Some of the best young talents at the World Cup this summer include Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza and Malik Tillman, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun, and Bayern Munich’s domestic-double winner Josip Stanisic. There’s also Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız and PSV’s Paul Wanner. Despite either being born in Germany or having gone through the academy system in the country, none of them will be playing for Germany on the world’s biggest stage this summer.

They all hold dual citizenship and have opted to take the field for Turkey, Algeria, the USA, Croatia or Austria. Whether for sporting, emotional, or family reasons, or because they hoped doing so would give their own careers a boost, their choice is also a conscious choice against Germany. This development has shaken German FA (DFB) Director Andreas Rettig.

Are Germany’s best young players opting to play elsewhere?

Most of the aforementioned footballers are regular starters at their clubs, and some of them are among the best players in their respective positions. Given, as Rettig notes, that youth international players spend between 50 and 70 days a year under the care of the DFB, all of them could have played a pivotal role in the Germany team.

“More than 40% of children under the age of five in Germany have a migrant background. This gives them the option of choosing one country over another,” Rettig told DW.

This figure, he fears, is bound to lead to a rising number of potential international players willing to switch allegiances.

“We must address this issue seriously to ensure that we don’t end up in a situation where many of those players who trained here go on to seek their fortune elsewhere,” said Rettig.

‘Trending in the wrong direction’

Last year, Rettig unveiled his vision of a “training compensation” scheme intended to change the current situation.

“Training must pay off—both for the person being trained and for the trainer,” the 63-year-old insisted. “I would like to see us develop a system in which training is rewarded, and where we can then reinvest that training compensation back into grassroots development.”

The idea behind this is simple. Training costs per player per day would be calculated precisely, leading to a compensation claim. This would be communicated transparently to all parties involved, with the aim of raising the barrier against countries poaching players from other nations.

Rettig emphasized that his objective is not merely to secure financial compensation for the DFB, but rather to benefit to the entire football world.

“We need to raise awareness that every association needs to invest in training,” said the DFB director, who noted that some national associations “invest more money, time, and effort into scouting players than they do into training them themselves.”

Rettig believes this is a move in the wrong direction, and hopes that a transparent training compensation system as he is proposing would curb this behavior and lead to increased investment in domestic youth development.

‘The eagle on the chest is no more important than the crescent moon’

High-profile cases, such as Maza, who had 13 caps for German youth teams but opted to represent Algeria, or US international Tillman (21 youth caps for Germany), or Özcan, who was capped an incredible 61 times for Germany in his youth but will be heading to the World Cup with Turkey, have sparked considerable debate within the DFB. Nevertheless, Rettig emphasized that he respects every decision, provided it was not made in haste.

“We are not saying that the eagle on the chest is more important than the crescent moon or any other national symbol,” Rettig explained. “I simply wish to make an urgent appeal, such a decision [switching national allegiances] must not be based solely on the question: ‘Where can I get playing time sooner?’”

Instead, he believes it is crucial to offer players a credible long-term outlook.

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“I do not believe we would be well-advised to offer pipe dreams to young players too early on,” said Rettig.

After all, a player’s development path is rarely linear, and not every player will appear in a Champions League or World Cup final by the age of 17. For this reason, Rettig would like to see more patience from players when considering a switch of nationalities.

Decision needs to come from the heart

“Playing for one’s country is the greatest achievement a player can aspire to,” Rettig said.

“It should be a decision from the heart—one made in favor of the country with which one feels the deepest connection.”

The DFB’s ultimate goal is to get to a point at which young players coming through its system never even entertain the idea of ​​switching national associations in the first place.

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“We need to solidify this emotional bond—to redouble our efforts across all age groups,” Rettig told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

Next stop: FIFA

For Rettig’s plan or anything similar to take effect, FIFA would have to impose new rules on a global level. The DFB’s next move will be to formally submit its proposal to football’s international governing body. Although it’s still not clear when this could happen, Rettig is optimistic that his idea will get a fair hearing. After all, Germany is by no means the only country affected by “nation-hopping.”

“Surely, even FIFA has no interest in seeing the sense of identification with—and the overall value of—its own competitions eroded by an increasing number of nationality switches,” he said.

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This article was adapted from German.

PSG’s Desire Doue, left, and Warren Zaire-Emery walk onto the center court with Chgampions league trophy at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo)

Fresh from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and three of his teammates brought the trophy to the French Open on Monday and presented it to fans at Roland Garros.Dembele was joined by fellow France internationals Bradley Barcola, Warren Zaire-Emery and Desire Doue. The quartet received a standing ovation as they walked onto the Philippe-Chatrier court carrying the Champions League trophy. PSG secured European club football’s biggest prize for a second straight season on Saturday after defeating Arsenal in the final. The match ended 1-1 before PSG won 4-3 in a penalty shootout at the Puskas Arena.PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was also present at Roland Garros. The French Open venue is located close to PSG’s home ground, the Parc des Princes. Al-Khelaifi, a former tennis player, competed in two ATP Tour matches during his career, including one against Thomas Muster, the 1995 French Open champion. He also represented Qatar in the Davis Cup.Wearing sunglasses, Dembele addressed the crowd and led a chant familiar to PSG supporters.“Ici c’est Paris!” (This is Paris!),” Dembele shouted, prompting many fans in the stands to join in.Reflecting on PSG’s achievement, he said: “We worked every day throughout the season to win this trophy once again. We’ll try to win another one next season but before that there is the World Cup with the France team.”France will now turn its attention to the World Cup, which begins on June 11 and will be hosted by the Mexico, Canada and the United States.Dembele, Zaire-Emery, Barcola and Doue are scheduled to join France’s training camp on Tuesday ahead of the tournament.France will play warm-up matches against Ivory Coast in Nantes on Thursday and Northern Ireland in Lille next Monday before travelling to the United States for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19.France have been drawn in Group I alongside Senegal, Iraq and Norway.

Marcus Rashford’s future remains uncertain after the Manchester United loanee’s spell at Barcelona

Marcus Rashford has been handed a fresh blow as the Manchester United star continues to face an uncertain future, with a key ally set to leave. Rashford spent the season on loan at Barcelona, having previously expressed a desire to leave Old Trafford last summer.

The England international went on to score 14 goals and provide 14 assists for Barca during his loan spell, but it’s still unclear where he will be playing his football next season.

Barcelona have an option to sign Rashford on a permanent deal for £26million this summer, but the La Liga giants are yet to show signs that they will activate the clause any time soon.

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As a result, it’s unclear what the future holds for Rashford, and now there has been a fresh update on the United loanee’s future ahead of the summer transfer window.

Spanish news outlet Sport have reported that Barcelona are planning to let Roony Bardghji leave the club this summer.

Barca signed Bardghji last summer from FC Copenhagen on a permanent deal and agreed a four-year contract that runs until the summer of 2029.

However, due to a lack of playing time for Bardghji this season, Barcelona are reported to be looking at a move for the 20-year-old this summer, which could include a loan deal that may have the option to be made permanent.

It’s been reported that both Bardghji and Barcelona boss Hansi Flick are in agreement that a move away this summer is the best option.

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Rashford have formed a close friendship with Bardghji during his time at Barcelona, and the departure of the Sweden international could serve as a major blow to the United loanee.

It’s already uncertain as to what will happen with Rashford this summer, particularly after Barcelona chose to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle.

The Spanish giants confirmed the deal last week, with the England international moving to the Camp Nou in a deal reported to be worth €80million (£69.2m).

Rashford and Gordon typically perform in the same role, so it’s unclear at this point as to whether or not Barcelona will choose to sign the United star on the back of bringing his England teammate to the club.

There have also been reports that Barcelona could look to sign Bernardo Silva this summer as a free agent following his departure from Manchester City.

Crucially for Rashford, it has been suggested that a move for Silva could then result in a potential deal for Rashford no longer being on the cards.

Man Utd midfielder Toby Collyer spent last season on loan in the Championship, playing for West Brom and Hull City.

Toby Collyer watched Manchester United’s final game of the Premier League season against Brighton from the away section.

Casemiro had already travelled back to Madrid with his family by that point, having made his final appearance against Nottingham Forest a week earlier.

The Brazilian’s departure creates an opening in the midfield department at United, and Collyer is hopeful of being given a share of the minutes next season after spending the campaign on loan in the Championship.

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It wasn’t that long ago that Collyer was being tipped as a potential Casemiro successor. When Casemiro was hooked at half-time against Liverpool for Collyer in September 2024, it felt like a changing of the guard.

Liverpool hammered United 3-0 and Collyer won’t look back on his league debut with much fondness, but he won three tackles, made three recoveries, won seven duels and completed all of his attempted dribbles, which meant he could be happy with his individual performance, despite the result.

Speaking after that game, Erik ten Hag confirmed Casemiro’s substitution was tactical, which added to the humiliation for the former Real Madrid star, whose time at the club looked to be coming to an end.

Everyone knows what happened next. Ten Hag was sacked by United a month later, and Casemiro’s struggles continued under Ruben Amorim, but he enjoyed an Old Trafford renaissance as he left on a high having played an instrumental role in United’s return to the Champions League.

Coming on for Casemiro at half-time against Liverpool was not the watershed moment for Collyer that he hoped it would be, but he had a positive season, starting against Rangers in the Europa League, and making a goal-line clearance against Fulham to ensure United won 1-0.

Ten Hag “really liked” Collyer and believed he had a prominent role to play at the club moving forward. The Dutchman’s departure was a blow to Collyer, but he impressed when Amorim gave him the chance.

“He has very good legs, he’s improving with the ball. He knows what he needs to do to play for this club and feels the club in the right way. He’s really humble and when you work hard, you get the opportunity,” said Amorim.

However, it was decided last summer that Collyer would leave on loan. United had failed to qualify for Europe, so there would be fewer games, and Amorim felt he had enough midfield options without Collyer.

There was permanent interest in Collyer, who just wanted to play, and over a dozen Championship clubs enquired about his availability on loan, and he eventually chose to sign for West Brom on a temporary deal.

West Brom were hopeful of mounting a play-off push with former Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason in charge. Although Mason spoke glowingly about Collyer’s quality, his time at the Hawthorns did not go as planned due to injury.

Collyer was recalled from the loan in January. Hull were desperate to sign him in the summer window before he decided to join West Brom, and they made a fresh offer to sign him in the winter. When Collyer arrived at Hull, he was undercooked after not playing for 10 weeks, and he suffered a minor injury that kept him out for a week and a half.

Sources close to Collyer believed he would show his quality with Hull, and he couldn’t have made a better first impression when he was handed his first start for the Tigers against eventual champions Coventry. Hull were the underdogs heading into the game, but they secured a point in a goalless draw. Collyer played 74 minutes, delivering an excellent performance against Frank Lampard’s side.

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Speaking to Hull Live, Collyer said: “I came here having full trust from the staff upstairs as well. It wasn’t the best start in terms of physicality. I had a little setback, but I’ve just tried to build myself up in training again and be patient.

“I’ve managed to do a great job, I think, so credit to the manager for I’d say putting me in at the right time. Football’s all about timing as well. I feel like he’s put me in at the right time. I feel like, from what I’ve shown in training, I’ve deserved it. I just enjoyed being out there again, starting.”

There was more bad fortune for Collyer when he suffered a twisted ankle in training, though, which meant he missed the end of Hull’s season. However, it speaks volumes that Hull wants to sign him again after gaining promotion to the Premier League, despite Collyer playing just over 350 minutes.

Hull have seen the bad luck Collyer has had with injuries and what he can offer when he’s available. Collyer is keen to play as much as possible at this stage of his career, and that will influence where he plays next term.

There could be a decent role for him at United following what is set to be a summer of change in midfield. United have budgeted for a marquee Casemiro replacement; they are set to sign Ederson from Atalanta, and they are monitoring Mateus Fernandes’ situation at West Ham after their relegation.

It remains to be seen whether United would look to sign Ederson, a marquee midfielder and Fernandes in the summer transfer window. That’s why Collyer could have a role to play next season.

Collyer is destined to enjoy a fulfilling career in the Premier League. He can run 13km per game, showcasing the energy he brings, and having that sort of engine, along with his quality, means he will play in the top-flight.

Michael Carrick will consider how Collyer fits into his midfield options before a plan is agreed. The 22-year-old is desperate to play and wouldn’t want to spend significant time on the bench.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Collyer must leave United again this summer. He could have a role to play at Old Trafford.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

AEW World Champion MJF has once again drawn eyeballs online, this time by making a bold prediction for a massive title match on upcoming Dynamite.

MJF is back on top in AEW after winning back the World Championship at Double or Nothing 2026. The Salt of the Earth became a 3-time Champion at the pay-per-view by reclaiming the title he lost to Darby Allin at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru in April. On Dynamite+Collision last Wednesday, MJF held a title celebration that was first interrupted by Mark Briscoe, then by LFI star Rush. As things played out, Friedman accepted the latter’s challenge, set for next week’s edition of the Flagship show. Now, ahead of the bout, Friedman has made a bold prediction for his championship defense.

Taking to X, Maxwell once again took shots at Rush for being a fake tough guy before declaring that their match on Dynamite will last 25 seconds at best.

“I wake up every morning trying to process how disrespectful @rushtoroblanco is for even THINKING he’s a tough guy. I grew up in the mean streets of Long Island, Pal! This match will last 25 seconds tops,” MJF wrote.

Check out his X post below:

MJF on what will happen if he leaves AEW

Time and again, MJF has declared that AEW is his company and that he loves being part of the setup. However, the arrogant star has always maintained that it’s his star power that puts Tony Khan’s promotion on the pedestal it currently enjoys. Friedman’s arrogance was on full display during his recent Q&A with the Hollywood Reporter, where he outright said that All Elite Wrestling will d*e if he leaves the promotion.

“It d*es. It d*es probably a fast — not even a slow and painful death. And that’s OK, you know. I love AEW, I love everybody that works there, but, like I said, I can’t be in the position I’m in without having the pass the ball, but if they couldn’t pass the ball back to me? Jesus Christ. God bless ’em. I’m the most-important piece of the puzzle,” said MJF [H/T: hollywoodreporter.com.]

It will be interesting to see whether MJF will eventually leave the Jacksonville-based promotion for a move to WWE or a full-time Hollywood career.