United News of Bangladesh

Luca Zidane, the 27-year-old son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria. The goalkeeper made the change with the hope of playing in a World Cup, much like his father. FIFA officially approved his switch on Friday and updated the information on Change of Association Platform’s website. The Algeria National Football Team also confirmed the news with an X (formerly Twitter) post. The post, which included a photo of Luca Zidane, welcomed him as a “New Desert Warrior.” Luca qualifies to represent Algeria through his paternal grandparents, who were from the Kabylie region of northern Algeria. He is the second of Zinedine Zidane’s four sons, all of whom came up through the Real Madrid academy. Luca won caps for France at various junior levels, including the under-20 team, but his hopes of representing the senior French team have diminished in recent seasons. He currently plays for Granada in Spain’s second division, while Mike Maignan has taken over the No. 1 spot for France from former captain Hugo Lloris. Espanyol eyes top spot as unbeaten side visits Real Madrid in La Liga clash With Luca’s addition, Algeria now has another option in its goalkeeping ranks. The team has used four keepers in the last year, including first-choice Alexis Guendouz, home-based Oussama Benbot, Anthony Mandrea of France’s third division, and Alexandre Oukidja, who plays in Serbia. Algeria is currently at the top of their World Cup qualifying group, four points ahead of second-place Uganda. They are expected to secure a spot in the 2026 finals in North America during their qualifier against Somalia next month. Luca’s Career Luca joined the Real Madrid academy at age six, where he stayed until he was 20. He played for the Real Madrid Castilla team and also made two appearances for the senior squad between 2017 and 2019. He had a loan spell with Racing Santander before permanently joining Rayo Vallecano, where he made further appearances in La Liga. He later played for Eibar in La Liga 2 before moving to Granada in July 2024.

Espanyol will face a big test on Saturday when they visit leaders Real Madrid in La Liga, with the chance to go top of the standings after five rounds. Espanyol are unbeaten so far and sit third, just two points behind Madrid, who have won all four of their league games. Barcelona are second, level on points with Espanyol, and will host fifth-placed Getafe on Sunday at the 6,000-seat Estadi Johan Cruyff. A win for Espanyol at Madrid, combined with Barcelona dropping points against Getafe, could see the modest “parakeets” end the weekend as league leaders. Last season they narrowly avoided relegation, but a new ownership group and smart signings — including English winger Tyrhys Dolan and goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic — have strengthened the side. Midfielder Pere Milla has already scored three goals. Espanyol also have history to inspire them, after beating Madrid 1-0 at home last season. Madrid, meanwhile, will rely on Kylian Mbappé, who has scored six goals in five games, including a double in their Champions League win over Marseille this week. For Barcelona, Marcus Rashford is the player to watch after scoring twice in their midweek win over Newcastle. With Lamine Yamal still sidelined by injury, the on-loan Manchester United forward could start again. Madrid will be without right back Trent Alexander-Arnold due to a hamstring injury. Coach Xabi Alonso may also continue to rotate between Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior in attack. Off the pitch, Barcelona confirmed that their Oct. 1 Champions League game against PSG will be played at the city’s Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, as the Camp Nou remodeling is still incomplete.

Another game, another milestone for Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker became the fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals in a 2-0 win over Napoli on Thursday, hitting the landmark in just his 49th appearance in Europe’s top club competition. Haaland broke the previous record set by former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ruud van Nistelrooy, who needed 62 games to reach 50 goals. “He seems to break every record going. At his age, it’s unheard of what he’s doing,” City teammate Phil Foden said. At 25, Haaland already looks on course to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time Champions League scoring record of 141 goals. “The numbers speak for itself,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “If he plays 10, 12 years... if he maintains this progression, absolutely (he can).” The Norway striker has been rewriting records since his arrival at City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. He was already the fastest player to reach 30 Champions League goals, and the fastest to 50 Premier League goals. Haaland has scored 130 goals in 151 games for City. His latest Champions League strike — a looping header early in the second half — adds to his tally of 12 goals in seven games this season for club and country, including five in Norway’s 11-1 rout of Moldova and two in City’s 3-0 derby win over United. Rejuvenated Rashford's brace helps Barcelona edge out Newcastle at St James' By reaching 50, he has moved past greats like Alfredo Di Stefano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the Champions League scorers list. He is now level with Filippo Inzaghi and one behind Thierry Henry, who sits 11th on UEFA’s all-time chart. Lionel Messi remains the youngest to 50 goals, achieving it at 24 years and 284 days. Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, reached 50 goals in 79 games and has 57 overall. Haaland’s next target is Messi’s record of 60 Champions League goals in 80 matches, as well as Robert Lewandowski’s mark of 80 goals in 100 games. Cristiano Ronaldo still leads the all-time list with 141 goals, followed by Messi on 129 and Lewandowski on 105. “How lucky and fortunate we are to have him,” Guardiola said, placing Haaland among the game’s greats alongside Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski. Source: Agency 

Marcus Rashford went to FC Barcelona to regain his confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and he found his rhythm in style. The Englishman's brilliance was rekindled at the perfect time, as he silenced a roaring St. James' Park with a brace, and Barcelona left the pitch with three points. Barcelona started their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over an energetic Newcastle side, thanks to their 27-year-old winger. His goals made the decisive difference between the teams. Anthony Gordon found the net for Newcastle, but it was too late for a comeback. Newcastle dominate early  Although Barcelona were the dominant side on paper, the on-field scenario was just the opposite. Newcastle dominated from the kickoff, piling pressure on the Barcelona defense and creating goalscoring opportunities. The Catalans held their nerve for the first 20 minutes, focused on clearing the ball, bypassing their opponent's press, and slowing down the pace of the game—all while under the deafening roar of the home fans. During that period, Newcastle tried their best to capitalize on the early momentum, but young Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García and the defenders managed to keep the opposition at bay. Winger Anthony Elanga was particularly superb and was the protagonist of most of Newcastle's attacks. In the 23rd minute, Elanga's brilliance almost gave Newcastle the lead. He breezed past Gerard Martín with his lightning pace and delivered a pinpoint cross into the box for Harvey Barnes. Barnes met the cross with a fabulous shot on target, but García unbelievably stretched out a leg to change the direction of the ball. Barcelona find their rhythm After that scare, the visitors started to find their shape and took control of the midfield, although they were still barely able to reach the opponent's box. Hansi Flick’s team failed to register a single shot on target in the first half. After the halftime break, both teams settled into their respective rhythms, and the match intensified with a neck-and-neck fight. In the 58th minute, Rashford broke the deadlock with an excellent header. Jules Koundé sent a spectacular cross into the penalty area, and Rashford successfully directed it on target. This was his first Champions League goal since October 2021 for Manchester United. Rashford also became the first English player to score for Barcelona in the Champions League since Gary Lineker in 1991. After conceding, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe substituted four players, with star striker Nick Woldemot entering the pitch. Moments later, Rashford stunned the home fans with an outstanding second goal. Receiving the ball outside the box, the 27-year-old forward powered a thunderbolt into the top corner, which was practically impossible for Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope to stop.

Spain have ended Argentina’s long reign at the top of the FIFA rankings, climbing to the summit after more than a year of stellar performances. Argentina, who held the top spot for a significant period, have now dropped to third place. The latest rankings, released by world football’s governing body FIFA on Thursday, reflect the results of the recent international break. France also moved up one spot to second, while five-time world champions Brazil slipped to sixth. A return to the top This marks Spain’s return to the top of the men’s rankings for the first time since June 2014, when they were the reigning World Cup and two-time European Championship winners. La Roja’s rise was fueled by an impressive start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, with dominant victories over Bulgaria (3-0) and Turkey (6-0). France also made a perfect start to their qualifying efforts, defeating Ukraine 2-0 and Iceland 2-1, which helped them leapfrog Argentina. Argentina’s slip and other movers Despite a 3-0 home win against Venezuela, Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Ecuador in their CONMEBOL qualifier proved costly, knocking the reigning world champions down from the top spot. The defeat cost them 15.04 rating points, placing them in third with 1870.32 points, just shy of France’s 1870.92. Spain lead the ranking with 1875.37 points. Other notable movements in the top 10 include England and Portugal. England, despite winning both of their recent qualifiers, remained in fourth. Portugal moved up one spot to fifth after two wins. Brazil’s ranking dropped to sixth following a home win against Chile but a 1-0 away defeat to Bolivia under coach Carlo Ancelotti. The Netherlands and Belgium held firm at seventh and eighth, respectively, while Croatia and Italy each climbed one spot to round out the top 10. Germany, after a 2-0 loss to Slovakia, dropped three places to 12th, while Slovakia surged 10 spots to 42nd. Bangladesh’s position remained unchanged at 184th.

José Mourinho is set to return to coaching in Portugal after two decades, with Benfica confirming Thursday that negotiations with the veteran manager are close to being finalized. The club informed the Lisbon stock exchange that “negotiations are underway” and are expected to conclude soon. Portuguese media reported Mourinho is poised to sign a two-year contract, marking his first coaching spell in his homeland since guiding Porto to the Champions League title in 2004. Mourinho began his managerial career at Benfica in 2000, though his initial stint lasted only three months due to a contract dispute. He will also be making a Champions League comeback after a five-year absence, having last featured in the competition with Tottenham in 2020. The 61-year-old also lifted the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010 and won the inaugural third-tier Conference League with Roma in 2022. However, his time in Rome was marred by internal disputes, which resurfaced during his brief and turbulent tenure at Fenerbahce. That spell ended last month after the Turkish club was eliminated from the Champions League qualifying playoffs—ironically by Benfica. On Wednesday, Mourinho confirmed Benfica had approached him about the vacancy and expressed his eagerness to return. “When I was confronted with the possibility of coaching Benfica, I didn't think twice. I was interested,” he said. Benfica sacked coach Bruno Lage on Wednesday following a 3-2 home defeat to Qarabag in the Champions League, where the team squandered a two-goal advantage. Club president Rui Costa cited a series of poor results, including a 1-1 league draw with 10-man Santa Clara, as reasons for the dismissal. Benfica will play its next Portuguese league match on Saturday against AVS, before visiting Chelsea in the Champions League on September 30.

Bayern Munich are off to a flying start in the Bundesliga after winning all three league games so far this season. With Eintracht Frankfurt losing to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, Borussia Dortmund, along with surprise packages Cologne and St. Pauli, now stand as Bayern’s nearest challengers after three rounds. Frankfurt had looked like the only team capable of mounting a serious challenge. The defending champions also beat Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday, extending their winning run to five matches across all competitions — six including the German Supercup. Bayern have already scored 14 goals in their three Bundesliga outings. Next up is a visit to Hoffenheim on Saturday. Coach Vincent Kompany may rotate his squad for that match, with Tom Bischof, who joined Bayern from Hoffenheim this summer, likely to feature. Former Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson could also get more minutes to give in-form striker Harry Kane a rest. Elsewhere, Leverkusen host Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday in a Rhine derby between two sides that have already dismissed their coaches this season. Kasper Hjulmand made a winning start in charge of Leverkusen against Frankfurt, while Gladbach are still seeking a replacement for Gerardo Seoane after a 4-0 home defeat to Werder Bremen extended their goalless run. Dortmund will host Wolfsburg on Sunday, while Frankfurt take on Union Berlin the same day. Several players will be in focus this weekend. Bayern’s Jackson is eager to prove himself after his move from Chelsea. Leipzig’s Johan Bakayoko will look to build on his first goal for the club when they face Cologne on Saturday. Bremen’s Victor Boniface hopes to open his account against Freiburg, and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen could make his debut for Wolfsburg against Dortmund. Bayern face fitness concerns, with Raphaël Guerreiro sidelined by a stomach muscle injury picked up against Hamburg last weekend. Left-back Josip Stanišić was also injured during the win over Chelsea, while Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito remain long-term absentees. Off the pitch, a nine-year-old boy was seriously injured after a firework accident during a display following Hansa Rostock’s third-division match against 1860 Munich on Wednesday. A burning piece of pyrotechnics reportedly pierced the stadium roof and landed in the away section. Two other people were also injured, but police confirmed the boy’s condition was not life-threatening. The floodlights involved dated back to 1970 and are set to be replaced before Rostock’s game against Energie Cottbus on September 30.

Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain will face their biggest rival Marseille at Parc des Princes on Sunday. Marseille’s long-standing bragging rights as the only French club to win the Champions League ended last season when PSG claimed the title in emphatic fashion. Domestically, PSG has also pulled ahead with 13 Ligue 1 titles compared to Marseille’s nine. The Parisians remain perfect this season with four wins from four league games. “We know the importance of this match, for the fans and the club,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “It’s a strong rivalry.” Marseille, guided by coach Roberto De Zerbi, has shown improvement but still lacks confidence. Following Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League loss to Real Madrid, De Zerbi urged his players to show more daring and ambition. Second-placed Lille is the only other unbeaten team and will play a northern derby against Lens on Saturday. Marseille captain Leonardo Balerdi could face a challenging night regardless of his opponent. While he avoids facing injured stars Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, his performance in central defence will be key. Questions remain over which version of Balerdi will turn up: the combative defender who effectively marked PSG star Kylian Mbappé against Real Madrid, or the error-prone Balerdi who has occasionally conceded clumsy goals since joining four years ago. PSG defenders will focus on Marseille forward Mason Greenwood, who assisted Tim Weah’s goal against Real Madrid and has two goals and three assists so far in Ligue 1. Monaco’s 19-year-old midfielder Aladji Bamba, a product of the club’s youth academy, impressed in his first start last weekend against Auxerre and is expected to feature against Metz on Sunday. Former Barcelona prodigy Ansu Fati could also make his Ligue 1 debut for Monaco. Monaco midfielder Denis Zakaria will miss several weeks with a thigh injury, while PSG awaits updates on key midfielder João Neves, who limped off early in the second half of Wednesday’s 4-0 Champions League rout of Atalanta. Off the field, Lens fans remain upset over heavy-handed policing before and after last Sunday’s match at Parc des Princes. Supporters said they were surrounded by riot police, prevented from leaving buses during searches, and denied basic needs like using the restroom. Tensions briefly escalated into violent clashes. Lens issued a statement expressing concern over the treatment of fans and calling for consistent rules to ensure a peaceful stadium environment. The club noted that it has no history of hooliganism, while French riot police faced criticism for similar behavior ahead of the 2022 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

The new UEFA Champions League season is underway, and two of last season’s finalists have started their campaigns in impressive fashion. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and last season’s runners-up, Inter Milan, both secured big wins in their opening matches, sending a clear message to the rest of Europe. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain wasted no time in making a statement in their opening UEFA Champions League match, as they overpowered Atalanta with a commanding 4-0 victory at the Parc des Princes. The win serves as a powerful message that the French side is intent on replicating last season’s triumph, which culminated in a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in the final. PSG’s first goal came just 150 seconds into the match, when Marquinhos converted a pass from Nuno Mendes. The hosts’ high-pressing and fluid play is reflected in the stats. With 67 percent possession, they had a total of 22 shots, 13 of which were on target, while Atalanta managed to get only two shots on target from eight attempts. Mbappe’s double penalties lift 10-man Real Madrid past Marseille Despite a pair of superb saves from Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi and a missed penalty by Bradley Barcola, PSG’s attacking pressure never cooled down. This resulted in goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, and Gonçalo Ramos. Kvaratskhelia netted a wonderful solo goal before the break, while Mendes and Ramos added to the tally in the second half. The comprehensive performance demonstrated PSG’s team depth and ability to score from multiple sources, even with key players like Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue sidelined. Thuram’s brace powers Inter in Amsterdam Following their disappointing loss in last season’s final, Inter Milan kicked off their new Champions League campaign with a much-needed victory, defeating Ajax 2-0 away at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The win was a crucial step for the Italian side, who had been struggling with successive defeats in their domestic league. Marcus Thuram was the star of the night for Inter, scoring both goals with powerful headers. The French international proved to be a constant threat to the opponent. His two goals were almost carbon copies of each other, showcasing his strength and aerial prowess. For his first goal, he got ahead of the defenders near the goal to head in a corner kick from Hakan Calhanoglu just before halftime. He did it again just two minutes into the second half, heading in another corner from Calhanoglu. The victory was not only a confidence booster for the Inter players but also a display of tactical maturity. After securing the two-goal lead, Inter eased off the pressure, maintaining possession and frustrating the home side. The result sends a clear signal that Inter is ready to banish the ghosts of last season’s final and make a strong run in the competition.

Bayern Munich started their Champions League journey with a strong 3-1 win at home against Chelsea. The victory was largely due to a two-goal performance from Bayern’s English star Harry Kane, who punished Chelsea’s defensive mistakes in a match filled with both bad luck and brilliant moments. The game at Allianz Arena began with a close contest, but it was Bayern who found the net first. Just 20 minutes in, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, under pressure from Dayot Upamecano, diverted Michael Olise’s cross into his own net. Seven minutes later, things got worse for Chelsea. Midfielder Moises Caicedo fouled Harry Kane in the box, and gifted the opponent a penalty, which Kane calmly sent into the net. While Bayern were scoring, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left staring at the replay screen in disbelief, seeing his players’ childish mistakes. Conceding two quick goals, The Blues started coming back to the game. This time too, young star Cole Palmer stepped up for his team. He ran forward with the ball, passed it to a teammate, and then got it back to score with a sharp shot in the 29th minute. The goal gave Chelsea a spark of hope. Second-half eight-goal drama sees Juventus snatch late draw In the second half, both teams created chances, but it was Chelsea’s defense that made the next and final big mistake. In the 63rd minute, a bad pass from Malo Gusto went directly to Kane. The forward did not miss his chance. He took the ball, went around the goalkeeper, and completed his brace of the night with ease. Near the end of the match, Palmer scored another goal, but it was ruled out for offside. The Bavarians celebrated the night for their goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, who earned his 100th win in the competition. Bayern’s next Champions League match will be on September 30 against Cypriot club Pafos FC, while Chelsea will host Benfica on the same night.