World Cup play-offs: Lewandowski's last chance, a return to the big stage for Italy?

As excitement builds around Ireland for the World Cup play-off against the Czech Republic, there is a lot on the line across Europe.

From a last chance for some of the game's greatest players, and some smaller nations eyeing up a big shock, here is what you need to know ahead of Thursday's other games.

The winner of this game will face the winner of Ireland v Czech Republic.

Denmark looked set to qualify for the World Cup, but a 4-2 defeat to Scotland in their final group game saw them drop to the play-offs.

For North Macedonia, they finished top of their Nations League group to qualify for the play-offs.

In World Cup qualification, they finished third in their group behind Wales and Belgium and drew Belgium twice.

Denmark had a disappointing 2022 World Cup, finishing bottom of a group they were expected to advance from.

Having previously given heartbreak to Ireland in the play-offs for the 2018 World Cup, Ireland fans will be all too familiar with Denmark following the 5-1 defeat in 2017.

However, North Macedonia love a shock, as shown in their play-off win against Italy before the last World Cup, and will have no problem going in as the underdogs.

A country with bigger worries than football, Ukraine will play this play-off at a neutral venue in Spain as the invasion of its country by Russia continues.

Finishing second in their group behind France, Ukraine will hope to go one step further, as they were defeated by Wales in the play-off final.

For Sweden, it is the first game in charge for Graham Potter.

The former Chelsea manager will return to where he found success as a club manager.

Without star players Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski, the pressure will fall to Viktor Gyökeres.

For one of the best strikers the