When they picture a messiah, few perhaps imagine a mild-mannered 51-year-old with a greying beard who used to play at left-back for York City. Certainly Chelsea and West Ham fans don’t. But the degree to which Graham Potter is loved in Sweden has to be seen to be believed. He was a down-on-his-luck manager seeking a new start; they were a country who didn’t win a single game in World Cup qualifying. And somehow they were perfect for each other. By the standards of what Potter has achieved over the past nine months, a comfortable win over a self-destructive Tunisia barely registers, but it is the continuation of a remarkable process of renewal.Sweden were awful in qualifying. They had a lot of injuries, it’s true, but two defeats to both Switzerland and Kosovo and two draws against Slovenia are not usually a route to the World Cup. Jon Dahl Tomasson was sacked as coach and Potter brought in. Sweden’s Nations League performances offered a repechage chance in the play-offs, and they took full advantage, beating Ukraine and Poland to secure their place at the finals. Potter described the latter victory, secured with an 89th-minute Viktor Gyökeres goal, as his best night in football. Sunday night was part of his reward. Continue reading...

Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winner on being good without training, his political legacy and why he loves social mediaFew people’s interview list over the past year features Neymar, Robert Lewandowski, Xavi Hernández and Iker Casillas. But then not many interviewers have the pulling power of Romário. Thirty-two years after the former Brazil striker was crowned world champion and best player at the 1994 World Cup, he is travelling far and wide to speak with football greats for his YouTube channel.Romário began his “face to face with the man” project a year ago. “This whole Romário TV thing is a brand-new situation in my life,” he says. “I’m really happy, enjoying it. It’s so cool. Continue reading...

England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is on Barcelona's shortlist to replace Robert Lewandowski, Manchester United agree deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, while Liverpool close in on Colombian teenage attacker Samuel Martinez, plus more.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski will leave Barcelona at the end of the season when his contract expires.

The 37-year-old scored 119 goals in spell with CatalansPole won three league titles, including this seasonRobert Lewandowski has confirmed he is leaving Barcelona this summer at the end of his contract. The 37-year-old striker scored 119 goals for the Spanish club in 191 games across all competitions since joining from Bayern Munich in 2022.Lewandowski helped Barça to three La Liga titles, including this season’s trophy, and the Copa del Rey in 2025. “After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on,” said Lewandowski in a post on Instagram. “I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three championships.” Continue reading...

⚽️ Premier League and La Liga updates from 19.30pm GMT ⚽️ Live scoreboard | And mail Will “Happy Birthday from here in chilly Poland!” writes Phil Lacy. “For my birthday in 2005, my uncle procured a ticket for the FA Cup 3rd round match at Old Trafford, where we were among the thousands of Exeter City fans watch United’s 2nd XI fail to turn up. Terrible game on a technical level, but incredible memories, like babby Cristiano Ronaldo getting a Conference clogging after coming on. Continue reading...

Plus: chants celebrating old memories, Trevor Wood from Jersey and ‘a Genghis Khan-like thick moustache’ Mail us with your questions and answers “England qualified for the World Cup in perfect style, winning all eight games without conceding a goal,” writes Charlie Wilson. “How many teams have done this?” This isn’t the first time England have qualified for a World Cup without conceding a goal. They did the same ahead of Italia 90 – but three of their six group games were 0-0 draws and they might not have qualified had Poland’s Rysard Tarasiewicz scored in the last minute of their final game in Chorzow. Instead his heatseeker hit the crossbar and England were through. Switzerland (A) 5-0 Wales (H) 12-0 Wales (A) 12-0 Croatia (A) 7-0 Croatia (H) 8-0 Switzerland (H) 11-0 Continue reading...

Slovakia beat Northern Ireland at the last to set up a winner-takes-all Group A encounter with Germany on Monday Thomas Tuchel wants his England substitutes to channel any anger they feel at not starting into making the difference when they can because the team that win the World Cup will be defined by productivity off the bench. The head coach will prepare a heat-proof gameplan for the finals next summer when temperatures at many of the venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada are expected to be stifling and a major part will involve how best to use his substitutes. Continue reading...

Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson expects a tough test from Poland on Tuesday night in Newport as her side seek to end a 10-game winless run.

Qualification has been so easy it gives little indication how the side will fare against big hitters at the World Cup As Harry Kane stepped up to make it 3-0 to England with the final kick of the first half at a wet, chilly and deflated Daugava Stadium it was strange to think that there was a time when the very act of reaching a major tournament was an event in its own right. It is not supposed to be this much of a doddle. Qualifying was once a nerve-shredding experience. It could make or break reputations and even provided some of the most iconic moments in the history of English football: the euphoria of David Beckham’s free-kick against Greece in 2001, the bloody‑minded defiance of Paul Ince in Rome in 1997 or, at the other end of the spectrum, the farce of Steve McClaren’s umbrella at Wembley in 2007, the agony of Graham Taylor in Rotterdam in 1993 and the shock of Jan Tomaszewski’s heroics in goal for Poland against Sir Alf Ramsey’s England in 1973. Continue reading...

Former Arsenal forward opens scoring in 4-1 thrashing Rashford on target but Lewandowski misses penalty Sevilla thrashed Barcelona 4-1 on Sunday, ending the champions’ unbeaten start in La Liga and denying them an opportunity to return to the top of the table. Sevilla took the lead in the 13th minute, after Isaac Romero went down while jostling for the ball with Ronald Araújo near Barcelona’s six-yard box. Alexis Sánchez sent former Arsenal teammate Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to convert the spot kick. This story will be updated Continue reading...

⚽ News, previews and discussion before the action starts ⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Bournemouth go second | And mail us Jean-Philippe Mateta has described his first call-up to the senior France squad as “a dream come true” after the Crystal Palace striker was selected by Didier Deschamps for the World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. The 28-year-old was one of France’s overage players at last year’s Olympics and scored five goals as Thierry Henry’s side won a silver medal. Mateta, who played the first half of Palace’s win over Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday night in Poland, has also represented Les Bleus at various youth levels. Continue reading...

The Crystal Palace juggernaut is showing no signs of letting up. Goals from Daniel Muñoz and the substitute Eddie Nketiah ensured Oliver Glasner’s side marked their first appearance in the main phase of a European competition with a comfortable victory over Dynamo Kyiv despite a late red card for Borna Sosa. It was the perfect reward for the 3,500 supporters who had made the pilgrimage from south London to southern Poland as Palace made it 19 games unbeaten in all competitions to establish a new club record that dates back more than 50 years. Against opponents who have enjoyed plenty of famous European nights in their storied history but are no longer the same force of old due to the ongoing war with Russia, there was only ever going to be one winner as Glasner’s side showed they are well equipped to go all the way to Leipzig despite their inexperience at this level. Continue reading...

BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains why Crystal Palace's Conference League debut is taking in place in Poland