United News of Bangladesh

Brazil forward Raphinha has signed a new contract with Barcelona that will keep him at the Spanish club until 2030. Barcelona announced the deal on Thursday, extending the 29-year-old's previous contract, which was due to expire in 2028. Raphinha has established himself as a world-class player since joining Barcelona from Leeds United in 2022. He has helped the Catalan side win three Spanish league titles, including the last two, while forming an impressive attacking partnership with Lamine Yamal. The Brazilian is enjoying an outstanding season after moving into the striker's role. He has scored 19 goals in 13 matches across all competitions, including 15 in La Liga, making him the league's leading scorer.

Amir Jangoo's unbeaten 111 and debutant Kevin Wickham's 61 took West Indies from 27 for three to 235 for four when bad light ended the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Stadium on Thursday. Only 70 overs were possible, with 20 lost to bad light. Justin Greaves was on 35 at stumps, sharing an unbroken stand of 77 with Jangoo. West Indies, who lead the two-match series 1-0, won the toss and chose to bat under cloudy skies, and Bangladesh's pacers struck three times in the first nine overs. Taskin Ahmed, recalled in place of Shoriful Islam, bowled Brandon King for nine with a full ball that swung in. Hasan Mahmud bowled Kavem Hodge for one as he left a delivery that came back in, and Taskin then trapped Joshua Da Silva lbw for 12. Da Silva had been dropped at slip by Shadman Islam off Hasan in the third over. Jangoo and Wickham added 131 for the fourth wicket. Wickham, playing his first Test, reached fifty in his first innings before Hasan bowled him for 61 off 145 balls, with West Indies on 158. Jangoo survived a chance when Hasan put down a return catch off a mistimed pull. The left-hander went on to his second Test century with an inside-out shot. He has faced 171 balls and hit 11 fours and two sixes. Taskin finished the day with two for 61 and Hasan two for 58. Bangladesh's spinners went wicketless, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz conceding 42 runs in 18 overs. Bangladesh again picked three spinners and two pacers, with Mushfiqur Rahim returning after missing the first Test with a finger injury. Wickham, the 349th player to represent West Indies in Tests, earned his call-up after scoring centuries in each of his last three innings in the West Indies Championship.

Portugal football great Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a career spanning more than two decades and six World Cup appearances. The 41-year-old leaves the national team having won a European Championship and established himself as the all-time leading scorer in men's international football. Ronaldo made the announcement in a lengthy video message on social media, saying it was time to return the No. 7 shirt he had worn for Portugal for 23 years. "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” he said. He said the decision was difficult because it involved both his mind and heart, adding that his journey with Portugal, which began in August 2003, had changed his life forever. Ronaldo will continue playing at club level and is expected to finish the current season with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. He is also chasing his 1,000th career goal, having scored 985 so far, including a record 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. His final appearance for the national team came on September 24 in a 1-0 home victory over Wales in the Nations League. He later left the training camp after coach Jorge Jesus kept him on the bench for the following match and indicated he would not start the next one. The Portuguese Football Federation expressed "deep gratitude and immense admiration" for Ronaldo's service, describing him as an inspiration to generations of young players. It said it plans to organise a special tribute to allow fans and the country to celebrate his contribution. Ronaldo made his international debut in 2003, replacing Luis Figo in a friendly against Kazakhstan. Before his arrival, Portugal had won no major international trophy. Under his leadership and alongside successive generations of talented teammates, Portugal became a regular contender at major tournaments, winning its first European Championship in 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Portugal also qualified for every World Cup and European Championship during Ronaldo's international career. The team reached the 2004 European Championship final, finishing runners-up, and secured fourth place at the 2006 World Cup. Ronaldo holds several international records. He became the first player to score in six World Cups and the first to make 200 appearances in men's international football. His 234 appearances remain the highest in the men's game. He also holds the records for most appearances (30) and goals (14) in European Championship tournaments. He scored in 23 consecutive calendar years for Portugal, from 2004 to 2026. In his farewell message, Ronaldo said he had always pushed himself to win, improve and make history while representing his country. "Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that began when I was just a little boy in Madeira, running after a football," he said.

FIFA Council member Kohzo Tashima plans to contest the presidency of world soccer's governing body against incumbent Gianni Infantino, Japanese media reported Thursday following a meeting of the Japan Football Association (JFA). Tashima has emerged as the first serious challenger to Infantino since the FIFA president sparked widespread controversy in July with a proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup revenues to private investors. Japanese newspaper Asahi reported that Tashima declared his intention to run in the election scheduled for next March. Members of the JFA board unanimously agreed to support his candidacy, the newspaper said. Sports daily Nikkan Sports also carried the report. The JFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The 68-year-old Tashima is a former Japanese national team player and former president of the country's soccer federation. He has served on FIFA's governing council since 2015, when Sepp Blatter was the organisation's president. Tashima is widely regarded as a respected and diplomatic official who generally maintains a low profile in the often complicated world of international soccer politics. To qualify for the presidential election, candidates must secure formal backing from at least five of FIFA's 211 member associations, which will cast their votes on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco. They must also undergo an eligibility screening by a three-member panel appointed by FIFA. European soccer's governing body UEFA has been spearheading efforts to identify a candidate to challenge Infantino ahead of the Nov 18 deadline for entering the race.

England captain Harry Kane has extended his contract with Bayern Munich until 2029, a week after winning the Ballon d'Or, the German club announced on Thursday. Kane's previous deal was due to expire at the end of this season. He joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 after lengthy negotiations over his new contract. "I feel right at home at FC Bayern. I love the club, the fans and the city of Munich. We have a fantastic team and, in Vincent Kompany, a fantastic manager," Kane said. He said his family was also happy in Munich and expressed his desire to win more titles with the club. Kane's Ballon d'Or victory last week made him the first English player in 25 years to receive football's most prestigious individual award and the first player from the German league to win it in 30 years. The striker has scored 156 goals in 161 appearances for Bayern, breaking several Bundesliga records and winning team honours that had eluded him during his time at Tottenham. His 73 goals for Bayern and England last season played a crucial role in securing the individual award.

West Indies won the toss and chose to bat in the second and final Test against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Stadium on Thursday, but lost two early wickets to Bangladesh's pacers. Taskin Ahmed bowled opener Brandon King for nine with a full delivery that swung in and kept moving off the pitch, beating King's attempted flick through midwicket and hitting the stumps. West Indies were 14 for one after five overs. Hasan Mahmud struck to take the second wicket, bowling Kavem Hodge for one off 10 balls. Hodge left a length delivery outside off, as he had done safely two balls earlier, but this one hit the stumps. Bangladesh had missed an earlier chance in the third over. Joshua Da Silva edged Hasan to slip, but Shadman Islam dropped a straightforward catch with West Indies on five. West Indies lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Mirpur by eight wickets. Bangladesh again went in with three spinners and two pacers. Taskin replaced Shoriful Islam, and Mushfiqur Rahim returned after missing the first Test with a finger injury. Bangladesh XI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud. West Indies XI: Joshua Da Silva, Brandon King, Kevin Wickham, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo (wicketkeeper), Roston Chase (captain), Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales.

The United States have recalled Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie for their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti, while coach Mauricio Pochettino has included two potential debutants as he looks to strengthen both the present squad and its future. The 25-member squad announced Wednesday features 19 players from the team's September and October friendly matches. Thirteen players who represented the United States at this year's World Cup are also included, among them 10 starters from their final match against Belgium. Six members of the squad are under 20. "We need to have more options and give more players the opportunity to challenge those who are already familiar with the team," Pochettino said during an online news conference from London. Pulisic returns after missing friendly victories over Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada while recovering from a microfracture in his right tibia and fibula. He sustained the injury during the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16. Balogun, meanwhile, missed the recent friendlies after being left out of Monaco's squad for its first four Ligue 1 matches of the season. His potential move to Everton had fallen through. The striker has since featured in five matches, coming on as a second-half substitute each time. Balogun's red-card suspension at the World Cup had also attracted controversy after US President Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino, following which the suspension was overturned. "It's a great opportunity to keep helping him develop after a difficult summer and the World Cup," Pochettino said. The squad's younger members are led by striker Cavan Sullivan, who made his international debut in September, two days before turning 17. He became the youngest American to score a goal for the national team a week later against Mexico. Other teenagers include 17-year-old midfielders Mathis Albert and Adri Mehmeti, 18-year-old forward Julian Hall, 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis and 19-year-old defender Neil Pierre. Right back Reed Baker-Whiting of Nashville and midfielder Santiago Castañeda of Paderborn, both 21, have also earned their first senior national team call-ups. Defender Bryan Reynolds, 25, has returned to the squad for the first time since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He made his international debut in 2021 at the age of 19. Pochettino said the selected players deserved an opportunity to join the team, demonstrate their abilities and understand how they could fit into the national setup. Among those omitted are goalkeeper Matt Turner, defenders Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally, midfielder Aidan Morris and winger Tim Weah. The 16th-ranked United States will train in Georgia before facing 84th-ranked Haiti in Miami on Nov 14 and Cincinnati on Nov 17. The two-legged tie will be decided by aggregate goals, with the winner advancing to the Nations League semifinals, scheduled for March 22-30 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Several players who featured in the September squad have also been dropped, including goalkeeper Chris Brady, defenders Miles Robinson and Frankie Westfield, midfielders Zavier Gozo and Yunus Musah, and forwards Cole Campbell and Damion Downs. Some players not selected for the senior team are expected to join the under-23 squad as it prepares for the 2028 Olympics. Its training camp roster is scheduled to be announced Thursday. Defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Johnny Cardoso and forwards Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas were unavailable because of injuries. Striker Ricardo Pepi was also left out after a leg muscle injury kept him sidelined from Sept 20 until last Saturday. Defender George Campbell was named in the squad but sustained an injury during West Bromwich Albion's match on Tuesday and could be replaced. The squad: Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville). Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia), Bryan Reynolds (Rennes), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic). Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen). Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia).

Bangladesh have a realistic chance of winning the SAFF Championship for the first time in 23 years, head coach Thomas Dooley said on Wednesday, on the eve of the tournament beginning in Dhaka on Thursday. Bangladesh last won the title in 2003, also on home soil in Dhaka. They will open their campaign against Bhutan at 8pm on Thursday, after India play Pakistan at 3:30pm on the opening day. "We are confident that we can play, fight and achieve our goal. I think we have a realistic chance of winning this tournament. It is possible after 23 years," Dooley told a press conference at a Dhaka hotel. "But it will take hard work, playing with confidence and fighting until the last minute."

Bangladesh are training as hard as they did before their Test win in Darwin against Australia but have not been able to carry that work into matches, head coach Phil Simmons said on Wednesday on the eve of the second Test against West Indies in Sylhet. "One thing I can say is that the boys are working hard. They are still practising the way we did before Darwin or before the Pakistan series," Simmons told a press conference. "But we are not able to reflect that practice in matches." "We have to make sure we get back to the level where we can use the work we do in practice in matches as well. Working hard off the field alone is not enough," he said. Bangladesh have not won since beating Australia in Darwin. They lost the second Test in Mackay by an innings, drew with Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, lost both their ODIs in the tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates and lost the first Test against West Indies in Mirpur by eight wickets. "Since Darwin, we have not won. Especially, we have not batted well," Simmons said. "In Darwin, we showed what we are capable of. Our resilience and positive mindset were reflected there. But in the formats, we have played since, we have not batted well." The head coach said the Sylhet pitch looked similar to the one on which Bangladesh beat Pakistan at home. "It is quite similar to the wicket when we played against Pakistan. The square looks good and the pitch looks good. Overall, it looks like it did then. But we will know its final condition when we come tomorrow morning," he said. Bangladesh were without Mushfiqur Rahim in Mirpur after he injured his finger at practice the day before the match. Mominul Haque, who suffered a concussion during the Test, is out of the squad, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was hurt on the final day. Simmons said he had no injury concerns over the players currently in the squad. The second Test starts on Thursday.

Virat Kohli struck 74 and Shubman Gill added 37 as India defeated New Zealand by five wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-affected opening match of their five-game one-day international series on Wednesday. Chasing New Zealand's 185, India reached a revised target of 143 in 22.4 overs, with 56 balls to spare. Kohli smashed 13 fours and a six during his innings, recording his 80th ODI half-century. It was also his sixth score of 50 or more in 10 innings this year, as he prepares to celebrate his 38th birthday on Thursday. His 113-run partnership with Gill proved decisive before Kohli departed with India's score at 124. K.L. Rahul and Naman Dhir then completed the chase. Rain delayed the toss by 20 minutes before interrupting India's innings again when the team was 56-1 in the 11th over. Rohit Sharma had been dismissed for a duck in the opening over. After the first interruption, India's target was revised to 167 from 40 overs. Another 30-minute delay reduced it further to 143 from 32 overs. Kohli accelerated after the second resumption, building a century partnership with Gill off 90 deliveries. Gill said the changing conditions made batting challenging but praised Kohli's contribution in making the chase easier. Earlier, India bowled out New Zealand for 185 in 40.2 overs after Gill elected to field. Arshdeep Patel led the attack with four wickets for 70 runs, while Gurnoor Brar claimed three for 44 and Anshul Kamboj took two for 22. Tim Seifert scored 38, Glenn Phillips made 30 and Daryl Mitchell contributed 28, but New Zealand struggled to build substantial partnerships. Tailender Blair Tickner provided late resistance with 34 off 23 balls, including four sixes, in a 39-run partnership with Jacob Duffy for the final wicket. India's senior players Rohit Sharma, K.L. Rahul and Kohli returned to the ODI lineup after missing the recent T20 series, which India won 3-2.