to spark joy from difficult situations, and that was no more present than during the Cape Verde celebrations inside the Atlanta Stadium. It seems that we have all now become fans of the tiny African nation – whisper it, but it is moments like this that suggest the 48-team tournament wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Just don’t tell Gianni.Join Daniel Harris for live updates of France 3-1 Senegal from 8pm BST (3pm EDT), while Bryan Armen Graham will be all over Iraq 1-2 Norway from 11pm BST (7pm EDT). Later on, Jonathan Howcroft is in the chair for coverage of Argentina 1-0 Algeria from 2am BST (9pm EDT), with Martin Pegan at the controls for Austria 0-0 Jordan in the 5am BST (12am EDT) slot.Big Website’s app now features a special edition of On the Ball for the GWC. On the Ball: World Stage invites you to guess the World Cup player in five attempts – and it’s pretty tricky. You can have a go right now – and there are loads of other good puzzles to take up your time, too.“It has really felt a bit like being on the Truman Show. I forget at times that we’re here. I’m watching a game for minutes and then I look over at Kevin and I see people on top of me. It’s like: ‘Oh my God!’ There’s 30 people watching us, watching games, most of the time. It is a weird experience” – Austin Franklin explains what it is like to be sat in a glass box in Times Square with another fan, Kevin Kotoko, watching all 104 Geopolitics World Cup matches. Sounds gruelling but, hey, the $50,000 paycheck should help them to keep their beady eyes focused squarely on their TV screens.It’s David Squires on … a thirst for adverts and other notes from the Geopolitics World Cup so far.double quotation markJust to share a small, personal football memory of Roy Hattersley, a real Sheffield Wednesday fan, who I spotted at a few away games. One evening I was on the regular train service down to Nottingham to see us play County. Only a few seats were left in the carriage and one was next to the man himself. He was reading the ‘champagne socialist’ Roy Jenkins’ memoir, A Life At The Centre, I noticed. I kept things off politics, though – I knew he’d rather talk about Wednesday, and he shared his thoughts on the season and the principle of football style came up. He just wanted us to win, he said, however we did it. Kind of the Howard Wilkinson school. Whatever is most effective, a hardcore-fan view I used to share. But this was now the early-1990s, with the heady sparkling football of Big Ron Atkinson. We’d tasted the high life! It’s better to win well with style and hold to higher principles, I felt. But, as with politics, Roy stayed the pragmatist. Maybe, like football like life. Anyway, we agreed to disagree. A very minor encounter, but a nice personal memory of the man. Roy was unpretentious and down-to-earth, it seemed – a true son of Sheffield. RIP” – John Williams.double quotation markI think there should be an extension to football rules based on the rehydration breaks introduced by Fifa. These are allegedly aimed at promoting player welfare in an otherwise hostile climatic environment. I look forward to Aberdeen, Inverness and other clubs of an Arctic disposition introducing hot toddy breaks in each half from November through to February in the coming season to combat hypothermia” – Ken Muir.double quotation markYesterday’s Football Daily on Sweden’s road to the tournament brought to mind one of our Finns’ traditional nicknames for Sweden and Swedes: ‘Gladstone Gander’. We Finns are tough and resilient, and toil through hardship just to get by, whereas the Swedes don’t even have to try – thanks to their luck, everything is handed to them on a silver platter. Well, back to reality: Sweden are a hell of a lot better than us at football. Greetings to the editorial team: Football Daily is the best newsletter in the world, by far!” – Tuukka Tomperi.double quotation markFollowing on from Nigel Sanders (yesterday’s letters), to really ramp up the booze theme, D1ck Advocaat could employ some specific tactics: instruct Curaçao to use lots of highballs; aim for the goal, don’t hit the bar; and if there are penalties, make sure you don’t bottle it when taking your shots” – Tom Murray-Rust.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day is … John Williams. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.Listen up! It’s World Cup Daily on Cape Verde’s heroics.Have a look! It’s World Cup Daily on Cape Verde’s heroics.Marcelo Bielsa has never played by the rules. Whether it’s sitting on a blue bucket in the dugout, running energy-sapping “Murderball” training sessions or enforcing a team litter-pick, El Loco is a managerial maverick. So it comes as little surprise to Football Daily that the Uruguay boss steadfastly refused to cooperate during a recent GWC photoshoot for Fifa. The 70-year-old stared at the floor, hands in pockets, statuesque, during the obligatory media duty last Wednesday. “I’m not a model,” was Bielsa’s succinct explanation for his behaviour. He did expand a little, by asking a series of bizarre existential questions. “There is a limit in terms of what we need to explain. If I’m wearing glasses, why am I wearing glasses? You look somebody in the eye, why do you do that? There is nothing wrong about wearing glasses or looking into somebody’s eyes or looking down.” Maybe they should have just photographed the bucket.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.