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• Arsenal 6-0 Rangers: Four-goal Foord helps Gunners progress in Champions League

  Caitlin Foord helped herself to four goals as Arsenal trounced Rangers 6-0 to progress from their first Women's Champions League qualification tie on Wednesday.

  Arsenal failed to qualify for the Champions League proper last season after being beaten on penalties by Paris FC in qualifying, but they navigated the first hurdle of their 2024-25 campaign with ease at Meadow Park.

  Playing their first competitive game of the season, Arsenal were just one goal to the good at half-time as Foord nodded in a cross from debutant Mariona Caldentey, but they put their foot down after the break to pull clear.

  Foord tapped in a close-range second before Alessia Russo drilled into the bottom corner just a minute later, and the former had her hat-trick with 21 minutes to play, hammering a volley past Lizzie Arnot after pulling off to the far post.

  The Gunners were not done there as Kim Little dispatched a late penalty, and there was to be more joy for Foord in stoppage time as she prodded home the rebound following a strong Arnot save.

  Jonas Eidevall's team must still navigate a first-round final versus Rosenborg – which will take place on Saturday – and a second-round tie, if they are to make the group stage.

• Messi not on Ballon d'Or shortlist as Yamal, Rodri and Bellingham included

  Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has missed out on a nomination for this year's award, with Lamine Yamal, Rodri and six England internationals making the 30-man shortlist.

  Messi helped Argentina win a record-breaking 16th Copa America title this year, though he only scored once at the tournament and was forced off injured in the final – a 1-0 win over Colombia.

  He has also been hamstrung by injuries at club level in 2024, only making 12 appearances in MLS but still scoring 12 goals – a tally only bettered by 12 players in the competition.

  His omission – as well as that of Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo – means it is the first time since 2003 that neither of the two great rivals have been in the running for the award, which was won by one of them in every year between 2008 and 2018.

  Messi's Argentina team-mates Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez are nominated, but the shortlist is dominated by those who impressed at Euro 2024.

  Spain and England have six nominees apiece after reaching the final of that tournament, which La Roja won for a record-breaking fourth time with a 2-1 triumph in Berlin.

  Seventeen-year-old Yamal is among the nominees after enjoying a breakout tournament in Germany, scoring once and laying on four assists.

  That latter figure is the most at any edition of the Euros since Opta records began in 1980, while he also created the most chances (19) of any player at the tournament.

  Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Dani Carvajal and Alejandro Grimaldo have also been shortlisted, as has Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who is considered among the leading contenders.

  Rodri did not taste defeat in any of his 34 Premier League games last season (27 wins, seven draws), with City losing three of the four games he missed (one win).

  Jude Bellingham is deemed one of those most likely to challenge Rodri for the award, and he is joined on the shortlist by England team-mates Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

  Fellow Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior is also included after scoring 24 goals and laying on nine assists in Los Blancos' double-winning campaign, as is Kylian Mbappe, who scored 44 times in his final season with Paris Saint-Germain before heading to the Spanish capital. 

• Former Dortmund defender Hummels joins Roma

  Former Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has joined Roma on a free transfer, the Serie A giants have confirmed.

  Hummels has been without a club since he was surprisingly released by Dortmund in June, having helped them reach the Champions League final last season.

  He led all centre-backs in the competition for line-breaking passes, with 133, but was unable to lead them to victory against Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium, where they were beaten 2-0.

  Hummels made a total of 508 appearances across two spells with Dortmund, winning two Bundesliga titles and finishing as a Champions League runner-up on two occasions.

  The 2014 World Cup winner was linked with a move to Bologna last month after they sold Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal, only to fail to agree terms with the Rossoblu.

  He has instead joined Danielle De Rossi's Roma, who were in need of defensive reinforcements after allowing Chris Smalling to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha.

  Reports suggest he has penned a one-year deal with an option to extend his stay in the Italian capital by a further 12 months, with Roma announcing he will wear the number 15 shirt.

  Hummels' debut could come at Genoa on September 15, with his first home outing potentially coming against Udinese one week later.

  The Giallorossi failed to secure Champions League qualification last season and will play in the Europa League, with Athletic Bilbao their first opponents on September 26.