Category Sports News

Poland’s record goalscorer Robert Lewandowski says he will not play for his country while Michal Probierz is manager after being replaced as captain.

The 36-year-old striker has 85 goals in 158 appearances for his country but is not part of his national team’s squad during the current international window.

A statement from the Polish FA on Sunday said Probierz had “personally informed Robert Lewandowski, the entire team and the training staff of his decision” to appoint Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski as the new captain.

“I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world.”

The Poland FA also said Probierz will answer questions at a news conference on Monday prior to Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Finland, and will be joined by Zielinski, 31.

Probierz, 52, took over as coach in September 2023 but his side finished bottom of their group at Euro 2024 as they became the first country to be knocked out of the tournament.

French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz says he will “let the people decide” if his comeback victory against Jannik Sinner is one of the greatest matches of all time.

Spain’s Alcaraz saved three championship points in the fourth set before securing a 4-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-2) win after five hours and 29 minutes.

The 22-year-old had never previously come back from two sets down at a major.

The quality, tension and excitement of the contest between a standout pair who are creating an absorbing rivalry has led to comparisons with other classic encounters in the sport.

“If people put our match in that [bracket], it’s a huge honour for me,” said five-time major champion Alcaraz.

“I don’t know if it is at the same level as those matches. I let the people talk about whether they are almost the same.

“I’m just happy to put our match and our names in the history of the Grand Slams and in the history of Roland Garros.

World number one Sinner has been the dominant player on the ATP Tour over the past 18 months, opening up a commanding lead at the top of the rankings.

The Italian had not lost from two sets up since Novak Djokovic beat him in the 2022 Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Sinner led 5-3 in the fourth set and had three championship points on Alcaraz’s serve, but the Spaniard never lost belief.

Alcaraz, who has now won back-to-back titles at Roland Garros, says he was “not thinking about” the score as he fought back from the brink.

“I just put my heart into it,” said Alcaraz.

“I tried to keep going, not thinking about the result and just to put up my best tennis.

Sinner was aiming for a third successive Grand Slam triumph, having won the US Open at the end of last year and then defended his Australian Open title in January.

The 23-year-old’s level over the past fortnight – he arrived in the final having not dropped a set – was even more impressive considering he is still in the early stages of his comeback.

Sinner served a three-month ban from February to May for failing two doping tests last year and only played one tournament before Roland Garros.

“My level has improved since Rome. As I said before the match, my main goal was to see where it is at,” he said.

“Only making [the] final is difficult to accept now but this is the good part of the sport. Today I also had the sad part.

“But if you watch only the sad part, you’re never going to come back.

“I believe I have improved as a player since last year. We try to keep pushing.”

He plans to get over the defeat by spending time with his family before turning his attentions to the grass-court season.

His mother Siglinde was sat on Court Philippe Chatrier but could barely watch at times, while father Johann, a chef, was unable to attend because he was working.

“We are just a very simple family. Nothing of our success changes in the family,” Sinner added.

“It was nice to see my mum here. I guess my dad was watching on TV – if he finished work.

“As I always said before my career started, I never would have thought to find myself in this position.

“It was not even a dream because it was so far and was not thinking about this.

Uriah Rennie, the Premier League’s first black referee, has died aged 65.

Rennie officiated more than 300 games between 1997 and 2008, including 175 Premier League matches.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former chair and trailblazing referee, Uriah Rennie,” said a Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association statement.

“Uriah made history as the Premier League’s first Black referee, officiating over 300 top-flight matches between 1997 and 2008. He broke down barriers, shaped our football community and inspired generations to come.”

Rennie recently revealed he was learning to walk again after a rare condition left him paralysed from the waist down.

Born in Jamaica, he moved to Sheffield as a child and grew up in the Wybourn area of the city.

He started refereeing in local football in 1979 before making history in 1997 when he oversaw the top-flight match between Derby County and Wimbledon.

“Incredibly sad news about the passing of Uriah Rennie. A Black pioneering referee and leader in the game,” said Leon Mann, co-founder of the Football Black List.

“We owe so much to those who push open the doors. Uriah should never, ever be forgotten.

“Thoughts and prayers with Uriah’s family and close friends.”

Rennie had been a magistrate in Sheffield since 1996 and campaigned on issues including improving equality and inclusion in sport, mental health and tackling deprivation.

He had a master’s degree in business administration and law and, in November 2023, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities.

The Football Foundation is to provide financial backing for an education scheme set up in the name of Stephen Lawrence, the teenager murdered in a racist attack in 1993.

The English football charity – which is backed by funding from the Football Association (FA), Premier League and government – will provide career development opportunities for the Stephen Lawrence Scholarship.

The scheme, in conjunction with University of Greenwich, will prioritise black students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and those who are estranged or care-experienced, looking to complete a leading architecture course starting this September.

Lawrence was an avid football fan and an aspiring architect before his murder in south London 32 years ago.

The initiative, which was facilitated by Charlton vice-chairman and former Chelsea defender Paul Elliott, hopes to help students gain employment in architecture-related roles in English football, such as designing stadiums.

“This partnership is a powerful example of what can be achieved when shared values and vision come together,” said Elliott.

“It has been a personal honour to help bring these organisations together in Stephen Lawrence’s name – uniting his passion for football with our collective commitment to creating inspiring spaces and life-changing opportunities for young people.

“Through the Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, we not only honour his legacy, but actively build on it, empowering a new generation.”

Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has said he does not want to be “wasting years” in his career and this summer will weigh up whether to stay at the club.

The 22-year-old, who is part of the England squad for the European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia this summer, was limited to 18 Premier League appearances for Liverpool last season, 16 of them as a substitute.

His only two starts came in defeats at Chelsea and Brighton after the Reds had already secured the Premier League title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge.

Overall, Elliott played 28 games in all competitions, which included six starts as he totalled five goals and three assists in 822 minutes of action.

In comparison, he made 53 appearances, including 27 starts, in the 2023-24 campaign when he scored four goals and provided 11 assists.

“It’s just a situation that me and the team have to have a conversation about because I’m coming into an age now where I’m 22, I’m going to be 23 next season,” said Elliott when asked if he is considering leaving Liverpool.

“I don’t really want to be wasting years on my career because it’s a short career. You don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I need to reflect. I need to see if I’m content in doing what I’m doing and how can I improve as a player because that’s the most important thing.

“I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that’s to go somewhere else, then it’s a decision that I’m going to have to make and I just need to see what happens.

“Nothing makes me want to leave. I love the club, I love the fans, the team. I support them as well. But most importantly, it’s just about what’s best for my career.”

Liverpool are trying to sign attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen this summer which could further limit Elliott’s chances of first-team football.

Elliott, who joined Liverpool as a 17-year-old from Fulham in July 2019, returned from injury in December.

He hoped scoring a late winner in the first leg of a last-16 Champions League tie at Paris St-Germain in March would be a turning point for him, but it proved not to be the case.

Elliott was a half-time substitute against Southampton in Liverpool’s next game before the second leg of the tie against PSG, which the Reds lost on penalties.

“I thought PSG [first leg] was kind of a high for me, especially with the Premier League game coming up a few days later,” said Elliott.

“I thought it was an opportunity for me to get a start and showcase what I can do and just get a nice run out, but the boss is the boss.

LIV Golf Virginia – final leaderboard

-15 J Niemann (Chi); -14 G McDowell (NI); A Lahiri (Ind); -13 P Mickelson (US); T Pieters (Bel); B DeChambeau (US), B Watson (US)

Selected others: -10 J Rahm (Spa); -9 L Westwood (Eng); -6 P Casey (Eng); T Hatton (Eng); -3 B Koepka (US); -2 T McKibbin (NI)

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann picked up four birdies in the final five holes to win his fourth LIV Golf event of the year in Virginia.

Niemann beat India’s Anirban Lahiri and Graeme McDowell by a stoke as the Northern Irishman’s five-year wait for a victory continued.

There were two delays at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club as rain impacted the final round.

However, when play resumed Niemann stormed into the lead to edge out Lahiri and McDowell, who had led before the second rain delay.

After starting with six straight pars, McDowell chipped in for birdie at the par-four seventh and followed that with two more gains before heavy rain halted play for 40 minutes.

Following the restart, four-time Ryder Cup player McDowell drained a 20-foot putt for a birdie three at the 12th to take a one-shot lead before the second weather delay came while he was playing the 14th.

While Smash golfer McDowell, whose last win came at the Saudi Invitational on the DP World Tour in 2020, picked up a further birdie on the 17th it was not enough to hold off the charging Niemann.

Niemann reeled off four consecutive birdies from the 14th to 17th to hold a one-stroke lead heading into the final hole, which he parred to secure victory.

It was a fourth win of the season for the 26-year-old, who also triumphed in Adelaide, Singapore and Mexico City.

Lahiri, who held a two-shot lead heading into the final round, and a solid performance from captain DeChambeau secured a second consecutive teams’ win for Crushers GC.