The ex-sandwich maker who cycles to Champions League games

Jacob Bergstrom, a 31-year-old striker, has defied expectations to become a key player for Mjallby, a Swedish football club based in a remote coastal village with fewer than 1,000 residents. Bergstrom, who once worked at Subway to make ends meet, joined Mjallby in 2018 and continued his amateur football career until becoming a full-time professional at 24.

Last season, Mjallby won the Swedish championship and Swedish Cup for the first time in their 87-year history, thanks in part to Bergstrom's goal on his Champions League debut. Mjallby's upcoming match against Slovan Bratislava, who recently hired Yaya Toure as their head coach, will be a crucial game for Bergstrom and his teammates as they aim to continue their fairytale run.

Toure, a former Manchester City midfielder and Champions League winner, has brought his experience to the small club, which is now the second smallest village to stage a Champions League fixture. Bergstrom remains a humble and approachable figure, cycling to games and interacting with fans at the local supermarket. The club's remarkable journey from obscurity to European football has united Hallevik, and the community now regards Bergstrom as one of their own.