Jan 23, 2011; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage during the AFC Championship game between the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings are in the market for a new quarterback in the 2026 offseason, either pairing with J.J. McCarthy for a summer training camp battle, to replace him, or support him as a backup. While their current strategy is unknown, all signs point to Kyler Murray as a likely candidate. The problem? Minnesota may have to battle two other squads for his services: the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Minnesota’s path hinges on how fast Arizona acts and whether the Jets or Steelers push the price up.
The Cardinals appear to be on the brink of divorce from Murray, and he’ll have suitors.
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The Kyler Murray Sweepstakes Feels Like a Three-Horse Race
Three teams make the most sense for Murray.
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray scrambles and surveys the field during a regular-season matchup against San Francisco at State Farm Stadium on Jan 5, 2025, flashing arm talent and mobility that continue to define his game despite ongoing durability questions, as the Cardinals evaluated roster direction late in the season. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Kyler Murray and the Jets?
For now, New York has two quarterbacks in its roster orbit this offseason: Justin Fields and Brady Cook.
Fields had ample opportunity to catch fire as the Jets’ long-term quarterback in 2025, but that just never materialized. He’ll probably be released or traded this offseason for a late-round draft pick. It would be quite odd for the Jets to run it back with Fields in 2026 while hoping the outcome would be different.
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Cook experienced 4 starts as a rookie, delivering a lousy 2-touchdown to 7-interception split. He does not seem to be the solution at QB1 and only really played because the Jets had hit rock bottom in 2025.
Which brings the chat to Murray.
The Jets could draft Alabama’s Ty Simpson in April, but he’s not a totally coveted prospect. He’s closer to Kenny Pickett than Drake Maye. Therefore, New York needs a quarterback and could dangle a 2nd- or 3rd-Round pick in front of Arizona.
SI.com‘s Zach Pressnell wrote about Murray to New York last weekend, “Murray is the perfect option for the Jets. He fits a very similar profile to Fields, but he has a much higher floor. The Jets wouldn’t need to shift their entire offense to fit Murray’s style. It would fit Murray’s running game in the same way it fit Fields’ way of doing business.”
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“It would be fairly expensive to trade for Murray, likely costing a second-round pick, but the Jets have plenty of draft capital to deal from. They have five first round picks over the next two years, as well as a slew of second round picks.”
Kyler Murray and the Steelers?
In Pittsburgh, Omar Khan somewhat controversially hired Mike McCarthy as the new head coach, succeeding Mike Tomlin, who spent about 20 years in the position. Aaron Rodgers may be on the fast track to return, as Rodgers and McCarthy worked together for 17 seasons in Green Bay.
But what if Rodgers retires or signs with the Vikings? Well, Pittsburgh would need a quarterback, and after swinging and missing on Kenny Pickett in 2022, a player like Simpson may not move the needle.
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That would put Khan and McCarthy on the doorstep of Murray trade talks, at least in theory. Like the Vikings, the Steelers are very much in win-now mode — because that’s just their modus operandi.
Kyler Murray and the Vikings?
When the Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last week, McCarthy — J.J., not Mike — might have been the biggest “loser” of the day aside from Adofo-Mensah personally. Now is the perfect time to shimmy away from McCarthy as the quarterback of the future if the powers that be have soured on him. The franchise basically has a get-out-of-jail-free card here and now.
Murray is 28 and checks just about every box at quarterback in 2026: arm talent, ball placement, speed, pocket feel, and real, functional mobility. When plays break down, he’s a problem — in a good way. When things are on schedule, he can be lethal. His resume already includes a top-five completion rate in NFL history.
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The concerns are familiar and bundled together. He’s listed at 5’10” or 5’11”, depending on who’s holding the tape measure. Smaller quarterbacks absorb hits differently, and durability naturally enters the conversation. That’s the trade-off teams weigh when the upside includes elite efficiency and his team’s lack of playoff success.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell exchanges words with quarterback J.J. McCarthy after a first-quarter touchdown at Ford Field on Nov. 2, 2025, capturing a brief moment of optimism amid an uneven season, as Minnesota emphasized development, communication, and patience while assessing its young passer’s long-term trajectory during a challenging rebuild phase. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
If Arizona moves on — via trade or release — Murray won’t linger. A competent playcaller who understands spacing, tempo, and movement can unlock him fairly quickly. That could be Kevin O’Connell.
Remember: the Vikings went 9–8 in 2025 while getting bottom-five quarterback play across the league. Inject Murray into the offense, and enthusiasm would change overnight. Thirteen or fourteen wins could become a reality, especially after the Vikings pulled off the same feat with Sam Darnold in 2024.
Anybody Else?
The Jets, Steelers, and Vikings are the true frontrunners for Murray if he’s indeed on the trade block. But it’s also worth noting that these organizations don’t have 100% quarterback stability and therefore cannot be wholly ruled out:
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Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts
Miami Dolphins
Kyler Murray returns to game action for Arizona, making his 2023 season debut against Atlanta at State Farm Stadium on Nov 12, 2023, testing recovery and rhythm while operating the Cardinals’ offense, a pivotal evaluation point as the franchise measured his readiness after extended absence during a closely watched return. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic
The Browns and Dolphins would have a difficult time onboarding an expensive quarterback (like Murray) due to large contracts for Deshaun Watson and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively. And the Colts seem committed to Daniel Jones and his Achilles tendon recovery.
The cool part about a Murray trade? It could be finagled and announced as early as now.
Nigeria’s women’s national football team has arrived in Yaoundé ahead of their double-header friendly matches against Cameroon as preparations intensify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Justine Madugu, his technical crew, home-based players, and the foreign-based contingent all touched down in the Cameroonian capital as the team begins final preparations.
The Super Falcons will face the Indomitable Lionesses on 28 February, with the second friendly scheduled for 3 March.
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Both matches are tests ahead of WAFCON 2026 in Morocco, where Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt.
The friendlies provide the technical team an opportunity to assess the players, sharpen match fitness, and fine tune any tactical details before continental competition begins.
With WAFCON on the horizon, the build-up has officially started
Jeeno Thitiful feels grateful, sarcastically so. She’d just been reminded that in four previous appearances at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, she didn’t finish outside the top 10, which was meant to be complimentary.
But Thitiful opted to see it another way.
“Thanks for the pressure,” she deadpanned, then added:
“No worries.”
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That drew smiles, and the symbolism was thicker than any course’s rough.
Pressure, it feels like, is everywhere for Thitikul. It was there at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand event, Thitikul’s home event, a tournament she considers on par with any major when thinking of value. Then there are the majors themselves. She’s won everything — except one of those. There’s the pressure, too, of being ranked atop the world, because the world then tends to look your way.
And yet?
No worries. To cope, Thitikul said Tuesday she’s swearing by a four-word mantra. It’s a pressure deflator, much like using a touch of sarcasm, and the saying is this:
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Dance in the rain.
That’s deeper. That’s thoughtful. That’s played out over her pressure points.
How Jeeno Thitikul approached pressure during the Honda LPGA Thailand event
Tuesday, Thitiful said she was still a little short on sleep. Adrenaline will do that, and Sunday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, it was flowing. Still, she said she decided that no matter what happened, her home country fans were going to get a show.
“The nerves is always going to be there, but you have to beat the nerves,” she said. “Sometime you get more worried about the future, about what next shot I’m going to do.
“But I told myself, this is the time that you need joy with it, need joy with excitement, need joy with the nervous moments.
“That’s why I kind of try to dance in the rain.”
Then it’s off to the next week, and the chance to do it all over again.
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“I feel like you want just only that day, and then yesterday was like another new day that the trophy wasn’t there anymore,” Thitikul said. “It’s a new week, it’s a new journey, it’s new themes.”
How Jeeno Thitikul will approach pressure during her pursuit of a major win
The theme of Thitikul not yet winning a major has followed her — her best showing was a runner-up finish at last year’s Evian Championship. Still, her thought is: There are five chances this year. And five next year. And so on.
More dances.
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“Obviously when the pressure moment, when the nervous moment coming, you’re not going to get it every time,” Thitikul said. “… You have 10 times, you’re not going to get it 10 times. You’re obviously going to fall for sure.
“But I think the times that you fall, then you learn what the next time you’re going to do. But if you fall, that’s fine. Because you have the 11th time coming again.”
Thitikul also said she learned last week that she doesn’t need a “perfect 100 percent” game to win. In Thailand, she thought her iron play was well below that.
“So I think for the goals for the majors, for whatever, I think that’s kind of always going to be with me,” she said. “That obviously if I’m not a 100 percent of my game, but I have to show out there and be able to bounce back.”
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How Jeeno Thitikul will approach the pressure of being the world No. 1
Interestingly, Thitikul had been ranked No. 1 previously — for a week, after the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, when she was 19. Then, she said she put pressure on herself. But things have changed.
Thoughts have changed.
“It’s definitely different to my perspective of seeing things,” Thitikul said. “Seeing perspective of every way of seeing that because at that time, I think I was so young, and then I just put a lot of pressure on myself. I know a lot of people already had eyes on me and they are already expecting me. … At that time, I see things so serious. Even if I miss one shot, I felt that was bad.
“Right now, when I have a bad shot, it’s OK, you have another one. I think it’s more relaxing. It’s small thing to handle. But I just told myself, I really enjoyed it to be where I am right now and then I’m not going to be in this position forever. There’s going to be more top players coming up, but I want to perform and enjoy this position the best that I can.”
The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing many big names, but it does feature past major winners such as Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season.
The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Ryan Gerard and Shane Lowry as the +1600 co-favorites. Koepka is +3300 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the co-favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +2700 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here.
Ryan Gerard +1600 Shane Lowry +1600 Nicolai Højgaard +1900 Rasmus Højgaard +2200 Michael Thorbjornsen +2200 Keith Mitchell +2700 Daniel Berger +2700 Max McGreevy +3300 Johnny Keefer +3300 Brooks Koepka +3300 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3300 Will Zalatoris +3500 Aaron Rai +3500 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3500 Haotong Li +3500 Alex Smalley +3500 Davis Thompson +3500 Richard Hoey +4000 Mac Meissner +4000 Thorbjørn Olesen +4000 Max Homa +4500 Kristoffer Reitan +4500 Michael Brennan +4500 Jordan Smith +4500 Chris Kirk +4500 Nico Echavarria +4500 Tom Kim +5000 John Parry +5500 Sami Valimaki +5500 Mackenzie Hughes +5500 Matt Wallace +5500 Ricky Castillo +5500 Seamus Power +6000 Garrick Higgo +6000 Stephan Jaeger +6000 Jesper Svensson +7000 Kevin Yu +7000 Eric Cole +7000 Zecheng Dou +7500 Doug Ghim +7500 David Ford +7500 Kris Ventura +7500 Billy Horschel +7500 Austin Eckroat +7500 Joel Dahmen +7500 Kevin Roy +7500 Gary Woodland +7500 Dan Brown +8000 Adrien Dumont de Chassart +8000 S.H. Kim +8000 Taylor Moore +8000 Luke Clanton +8000 Emiliano Grillo +8000 Vince Whaley +8000
South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis says Morocco’s investment in women’s football has raised the bar for the rest of the continent ahead of the next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the South Africa women’s national football team defeated Angola 2-0 in the COSAFA Women’s Championship, Ellis admitted that winning the upcoming WAFCON will be tougher than it was in 2022.
“Morocco has got a two-tier professional league. They’ve obviously got the resources and a bottomless pit to be able to assist them with that,” she said.
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Rather than focus on what Morocco has, Ellis made it clear that South Africa’s response will come from within.
“We’ve got to look at other innovative ways to be able to do this and that is bringing these young players regularly into camp so that they can understand what it’s about.”
She referenced how she has previously trusted young players on the biggest stages.
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“We went to the World Cup in 2019 with a very young Sibulele and a very young Karabo at 17. We did likewise with Majiya. We took her to the WAFCON in 2022 that we won when she had just turned 18.”
For Ellis, exposing young talent early and surrounding them with experienced leaders remains key.
“What better way than to have the likes of Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane here to be able to help those players develop and grow.”
With Morocco hosting again and determined to go one step further after back to back final defeats, Ellis knows the standard has risen, and other African countries must rise with it.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) wraps up Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a divisional matchup. The veteran interior lineman collapsed the pocket to finish the play as Minnesota’s defense pressured the passer throughout the contest. Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave records the sack at home. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The moment the Minnesota Vikings arrived at the NFL Combine, business heated up, with reports swirling and the team’s leaders reiterating the offseason direction. Along the way, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave officially entered the trade rumor mill, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Minnesota can listen while still keeping options open, especially with iDL depth.
The Vikings may not find a trade partner, but the club will do its diligence nevertheless.
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Hargrave Trade Talk Makes Sense for Minnesota
Trade rumors are formally here for the purple team.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave line up against the Chicago Bears during early-season action following their arrivals in 2025 free agency. Both veterans joined Minnesota on multi-year deals to reinforce the interior defensive line. Week 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Allen and Hargrave worked together up front against Chicago. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
Schultz: Vikings Seeking Hargrave Trade
Hargrave is on the block in the NFL speak. Schultz tweeted Tuesday, “Sources: The Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave. Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota.”
NFL writer Logan Ulrich added, “A trade would be a preferable outcome for Minnesota if they can find a partner, as $3 million of his salary this upcoming year is guaranteed. Hargrave was still productive as a contributor, just not as much as the Vikings hoped.”
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“Hargrave was scheduled to make base salaries of $19.9 million and $21.65 million in the final two years of that deal when San Francisco reworked his contract. The team later released him with a post-June 1 designation ahead of the 2025 season.”
The veteran defender has been whispered as a cut or trade candidate for about two months. Now, the rubber has hit the road.
The Would-Be Compensation
Hargrave’s asking price is the underwhelming aspect. He turned 33 a couple of weeks ago and struggled as a run-stopper in 2025. The tweet from Schutlz implied that Minnesota could perhaps fetch something substantial via trade, but the reality suggests the Vikings might get a 7th-Rounder from a DT-needy team.
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That suitor would have to possess enough cap space to swallow the remainder of Hargrave’s contract and know it would be onboarding a decent interior defensive lineman, not a top-tier commodity.
The best-case scenario might be for interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to send Hargrave and a 7th-Rounder to a team for a 6th-Rounder. Commanding any better than a 6th-Round pick feels like extreme optimism.
Hargrave in 2025
Hargrave’s Pro Football Focus grades place him slightly above average, with a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-stopping grade, ranking him 35th among interior defenders in 2025. Although he showed glimpses of playmaking, his run defense was inconsistent.
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His volume statistics agree. In 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53%), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures — ranking 34th among defensive tackles.
As teams head into free agency, Hargrave could be a solid, experienced option at defensive tackle. While he has performed at a Pro Bowl level in the past, his recent performance suggests he is now a more middle-of-the-road player.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (93) brings down Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during first-quarter action at Lincoln Financial Field. The interior defender stepped into the lane quickly to finish the tackle near the line of scrimmage. Nov 1, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Hargrave stopped Elliott on an early rushing attempt. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports.
Fortunately, the team’s defensive tackle group is already in sweet shape. Jonathan Allen remains a reliable veteran under contract through 2026, providing consistency. Jalen Redmond, a top performer last year, appears ready to be a long-term starter once the Vikings re-sign him this offseason.
Furthermore, Levi Drake Rodriguez is improving as a run stopper and could start next season. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins contributed valuable snaps as a rookie, and Elijah Williams, an undrafted free agent, impressed during training camp and the preseason.
A Precursor to His Release?
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Of course, Schultz’s tweet could be posturing from the Vikings, leaking that Hargrave is available because the who’s who in the front office already knows he’ll be released if a trade partner cannot be found. It’s better for Minnesota to get a late-round draft pick and a team to absorb the remainder of his contract than to get nothing at all and be on the hook for $10.4 million.
On the other hand, if Hargrave is released — not traded — the Vikings will free up around $11 million in cap space to spend on another free agent or two. The savings and dead cap are basically a wash.
Two weeks ago, Bleacher Report suggested the Baltimore Ravens could be a trade destination for Hargrave.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave reacts on the field during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a matchup with the Washington Commanders. The veteran lineman showed visible emotion after an interior defensive sequence as Minnesota battled in the trenches. Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave responded following a key defensive series at home. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Minnesota could also replace Hargrave in the 2026 NFL Draft with relative ease if it prefers drafting a defensive tackle in Rounds 1 or 2. DTs like Caleb Banks (Florida), Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Peter Woods (Clemson), Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), and Christian Hunter (Georgia) are considered Top 50 picks two months out.
Other Vikings trade candidates might include Ivan Pace Jr. (LB), T.J. Hockenson (TE), Aaron Jones (RB), and perhaps even J.J. McCarthy if Minnesota finagles a deal for a top-tier quarterback.
Nov 13, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz at press conference at Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz intends to play in 2026 and is expected to be cleared from his rehab following a torn ACL around the season opener, NFL Network reported on Tuesday.
Ertz, 35, is two months into his rehab after injuring his right knee during the Washington Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (all starts) last season while playing on a one-year contract with the Commanders.
Ertz won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season.
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His 825 career receptions are fifth all-time among tight ends, while his 8,592 yards rank eighth at the position.
Ertz has 57 touchdowns in 181 regular-season games (143 starts) with the Eagles (2013-21), Arizona Cardinals (2021-23) and Commanders.
Raducanu announced as UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador
Emma Raducanu has officially been unveiled as UNIQLO’s newest Global Brand Ambassador.
“Introducing Emma Raducanu, our newest Global Brand Ambassador and Britain’s top-ranked female tennis player. Emma will champion UNIQLO’s LifeWear philosophy, which is committed to pursuing excellence, making meaningful contributions to society, and empowering the next generation,” the brand shared on Instagram.
Raducanu rose to global prominence in 2021 when she made history by winning the US Open as a qualifier, becoming the first player in the Open Era to claim a Grand Slam singles title after coming through qualifying.
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In terms of titles, Raducanu has won:
1 Grand Slam singles title (US Open 2021)
Multiple ITF titles earlier in her career during her rise through the professional ranks
Despite injuries that have interrupted parts of her career since her breakthrough, she remains one of the most recognisable figures in women’s tennis and continues to attract major global partnerships.
The UNIQLO announcement adds another major brand to her portfolio as she continues her return to the top level of the tour.
This fairytale run to the knockouts will have felt unlikely for Bodo after failing to win their first six league phase games, meaning they were left needing results against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to qualify for the play-offs.
And, against the odds, they provided them.
A 3-1 victory over Pep Guardiola’s men brought deserved attention and acclaim, but it was no one-off as Bodo overcame Atleti 2-1 in Madrid to claim a play-off spot.
Knutsen’s side lost to Spurs in the Europa League semi-finals last season, having become the first Norwegian side to reach the last four of a major European competition.
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Key to their success has often been their ability to make their home games as tough as possible.
In the north of Norway, Bodo can often be bitterly cold, snowy and windy during the long winter months, with temperatures deep into minus figures.
The difficult weather conditions mean the team play on an artificial pitch made of plastic, something many sides used to playing on grass find difficult to deal with.
Those aspects, coupled with the players’ determination and strong belief in their ability, means many have left Bodo defeated.
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They famously thrashed Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 at home in the Europa Conference League five years ago, while Celtic, Besiktas, Porto and Lazio have also been victims in recent years.
Manchester City won’t relish another meeting in the last 16 if they are drawn together, with Bodo buoyant after proving they have nothing to fear against Europe’s top sides.
“It’s amazing,” captain Patrick Berg told Canal+.
“For the club and city it’s unbelievable. I don’t think people thought we could beat Manchester City, Atletico and now Inter two times.
Inter signed Ronaldo and Vieri for world-record fees in the late 1990s, when Serie A was the envy of world football, blessed with the game’s most talented stars.
AC Milan then beat Juventus to win the Champions League in 2003, losing to Liverpool on penalties in the final two years later, before defeating the Reds to become European champions again in 2007.
While there have been more recent successes in Europe’s other competitions – Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024, Roma won the Conference League in 2021 – Jose Mourinho’s Inter were the last Italian side to win the Champions League in 2010.
Inter’s European exit comes despite being 10 points clear of rivals AC Milan in Serie A and a further four ahead of defending champions Napoli, who failed to make it out of the Champions League’s league phase.
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“It is a piece of history,” said journalist Vincenzo Credendino. “Speaking about Italy and Inter, this is one of the worst pieces.
“Inter are the best in Italy, but maybe it is time to think not about what can happen in one or two years, but about 10 or 15 years – and on that side we can see generally Italian football is not on the same level of top European leagues.”
The national team must also win through a play-off in March to avoid missing out on a third successive World Cup this summer, having last lifted the trophy in 2006.
“It is a difficult time for Italian football and this shows it,” added European football expert Julien Laurens on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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“Today, Inter Milan put pressure on but it was not enough from them. They have been the best team in Italy for the last few years. And Napoli as well, they haven’t even come close.
“It’s terrible for Italian football at the moment.”
Inter won five of their opening eight league phase games in Europe to finish 10th, with Juventus 13th and Atalanta 15th.
Yet in the play-offs, all have come unstuck against sides who finished lower in the table but play a more intense brand of football.
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“What does it say about Italian football? That something needs to be changed,” added Verri.
“The level of Italian football is poor. It is a structural issue. We play very slow football. You can ask any manager in Italy and they will all say the same.
“I was talking to Claudio Ranieri the other day and he said: ‘Look, when I was in England at Leicester… people don’t train more than in Italy. They just do it with another intensity, and then they keep up that intensity during the games.’
;)
