In the second period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Jack Eichel was skating across the middle of the ice when he got rocked by Matthew Tkachuk.

It was one of the most vicious -- yet clean -- hits you will see. Eichel's helmet popped off as the Vegas center got on all fours. He bobbled up, winced and skated directly to the Golden Knights dressing room.

A scrum broke out on the ice as panic set in elsewhere. Eichel was less than two years removed from artificial disk replacement (ADR) surgery on his neck, a procedure that had never been performed on an NHL player before. "He hit me on the shoulder," Eichel said. "But I was more worried about the whiplash."

Dr. Mark Lindsay, Eichel's chiropractor and confidant, received a flurry of texts -- including from San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Eichel's rehab partner for the first three months post-operation. Everyone wanted to know if Eichel would be OK.

"Every time I watch him, I get nervous," said Dr. Chad Prusmack, the neurosurgeon who performed Eichel's procedure. "I've been less and less nervous lately."

But on this night, Prusmack waited in angst. "I almost threw up," he said.

Eichel returned for the third period. On his first shift back, he recorded an assist. Turns out, he just got the wind knocked out of him.

"In a sort of selfish way, I was happy when Jack got hit," Lindsay said. "Because it showed the resilience of what we did."

Eichel's medical saga -- his quest for this specific surgery and subsequent blockbuster trade to Vegas -- rattled the NHL. Eichel unequivocally fought for himself, showing agency and gumption that's rare for NHL players who operate in an environment where they're conditioned to conform.

"The hardest part is some people want you to fail in some ways," Lindsay said. "But someone had to be the pioneer. Years from now, we'll be talking about this as the Jack Eichel surgery, in the same way as Tommy John."

EVEN BEFORE EICHEL became just the second freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award while at Boston University, he was touted as the next great American hockey star. Eichel's explosive first two strides are as impressive as anyone's; his blend of size, power, creativity and vision forecast greatness. The Buffalo Sabres drafted Eichel at No. 2 in 2015, right behind Connor McDavid. But Eichel's early career was defined by individual success -- scoring 137 goals in his first five seasons, being named captain at age 21 -- amid team frustration, as the Sabres extended the NHL's longest playoff drought.

And then he injured his neck.

Eichel can't pinpoint exactly when the issues began. "A few years ago, I started dealing with some symptoms," he said. "It wasn't necessarily something that was going to keep me out of the lineup, but I was dealing with it and playing through it."

In a March 2021 game against the Islanders, Eichel hit his head against the boards, which resulted in a herniated disk in his neck. He missed the rest of the season.

Sabres doctors first recommended Eichel take a conservative approach, avoiding surgery and instead rehabbing. When the condition worsened, the Sabres recommended anterior cervical diskectomy with fusion (ACDF), the traditional gold standard for NHL players. The ACDF surgery has been around for about 50 years, whereas the ADR surgery was much more recent (around 10 years).

Eichel's personal medical team didn't just want to fix Eichel's disk. It wanted to account for how that disk affected the rest of Eichel's body while protecting the traits that made him elite.

"The spine has three curves, and the reason it's shaped like that is because it's for movement," Lindsay said. "The best athletes in the world move with these transition areas in the spine. Guys like Connor, Cale Makar, Patrick Kane, Jack, the outliers, they move really well there."

Lindsay rehabbed several NFL players who had the fusion surgery, and he didn't like the resulting rigidity in a segment of the spine.

"In hockey, you're moving and the puck is moving," Lindsay said. "When you see it with Jack on the ice, he's very fluid in his movement. He would have lost that, just to make it super simple, he would have lost the accuracy to make those nice passes that he makes."

Lindsay encouraged Eichel and his father, Bob, to fly to Colorado to visit Prusmack for a second opinion.

"The fusion has been proven and safe in contact sports, such as football, rugby and hockey," Prusmack said. "But it's not ideal."

Prusmack presented Eichel with a life argument: If he got the fusion, every 10 years, he would run a 10-15% chance of needing another surgery.

"Let's say life expectancy is 80 and Jack is 20," Prusmack said. "Well, 60 times 10[%] is more likely than not he'll need another fusion in his lifetime, and he may need several. That could be a problem when he's older. ... I don't know if Jack knows what it means to be a grandfather. I don't know if I do, but I'm there to help him with the goal in hand: He wants to play hockey. So I have to contextualize that issue. But I also need to protect Jack for whatever may happen down the road."

EICHEL BECAME BULLISH about ADR. However the NHL's collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA says teams get final say over a player's medical care. The issue had rarely been raised by players before. Many didn't even know the rule existed. Suddenly, it was the hottest topic in the NHL.

Sabres doctors felt there was no data that gave them comfort that it would be successful for a hockey player and what the game entails. Eichel wasn't working a desk job. He was contracted for millions of dollars for a sport predicated on his health, and they wanted to be confident he would be cleared to play.

Eichel contested Buffalo's stance with the league and the players' union. Of a panel of spine surgeons, most, if not all, sided with the Sabres. Nobody was willing to be the first. Doctors had to account for the worst possible outcome: paralysis if an artificial disk gets shot into the spinal cord upon impact from a hit. Prusmack pushed back on this, saying: "To my best knowledge, no, there has never been a documented case of that. Even in high speed car accidents, it remains intact."

Eichel told the Sabres he wanted to be traded. He failed his Sabres physical ahead of the 2021-22 season, and GM Kevyn Adams stripped Eichel of his captaincy, saying that role belonged to a player who wanted to be in Buffalo.

At this inflection point, Eichel switched agencies to CAA Hockey. Time was of the essence as he felt increased numbness in his arm from the constant pressure to his disk. Eichel's new agent, Pat Brisson, worked with the Sabres to find a solution.

"Most general managers we spoke with were interested in a trade," Brisson said. "However, the majority did not have clearance from their medical staff to get involved in this unprecedented situation."

Brisson and Eichel collected additional opinions. They sent Eichel's MRI and visited top specialists across North America. Some agreed with the ADR, but, frustratingly for Eichel, many top doctors still wouldn't side with them. Dr. Robert Bray, a neurological spine surgeon in Los Angeles, ordered a full neurological evaluation, then wrote a letter stating it was urgent for a decision to be made one way or another. That created traction. But, Brisson admitted, only a small handful of NHL teams were willing to take on the risk -- either their medical teams wouldn't allow it, or owners didn't want to take on the remaining five years of a contract paying $10 million per season for a player with so many medical questions. Further complicating matters: Buffalo ownership insisted they wouldn't retain any money on Eichel's contract, which limited the market.

In November 2021, the Golden Knights made the gamble in a blockbuster trade involving two players (Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs) and two draft picks (a first- and a second-rounder). Eichel was on Prusmack's operating table a week later.

And then the real work began.

"Honestly," Eichel said. "I had no idea what to expect. I was just so happy that chapter was over and I could focus on doing what I love again."

GOLDEN KNIGHTS MEDICAL DIRECTOR Jay Mellette worked on a rehab plan and was comfortable allowing Lindsay to lead the way. In fact, Vegas covered most of the costs -- with an NHL franchise supporting outside help and opinions a rare move.

Lindsay was stationed in Charlotte, North Carolina, having already committed to helping McCaffrey -- then with the Carolina Panthers -- through rehab for an ankle injury.

Lindsay asked McCaffrey if it was OK for Eichel to join too.

McCaffrey, just four months older than Eichel, welcomed a new friend and gladly shared resources, like his personal chef. After all, the rehab process can be isolating and monotonous.

"My approach, you're not just coming to a clinic on a Tuesday or Thursday," Lindsay said. "It's a full-time job."

Five days after surgery, Lindsay had Eichel back on the ice skating -- with no neck brace.

"I wanted him to get back into the natural flow of skating and movement as soon as possible," Lindsay said. "He was pretty rigid at first. Pretty stiff. I had him on the ice three days a week, just stickhandling. It was an emotional change for him. The frustration of dealing with everything he had to go through, being sidelined for so long. Getting back onto the ice was significant for him, emotionally."

But Lindsay knew Eichel's body was a mess after having overcompensated for his neck for so long.

"His pelvis needed a lot of work," Lindsay said. "He was inefficient in overall movements, and that's what I had to unwind."

Lindsay focused on rediscovering normal spinal movements and fluidity. Eichel and McCaffrey went rock climbing. They spent a lot of time in the pool, on trampolines and mimicking animal movements.

"It's amazing how normal I felt so quickly," Eichel said.

Eichel debuted for the Golden Knights in February 2022, three months after surgery and 11 months since his last NHL game. Eichel admitted he wasn't quite himself as he adjusted back. He was apprehensive of what it would be like to get hit. He also entered later in the season, at a time when the intensity ramps up, and the Golden Knights were already battling for a playoff spot. And, of course, the pressure and spotlight was on him.

For the first time in its history, Vegas missed the postseason, something Eichel had become used to.

AFTER A SUMMER of health and full training camp, Eichel bounced back. Lindsay lived in Las Vegas this season and works with Eichel every day he's home that's not a game day.

In Eichel's first playoffs, he's thriving, with 23 points in 21 games, second on the team to linemate Jonathan Marchessault. And Eichel is getting the most praise for his defensive play.

He is now one win from hoisting a Cup. "It's just crazy to think of how I got in this position," Eichel said. "I'm really fortunate to be here, to be part of this organization."

Eichel hopes his story can be an example for other players to advocate for what they believe in for medical treatment. Within a year of Eichel's surgery, two other NHL players also got ADR: Tyler Johnson of the Chicago Blackhawks and Joel Farabee of the Philadelphia Flyers. Eichel said a half dozen other players have reached out for his advice.

Prusmack is proud of what they accomplished but is incredulous over why they even had to fight. The NHL's CBA runs through the 2025-26 season. Prusmack has known Buffalo's doctor for years, calling him an "exceptional surgeon and good person." But Prusmack believes there are inherent biases when you report to a team (Prusmack previously served as a neurosurgical consultant for the Denver Broncos).

"The fact that an institution or team has trump value when you have to invasively cut somebody open, I think that needs to be changed," Prusmack said. "It's why Jack's story is so important. You now have elements of coercion based off economic agreements, which should not be part of our health system. Jack did what he did for the right reasons. I'm proud of him; that's hard to do in our culture."

Eichel said he doesn't feel any effects from the surgery at all; the only sign is a pink scar on the front of his neck.

"I'm so grateful for everyone who helped me get here," he said. "I've never been happier."

Barcelona are tracking Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena as they wait to find out what decision Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan will make on his future, sources have told ESPN.

Gundogan, 32, is out of contract at the end of June and has an offer from City to extend his seven-year stay, while Barca have also offered him a deal to join them as a free agent.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Barca are also keen on Baena and sources say the Catalan club would be open to bringing in both players if their financial situation allows after Xavi Hernandez made signing creative midfielders a priority this summer.

After missing out on Lionel Messi, who announced a move to Inter Miami last week, Barca coach Xavi said his side lack a "Santi Cazorla-type player in the final third" to help them unlock defences.

Xavi feels the team have struggled in that area when Pedri has been injured this season and wants to add more support for the young Spain midfielder.

He acknowledges that former Arsenal midfielder Cazorla, who is still playing in Qatar with Al Sadd, has a unique skillset, so Barca are targeting players who can help provide goals and assists.

Gundogan scored 11 goals and set up seven more as City clinched the treble this season, crowned with the Champions League trophy last weekend, while Baena, who can also play wide, netted 12 times and assisted six goals for Villarreal.

Baena, 21, has been followed closely by Barca scouts throughout the campaign and they believe he fits the profile of player Xavi is seeking.

However, with the club only able to spend 40% of anything they save or generate due to financial restrictions placed on them by LaLiga, signing the Spain U21 international will not be easy.

He penned a new deal with Villarreal in January until 2028, which also saw his previous release clause of €35 million ($37.7m) raised, although the LaLiga club have not confirmed the exact figure.

Xavi also wants to sign a deeper midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets, who will not renew his contract when it expires this month. Those are the two priority areas for the Barca coach, with Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez also set to arrive as a free agent.

In order to add new faces to the squad, Barca will first have to move on other players. Those returning from loans -- Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Alex Collado, Sergino Dest, Nico Gonzalez and Abde Ezzalzouli -- are all likely to leave again.

Abde is the player generating the most interest at the moment following his impressive loan spell with Osasuna, while sources say English and Italian clubs have asked about midfielder Franck Kessie's availability.

Depending on outgoings, sources say Barca would then turn their attention to signing a backup striker to Robert Lewandowski and a right-back.

They have enquired about Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda, who is also drawing interest from Borussia Dortmund, but any move may hinge on first finding a suitor for United States international Dest.

Brazilian FA president Ednaldo Rodrigues said on Tuesday he expects to meet with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti or his representative this week to discuss the possibility of appointing him as the new head coach of Brazil.

Ancelotti has publicly said he will honour the last year of his contract with Real amid interest from Brazil, but Rodrigues did not rule out waiting until July 2024 to appoint the four-time Champions League winner.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

"In that case [waiting until 2024], it will not be a decision that I make by my own, I have to listen and discuss with our board and with the players, because they need to be heard," Rodrigues told reporters after presenting an anti-racism campaign at the Spanish FA headquarters in Madrid.

"The decision has to be in sync with what the players think. So it's something we will have to discuss in the future. But we have a clear objective [hiring Ancelotti] and we are going after this objective.

"I will stay in Spain until June 18 and we have a couple of meetings aligned. I can't say publicly that it's with Ancelotti himself, but we hope to go back to Brazil with a more clear message regarding him."

Rodrigues told Reuters in March that Ancelotti would be an obvious choice to fill the vacant national managerial position if he was available at the end of the European season.

"We have him as one of the best coaches in the world. Not only because he is a winner, but he is also the ideal person for the vast majority of players," Rodrigues said at a news conference Tuesday.

"He is a great group manager. Those who played with him miss him and consider him one of the best in the world. And young people want him to be their coach. One of the best coaches in the world would fit perfectly in the biggest national team in the world."

Brazil, five-time world champions, have been without a coach since the resignation of Tite following their quarterfinal exit at the 2022 World Cup in December.

Real Madrid are ready to bid for Kylian Mbappe this summer rather than waiting to sign him as a free agent when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires next season, sources have told ESPN.

Mbappe's future is uncertain once again after L'Equipe reported on Monday that the forward had written to PSG to inform them that he would not be exercising his option to extend his deal by another year, meaning his contract would be up in June 2024.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Sources have told ESPN that PSG would be willing to listen to offers of around €150 million ($161.5m) for Mbappe this summer to avoid losing him for free a year later.

Mbappe released a statement via AFP on Tuesday that read: "The board has been informed since July 15, 2022 of my decision not to extend beyond 2024, and the letter sent was only meant to confirm what I already told them."

The France captain also dismissed speculation surrounding his future on Twitter and said he wants to stay at PSG for another season.

However, PSG have decided to let him go and are expecting offers around the €150m ($161.9) mark from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Sources have told ESPN that Madrid are the player's preferred destination if he were to leave PSG this summer. Sources added that Madrid president Florentino Perez has been in touch regularly with Mbappe's camp and both parties have been in contact again recently.

Madrid are now on alert, sources said, as they look for a centre-forward to replace Karim Benzema, who joined Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad last week.

ESPN reported last week that Madrid view Tottenham's Harry Kane as the best available option to act as Benzema's successor, but there are doubts within the club about paying a high transfer fee for a player who turns 30 next month.

Madrid's original plan this summer was to sign a backup for Benzema -- such as Espanyol's Joselu -- before pushing for Mbappe or Erling Haaland in 2024.

The LaLiga club have already brought in left-back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano and playmaker Brahim Diaz -- returning from a three-year loan at AC Milan -- and agreed to a deal worth €103 million ($111 million) plus variables with Borussia Dortmund for midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Sources told ESPN that it's still too early to know what will happen with Mbappe, but Madrid are ready to move for him if PSG are willing to seriously consider a deal.

Madrid suspect that PSG would do whatever they can to see Mbappe join another club rather than Los Blancos, and any negotiations between the parties would not be easy.

Mbappe has been a long-term target for Madrid and president Florentino Perez.

Mbappe was widely expected to move to Spain on a free transfer last summer -- after Madrid failed with several bids worth up to €200 million ($216 million) in 2021 -- before a U-turn saw Mbappe choose to renew with PSG until 2024 with the option of an additional year.

- When does the summer transfer window open and close?

Mbappe has said that he wants to stay in Paris next season, but sources close to the PSG dressing room have told ESPN that six weeks ago, he told teammates he wasn't ruling out leaving this summer, either.

PSG's season has been a disappointment despite winning Ligue 1, after they were eliminated from the Champions League round-of-16 stage by Bayern Munich.

Mbappe finished sixth in the 2022 Ballon d'Or rankings, well behind winner Benzema.

PSG have also seen Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos confirm their departures, while the club's search for a new coach to replace Christophe Galtier continues.

Information from ESPN's Julien Laurens was included in this report.

With six minutes to play amid the Qatar heat and the beating drums, Netherlands were toiling as they tried to break the deadlock against Senegal in their tense 2022 World Cup opener. A goal looked unlikely as the Dutch couldn't find a weakness in the chain of white shirts wrapped around the edge of the 18-yard box. Then, the ball broke to Frenkie de Jong.

As the Barcelona midfielder looked up and got the ball out of his feet, Cody Gakpo bolted in from the right wing, slipped in between the ball-watching defenders as they stepped up. Just as goalkeeper Edouard Mendy came to clear with his fists, Gakpo flashed in front of him like Batman leaping from the shadows to head the ball into the back of the net.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Fast-forward six months, and the man who taught Gakpo that move is going through the replay step by step, explaining how it was inspired by basketball.

"This was a run we had worked on," Loran Vrielink, Gakpo's tactical coach, tells ESPN. "He ran in behind, just as the defence moved up. This is one of the runs I learned from my days as a professional basketball player. We have six different depth runs into the box.

"Gakpo's brother Sidney sent me a message saying: 'Loran this is your goal.' He would have never made that run without my help. He wouldn't have seen the defensive line moving up and used that as a trigger to run in behind."

He did, he scored, and Netherlands won. Gakpo netted twice more in Qatar before the Oranje lost to eventual winners Argentina in the quarterfinals.

NETHERLANDS TAKES THE LEAD ??

Sponsored by @walmart #WalmartPlus pic.twitter.com/WFOmRvp9fr

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 21, 2022

Liverpool had an agreement in place to sign Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven prior to the World Cup, but had to move quickly to complete the deal after his tactical understanding and ability to play across the front line drew the attention of other clubs. They signed him for £37 million in January, and his seven goals and two assists in 21 Premier League appearances helped them qualify for the Europa League after a slow start to the season.

Traditionally, players have employed personal trainers to get stronger, faster, sharper. Gakpo is one of the 200 players now working with Vrielink to get smarter. The former Dutch PE teacher helps soccer stars create their very own playbook.

Watching football became increasingly frustrating for Vrielink. The teacher inside him burned with frustration as he watched players sleepwalk through games. He had to act. "They were not thinking," he says. "They had no clue what was happening and couldn't understand all the tactical language."

So, in 2016 he started Tactalyse, a company that describes football as "a complex interaction of space and time" and offers tactical insights that help players "change the game." He completed a coaching course in Barcelona and started building a database of clips from wingers in 1-vs.-1 situations, analysing duels and outcomes. After seven years of research, he now has a blueprint for every situation. The former coach wasn't just mining football either; he was studying plays from all sports, including the NBA and NFL.

"The only thing attacking players want is more goals and assists, but that's the end result," he explains. "Defenders need to understand the importance of distances and positioning, one step in the wrong direction can create space for an opponent. We teach them how by looking at other sports and learning about cuts, body orientation and turns. These are details players have never heard."

Club coaches don't have time to evaluate each player's game to the level of detail that Tactalyse can. Vrielink is quick to stress he's not here to criticise, he's here to help.

"There are many great coaches and analysts out there, but the majority of video sessions are delivered to the team, rather than the individual," he says. "Everybody is looking at the ball for 90 minutes. I'm not looking at the ball. I'm looking at the player."

Sidney Gakpo knew his younger sibling would want to access this insight, so he introduced Cody to Vrielink ahead of the 2021-22 season. At 6-foot-3, Gakpo was already a daunting prospect for defenders. His natural speed and ball mastery work in tandem to create an attacking threat bristling with athleticism and technical skill.

Innate talent was enough to take him to the top tier as he grew in stature at PSV, but Gakpo is wired differently. Being good isn't enough. He wants to be great, and to be great you need an edge over those players who operate in the top 1%.

When Vrielink reviewed Gakpo's game, he identified a need to improve efficiency and movement in the final third. They came together for a session and devised a plan that would unlock Gakpo's football IQ. Put simply, he would make more of every action. Instead of indulging in long, slaloming runs with lots of 1-vs.-1s, he'd conserve energy for decisive moments.

"He was a player who loved balls into his feet, but I told him if he wanted to play at the top level, he needed to be more creative and have multiple answers in any game situation," says Vrielink. "For example, he'd receive the ball into feet from his full-back facing his own goal or into midfield. That's not how you want to receive the ball as a winger.

"You want to create different angles and positions so you can face the goal. This is something I learned from basketball; every time you get the ball you need to be ready to shoot so there's always a threat.

"He was too static at PSV, standing still instead of moving around so we worked on how he shaped his body before receiving the ball or making a run. We also worked on watching space, not the ball, so he could see gaps to run into."

At PSV this produced more goals and assists, rising consecutively over the two seasons he worked with Tactalyse. When he left the Eredivisie midway through the season, he topped the charts for both (nine goals and 12 assists in 14 games). Only Dusan Tadic and Vaclav Cerny created more goals by the end of the season, and they each played 14 more games.

Vrielink prepares 100s of video clips sourced from WyScout for their online sessions where they focus on optimising Gakpo's body shape and head movement in relation to the ball, the teammate in possession and the positioning of his marker. Once they're programmed to respond to various scenarios, they combine to devastating effect. Gakpo's first goal in March's 7-0 demolition of Manchester United best demonstrates this.

Firstly, he pulls out to the left flank, creating space inside for full-back Andy Robertson to run into. Then, rather than ask for a pass into feet, he sees that Fred is ball-watching whilst shuffling out to mark him. This is his trigger to make a "backdoor run."

Fred slips as he tries to readjust, drawing Raphael Varane into action. The United centre-back is wrong-footed by Gakpo's subtle body movement. The winger steps out to the left like he's going to attack the byline, but instead uses this step to propel an explosive cut inside. This movement, combined with a precise first touch, creates space for a curling right-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

So, how does Vrielink teach an elite player to execute these intricate steps? He breaks into a smile over Zoom. "Would you like me to show you?" He shares his screen and fires up a clip titled "Clear depth-run - backdoor side."

We're watching the Milwaukee Bucks against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Jrue Holiday has the ball around mid-court, looking for a pass. Torrey Craig is in the bottom right-hand corner, lurking with menacing intent behind Alec Burks, who is watching the ball. Holiday attacks the D, prompting Craig to run in behind Burks, "who has no idea what's happening." Holiday then makes the pass to Craig under the rim to pick up two.

"Obviously, in football, this position [Craig standing behind Burk] would be offside," Vrielink says," but whether it's football or basketball there's a moment where the defender has to do a head check to see where the ball is and this is a beautiful moment to run behind his back."

Vrielink shows me how this translates to football using a clip from El Clasico in 2015. Barcelona's Andres Iniesta drives infield from the left wing, catching the attention of Real Madrid's Marcelo at left-back on the other side of the pitch. In that split second, Lionel Messi runs in behind and Iniesta finds him with a pinpoint switch of play. Marcelo is able to recover, but a weakness in Madrid's defence is exposed.

"If the timing and run are perfect, this would present a 1-vs.1 with the goalkeeper, but the run and touch aren't quite right here," says Vrielink. "He [Messi] should have run straight to the goal, cutting across Marcelo, rather than towards the baseline [byline] which takes him too wide."

Now we're onto a clip from the NFL, titled "best ankle-breaking jukes," which delivers what you might expect. "Before you come in front of the goal you need to distract your opponent and lose them," says Vrielink. "The body movement of players in the NFL and NBA is really sharp and creative. The details might be different -- you either have the ball at your feet or in your hands -- but the fundamentals are transferable."

The terminology used for different sports can confuse this messaging, which is why Vrielink is working on a universal language.

"There are too many terms that players don't understand," he says. "We're building our own dictionary of words that suits the players. If my mum understands it, and she doesn't understand anything about football, then pro players should have no problems."

Tactalyse has a team of analysts studying multiple sports, as well as 50 of the world's best footballers every week. These analysts trawl hours of video footage, breaking down the technical and tactical strengths of football's elite, so they can create a master plan for their clients. This group of students includes players from the men's and women's game, entire clubs and youth-team players. Jetro Willems showed his appreciation for Tactalyse when he made a triangle shape with his hands after scoring the opening goal for Newcastle United against Premier League champions Manchester City during his loan spell in November 2019.

Gakpo and Inter Milan's Stefan de Vrij are the most high-profile athletes Vrielink is at liberty to disclose, but there are other top-level stars benefiting from his curriculum. The "politics of football" force them to work on their individual study in secret.

He has plans to expand his business in the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup, hoping to tap into American athletes' obsession with self-improvement. "They invest more in their career," he says. "In Europe it's seen as an excess service but private training in the U.S. is completely normal."

As this season comes to a close, the modern player will make training plans for the summer, ensuring they return to preseason camp in good condition. If they're coming off a poor season, the summer is the time to assess their own performance and ask themselves a humbling question: What more can I do to help the team?

"A lot of players complain their teammate never passes them the ball," says Vrielink. "Maybe your teammate has never seen you so they can't pass you the ball. Maybe if you change your behaviour, you will change the behaviour of your teammate. The impact of the individual is big."

Gakpo will be working with Tactalyse over the summer to ensure his Liverpool teammates see him making those backdoor depth runs, in behind ball-watching defenders. Then, when he's 1-vs.-1 with the goalkeeper or the last defender, he needs the guile to finish. For Vrielink, team tactics are overrated, it's the individual player strategy that makes the difference.

"We speak about formations for hours, but in the end, it's always one individual player who executes something perfectly that decides the game."

Argentina captain Lionel Messi announced Tuesday he has no plans to play in the 2026 World Cup.

Messi, 35, led Argentina to glory last year in Qatar in what was his fifth World Cup appearance.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Although Messi repeatedly said throughout the tournament that it was going to be his last, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, his teammates and fans remained hopeful the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner could feature at the 2026 World Cup that will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

In a report by Efe News Agency, Messi told Chinese sports outlet Titan Sports when asked about the 2026 World Cup: "I think not. [Qatar] was my last World Cup. I'll see how things go, but as it is right now, no, I won't go to the next World Cup."

Messi is on international duty with Argentina in China for their upcoming friendlies against Australia on Thursday and Indonesia four days later.

The former Barcelona superstar announced last week his decision to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires on June 30.

Messi had a starring role at the tournament in Qatar to end his wait for the only major honour to have eluded him in his career.

Messi netted seven times in seven games and became the first player to score in each round of the same World Cup since the round of 16 was introduced in 1986.

He scored twice in the final against France, which ended in a dramatic penalty shootout, to lead Argentina to its third World Cup title.

He also became the first player to win the Golden Ball award twice since it was introduced in 1982 (he won his first in 2014).

LOS ANGELES -- Three days before a U.S. Senate subcommittee opened an inquiry into the PGA Tour's planned alliance with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told U.S. senators in a letter that the federal government's inaction caused him to agree to the controversial partnership.

"While we are grateful for the written declarations of support we received from certain [congressional] members, we were largely left on our own to fend off the attacks, ostensibly due to the United States' complex geopolitical alliance with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Monahan wrote. "This left the very real prospect of another decade of expensive and distracting litigation and the PGA Tour's long-term existence under threat."

On June 6, the PGA Tour announced that it was forming a new entity with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund (PIF) and the DP World Tour. PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will serve as chairman of the new company; Monahan will be the CEO. The PGA Tour will continue to operate on its own, although Al-Rumayyan will join the tour's policy board.

"After a divisive battle spanning two years including extensive ligation that divided our great sport, we have decided on an arrangement that will end the divisiveness and grow the sport of golf, while preserving the PGA Tour as the primary organizing entity for men's professional tournament golf," Monahan wrote. "Let me be clear that despite numerous reports, this arrangement is not a merger between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the PIF."

Monahan described the new company as a subsidiary of the PGA Tour, in which the tour "will at all times hold the majority of the Board seats and be in control of this new company, regardless of the size of PIF's investment." Monahan said the PIF would be a minority investor in the new entity, "while the PGA will be the majority equity investor."

"At its core, the PIF is investing in the PGA Tour as it has invested in other U.S.-based companies," Monahan wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by Politico. "The PGA Tour and its tournaments will continue to operate as they do today, generating charitable and economic impact in the communities where they are played."

On Monday, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Monahan and LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman, notifying them that the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has opened a review of the planned alliance. The PIF is financing LIV Golf, which lured several past major champions, including Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, away from the PGA Tour with guaranteed contracts worth as much as $200 million.

"PGA Tour's agreement with PIF regarding LIV Golf raises concerns about the Saudi government's role in influencing this effort and the risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over a cherished American institution," Blumenthal wrote in the letters to Monahan and Norman. "PIF has announced that it intends to use investments in sports to further the Saudi government's strategic objectives."

Blumenthal also questioned whether the PGA Tour could continue to operate as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization because of its connection to the Saudis.

The U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into the PGA Tour's alleged monopolistic business practices last year.

The planned partnership would end the golf circuits' legal action against each other, according to a news release announcing the deal.

Antitrust lawyers and experts contacted by ESPN said they believe the Department of Justice will also closely examine the structure of the PGA Tour's planned alliance with the PIF and the DP World Tour.

"Rather than a foreign-funded entity taking over an American sport, the end result is that the PIF has agreed to work within the existing golf ecosystem as a minority investor with the PGA Tour in full control," Monahan wrote. "The PGA Tour is, and will remain, an American institution dedicated to its players and generating charity in the communities where we play."

The board of directors of Senators Sports & Entertainment announced Tuesday that a group led by Michael Andlauer has entered into an agreement to purchase the controlling interest of the Ottawa Senators.

Although the board has not disclosed the terms of the deal, multiple reports put the purchase price at nearly $1 billion.

The transaction next goes before the NHL's board of governors, to whom Andlauer is familiar. He owns a 10% stake in the Montreal Canadiens and is an alternate governor. He also owns the Ontario Hockey League's Brantford Bulldogs.

Andlauer, 57, would divest his stake in the Montreal franchise before being fully approved to take over the Senators. He agreed to terms of the sale, which prohibited moving the team from Ottawa, and shared plans for a new arena as part of his bid.

"My family and I are very excited to be part of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club," Andlauer said in a statement. "I believe that the Senators' fanbase is one of the most passionate in the league, and I'm excited to take the franchise's success -- both on and off the ice -- to the next level.

"The short- and long-term future of the team is incredibly bright, and I look forward to getting to know the team, the fanbase and the community."

"Michael represents everything we could have hoped to find coming into this process -- a passionate owner who is committed to Ottawa," said Sheldon Plener, chairman and governor of the Senators.

Andlauer's offer edged a joint effort by Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of Harlo Capital to purchase the Senators. The Ottawa Sun reported that the bid submitted by Los Angeles-based producer Neko Sparks was "underfunded," and Toronto-based billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos dropped out of the bidding.

Previous owner Eugene Melnyk purchased the team out of bankruptcy in 2003. He died in March 2022, and his daughters, Anna and Olivia Melnyk, inherited the franchise. They will retain a 10% interest in the club.

Andlauer is the CEO of the Andlauer Healthcare Group Inc. and has 35 years of experience in the transportation industry in Canada. He also founded Bulldog Capital partners, a merchant bank based in Toronto.

One of seven NHL franchises based in Canada, the Ottawa Senators returned to the league in 1992 after a 58-year absence. The modern-day Senators have captured four titles in the Northeast Division and, in 2002-03, a Presidents' Trophy.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.