United News of Bangladesh

With the inception of cricket, football lost its appeal in Bangladesh. However, football was the 'first love' for all in the post-independence of Bangladesh. Today's generation will never know the madness of football in the 80s to 90s. In recent days, cricket grabbed that place. Nevertheless, few Bangladeshi footballers from this generation, such as Jamal Bhuyan and Mamunul Islam, have been trying to bring back those golden days. It is not sure if they can create the charm, but the 90s kind will never forget those days. Here we have listed 10 Bangladeshi footballers of all time, those who shined when needed.  Best Footballers in Bangladesh Monem Munna Munna is a legendary Bangladeshi player who took football to another level, both local and internal. Munna started football when he was in school at Narayanganj Zilla School. Later he joined Muktijoddha Sangsad KC in 1983 and started playing soccer professionally. He played for different clubs, including Brothers Union, Abahani Limited Dhaka, and Kolkata's East Bengal F.C. Besides, the clubs Munna also contributed to Bangladesh's national football team from 1986 to 1997. He was a captain of the Bangladesh national team three times. Under his captaincy, Bangladesh won its first-ever international trophy in 1995 in Myanmar. Also read: How to become a professional footballer in Bangladesh: An overall guideline Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir Sabbir was one of the top players in Bangladesh during the 1980s and 1990s. Besides club football, he also appeared in Bangladesh national football several times and played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds. Sabbir started his Pro football career with Mohammedan Sporting Club in 1987 and played a significant role in Mohammedan winning the Dhaka league title and Federation cup. In his national team appearance, Sabbir paired with Abahani striker Aslam and produced many important goals for Bangladesh. Due to his outstanding performance, Calcutta MSC invited him to play with them briefly in 1991. Read  Lionel Messi: The Argentine Football Star’s Most Unbreakable Records Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Mohammad Aslam was known as Aslam and was one of the most lethal strikers in Bangladesh during the 1980s and 1990s. He gained all his fame while playing for Abahani Krira Chakra, one of the top football clubs in Bangladesh. During his days with Abahani, Aslam was the top scorer in most of the season. Aslam's contribution to the national team started through his appearance in the National U-19 team in 1980. Later he was added to the regular national team and shined throughout the 1980s. Kaisar Hamid Kaisar Hamid was known for his central defending skills, and he was the top central defender in the 1980s and 1980s. He played for the Mohammedan and had a great performance for the club in the 1988–89 Asian Club Championship. Kaisar's role for the national team was undeniable, and in 2003 he achieved Bangladesh's National Sports Award. However, Hamid started his career with Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society as a right-wing back. Apart from Mohammedan, Hamid also played with Calcutta MSC in 1991. Read: Summer Window 2021: Five Potential Big Football Transfers  Jahid Hasan Ameli Ameli is holding the top scorer record for the Bangladesh national football team. Ameli played for several football clubs in his eventful career, including Abahani, Mohammedan, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Muktijoddha Sangsad KS, and Sheikh Russel KC. Although Ameli played for five different clubs, he continued his outstanding playing with all clubs. Furthermore, he won the league title with two different clubs while achieving runner-up for two clubs. Aminul Haque Aminul Haque is considered as the "Greatest Goalkeeper of All Time of Bangladesh." Aminul started his football career with Mohammedan in 1994. However, he could not make the first eleven. Eventually, he left Mohammedan and joined Farashganj after trying with Mohammedan for two years. Later, Aminul played for Muktijoddha, Brothers Union, and Mohammedan. His incredible performance in 2004 drew attention to English Premier League football club Newcastle United, and they offered him to play. Unfortunately, the deal did not see the ray of hope due to miscommunication. However, he played for several international clubs in Malaysia, India, and Saudi Arabia. He showed some heroic performances for the national team. Aminul's most notable national appearance is against the Maldives at the finals of the 2003 SAFF Championship.  Read: How Can Bangladesh directly qualify for the world cup 2023? Biplob Bhattacharya Biplob started his career at 18 as a goalkeeper, who then served as goalkeeping coach. His club debut was with Arambagh KS in 1997, and he played six years before joining the Brothers Union in 2004. Later, he also played with Mohammedan, Abahani, and Sheikh Russel. In his first season, his fabulous performance with Arambagh landed him on the Bangladesh national football team in early 1997, and he played for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Later he played at the 2003 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup. Further, he also appeared in many games for Bangladesh. Alfaz Ahmed Alfaz Ahmed had a long football career for years and is considered one of the finest Bangaddeshi strikers. He shined for both the national team and club games. His performance in 1995-1996 awarded him the "AFC's player of the month" as he scored four goals, including a hattrick in the AFC Cup. Alfaz also made several appearances for the national team, notably in Grand Royal Challenge Cup in Myanmar in 1995, then SAFF Games in Nepal in 1999, and 2003 South Asian Football Federation Gold Cup. Mamunul Islam Mamunul is the new sensation of Bangladesh' football. Born in 1988, Mamunul is playing for Dhaka Abahani Limited and on the active roster in the national football team. So far, he achieved five league titles with three different clubs. However, Mamunul Islam debuted with the Brothers Union; he played for six different local clubs and one Kolkata's club. However, Mamunul doesn't have any notable performance with the national team. Read The most famous Bangladeshi female athletes of all time. Jamal Bhuyan Jamal Harris Bhuyan is the role model for the current generation who watches football. This Denmark-born Bangladeshi player left his country of birth to play for the Bangladesh national football team and debuted in 2013 in the 2013 SAAF Championship. He is an active player and already contributed enormously to Bangladesh's football. With Jamal's help, Bangladesh reached the round of 16 in the 2018 Asian Games and which is the first time Bangladesh made the knockout stage in the Asian games. Bottom Line Bangladesh has passed its golden days in football. And it seems those days become a history that will not come back anytime soon. Still, we hope football will come back to life again. This is the wish that the football stadium will be full to the brim again. Read How to become a professional footballer in Bangladesh: An overall guideline.

Germany midfielder Toni Kroos said it was “wrong” that Qatar was awarded next year’s World Cup and added that it could be appropriate to highlight human rights issues during the tournament. Kroos’ comments go beyond the criticism from several national teams, including Germany and Norway, which tried to draw attention to human rights issues ahead of recent World Cup qualifying matches. “For this tournament to be awarded there, I consider that wrong,” Kroos said on a podcast released Tuesday that he hosts with his brother. Kroos flagged up the working conditions for migrant workers, saying they were often “working without breaks, sometimes in 50-degree (Celsius) heat” without enough drinking water. He also noted anti-gay laws in the country and Qatar being ”not a soccer country.” Kroos, who was on the German team which won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, said a boycott campaign was unlikely to have much effect but drawing attention to human rights issues during the tournament could help. Also read: Agreement on new Champions League format delayed until April “You have to ask the question: What would a boycott of a tournament like this bring? Is it really the case that something would drastically improve there? Would the working conditions change? I believe not,” Kroos said. “Rather, I believe that it is important to draw extreme attention to these problems once again, perhaps also maybe in advance of or during a tournament like this, so that maybe something can be improved because of that.” Kroos, who plays for Real Madrid, is not currently with the German team because of injury. Norway began a movement of human rights demonstrations by wearing shirts reading “HUMAN RIGHTS” and “Respect on and off the pitch” before its game against Gibraltar last Wednesday. Germany followed up with its own human rights messages before games, though its players and staff avoided directly criticizing Qatar, and teams like Belgium and the Netherlands have followed.

Sergio Aguero was transferred from Atletico Madrid to Manchester City for a world record fee of 31.5 million pounds in the summer transfer window of 2011. He scored in injury time against QPR in the final Premier League match of the 2012 season and guided Man City to win their first-ever Premier League title. Kun has since become a Manchester City legend. In an official statement, Man City announced that the Argentine forward will leave the club at the end of the 2020-2021 season. In this article, we have mentioned some names who are the hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City. The probable candidates who can replace Man City’s Aguero as a center forward   It will be difficult for Man City to find a striker with the same agility and versatility as Sergio Aguero. However, the Citizens will seek to include one of Europe's best forwards at the moment to replace their most successful goal-scorer ever. Let's take a look at some of the striker names who could succeed Sergio Aguero at Manchester City.   Read: Pro Kabaddi Tournament Could Rejuvenate Bangladesh’s National Sport 6) Philippe Coutinho Philippe Coutinho was bought by FC Barcelona for a record transfer fee from Liverpool in 2018. But Coutinho has struggled to live up to his full potential at the nou camp. The Brazilian forward is going through a tough time since suffering an injury at the start of the season. According to reports, Coutinho is expected to be released by Barcelona next season. No one doubts Coutinho's football ability. Therefore, Manchester City can easily sign 29 years old Coutinho at a low price. Read  Lionel Messi: The Argentine Football Star’s Most Unbreakable Records 5) Joao Felix Joao Felix caught the attention of the major European teams because of his outstanding performances for Portugal in age-level tournaments. Felix was eventually purchased by Atletico Madrid from Benfica in the summer of 2019. But the Portuguese star has yet to reach his full potential. However, he has enough talent to make any European squad. Joao Felix could be Aguero's long-term replacement at Man City. Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade 4) Lautaro Martinez Argentina's Lautaro Martinez has successfully established himself as one of the team's best players after joining Inter Milan in 2018. Having scored nearly 50 goals for Inter so far, Martinez is regarded as one of Europe's best-rising stars. Martinez will be wanted by a lot of teams next season. No doubt, he has been listed as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero by Manchester City. The talented striker may be seen in Pep Guardiola's Man City squad next season if he's available at a reasonable price. Read Top Online Shops to Find Sports Equipment in Bangladesh 3) Paulo Dybala Paulo Dybala has been a household name in world football since joining Juventus in 2015. Since 2017, Dybala has worn the number 10 jersey for Juventus, one of Italy's best players. He has already won several domestic titles for this club. As a result, the 26-year-old Argentine star is ready to take on a new challenge and the Premier League may be an ideal place for him to showcase his talent. So it would not be a surprise if Man City include Sergio Aguero's compatriot Paulo Dybala as a replacement. Read: Summer Window 2021: Five Potential Big Football Transfers 2) Erling Haaland Erling Haaland is the most talked-about young footballer in the world right now. The tall Borussia Dortmund striker stunned everyone by reaching record 20 Champions League goals in the fewest matches (14). The 20-year-old Norwegian striker is in great form in this season's German Bundesliga. All of Europe's big clubs will fight to sign him next season. However, Sources have confirmed that a club has to spend at least 180 million euros to sign this talented striker, which is very expensive in the current COVID-19 situation. Though, Manchester City has no problem spending money. In addition, Haaland's father once played for Man City, so the citizens are quite hopeful to bring him to the Etihad stadium. 1)    Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur and England captain Harry Kane is Manchester City's first choice player to replace Sergio Aguero. Kane will turn 28 in July, but he has yet to win a trophy in his professional career. He has hinted that he may switch club next season in order to win silverware. In the Premier League, Harry Kane has already scored 160 goals. To break Alan Shearer's 260-goal record, he'd have to play for a big English club for at least another five years. In that case, Man City would be the best choice for him.   Read: How Can Bangladesh directly qualify for the world cup 2023? Bottom Line The Argentine forward displayed his true class by scoring two goals and providing one assist in his debut match against Swansea City in 2011. Since then he has scored 256 goals for Manchester City, which is a club record. So far, Sergio Aguero has won four Premier Leagues, one FA Cup, five EFL Cups, and three Community Shields for Man City. Aguero has the most goals (181) by a foreign player in the Premier League, as well as the most hat-tricks (12) in the league history. Manchester City would have a tough time finding a suitable replacement for such a player. However, the above-mentioned players have the talents and are the hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City.  Read Famous Bangladeshi athletes with the most unique records

A decision on the new Champions League format has been delayed until next month after hitting a late stumbling block over how the commercial and broadcasting rights will be sold to European football's elite competition. UEFA hoped to use an executive committee meeting on Wednesday to ratify the expansion of the group stage from 32 to 36 teams, jumping from six to 10 rounds of matches from 2024. There is broad agreement between European clubs and domestic leagues on the new format after years of wrangling. But UEFA has to resolve the broad details with the European Club Association over the creation of a joint venture to sell rights to the Champions League, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Clubs will gain a say only in the marketing and television rights sales of the competition, leaving UEFA to still control the sporting and governance aspects, the person said on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential talks. UEFA wants a minimum guarantee of revenue to protect its financial position, while also taking a 6.5% cut of the cash generated by the joint venture that would replace Switzerland-based agency TEAM Marketing, which has had exclusive rights from UEFA to sell the Champions League since 1992. The Champions League currently shares almost 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) each season among 32 clubs, who are split into eight groups of four to start with. The new format will add 100 games as a 36-team single-standings league is created, adding in four more clubs from the current format. That would guarantee 10 games for each of the 36 teams, against 10 different opponents with balanced schedules based on seedings. The current format consists of six group games against three opponents. The top eight teams would advance to the round of 16. The next best 16 teams would enter a two-leg playoff to complete the bracket. The tournament would also play matches for the first time on Thursdays which has previously been reserved for the Europa League. While the second-tier competition is envisaged to stay at 32 teams, it is also set to adopt a variation of the "Swiss System" format from chess tournaments. So the number of rounds in the group stage would rise from six to eight. UEFA confirmed the future of club competitions from 2024 would still be discussed at the executive committee meeting on Wednesday. "However, any official decision in this respect will only be made at the next UEFA executive committee meeting on 19 April, in order to finalize ongoing discussions," the governing body said in a statement. European Leagues president Lars-Christer Olsson said last week he received "guarantees that no clubs are taking over the club competitions from UEFA" during a conversation with the governing body's leadership. "It's UEFA club competitions and they will always have the final say," Olsson said. "That is not handed over to any other body for decision making."

Sepp Blatter was banned for a second time by FIFA on Wednesday for financial wrongdoing, seven months before the 85-year-old former president's first ban expires. Blatter has recently been in poor health and was put in an induced coma for one week after undergoing heart surgery in December, at the time when FIFA was deciding his case. FIFA said its ethics committee banned both Blatter and former secretary general Jérôme Valcke for six years and eight months for self-dealing in awarding themselves contractual bonuses worth millions of dollars, mostly linked to staging World Cups. The charges against both men under the FIFA code of ethics included conflicts of interest, receiving gifts and breach of their duty of loyalty. Valcke was also charged with abuse of office. Wednesday’s verdicts added to a slew of ongoing legal activity connecting the past and present leaderships of soccer’s governing body. Also read: FIFA files criminal complaint against Blatter over museum Both Blatter and Valcke, who also face criminal proceedings in Switzerland and deny wrongdoing, will start serving the new bans when their current ones expire. Blatter and Valcke were previously banned for six years and 10 years, respectively, in separate cases. Blatter's first ban expires in October and Valcke's initial ban will be served in October 2025. Both appealed against their first bans at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and can also go to the Lausanne court to challenge the latest sanctions. In the new case, both men were each fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.07 million) and ordered to pay within 30 days. It is unclear what power FIFA has to enforce payment. FIFA's allegations of self-dealing in bonus payments led to former finance director Markus Kattner being banned for 10 years last year. Also read: Robert Lewandowski wins FIFA award as best men's player Lawyers acting for FIFA detailed the allegations in June 2016 against the former top officials. They spoke then of “a coordinated effort ... to enrich themselves through annual salary increases, World Cup bonuses, and other incentives totaling more than 79 million Swiss francs (84.5 million).” The investigations against Blatter, Valcke and Kattner were opened in September 2016 when the ethics committee was run by officials appointed in 2012 and later ousted by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Blatter’s lawyers argued last November the case should not proceed with officials appointed during Infantino's presidency. They said “all members of the FIFA Ethics Committee are institutionally biased and lack independence in relation to the FIFA Council and FIFA President.” Decisions were taken by three ethics judges more than three months ago on Dec. 17, according to the verdicts published Wednesday. Blatter, Valcke and Kattner are currently under investigation by Swiss federal prosecutors, while Infantino has been targeted by a special prosecutor asked by lawmakers to assess criminal complaints filed against former attorney general Michael Lauber. FIFA filed a separate criminal complaint against Blatter last December before it was revealed he was in a hospital in Zurich. FIFA asked Zurich canton prosecutors to look at the financing of its soccer museum in the city — a pet project of Blatter that opened in 2016 after he was replaced by Infantino. Blatter and Michel Platini, Infantino's former boss at European soccer body UEFA, have been questioned several times by Swiss federal prosecutors in a criminal proceeding they face. Both deny wrongdoing regarding $2 million in payments Blatter authorized to Platini in 2011 for work as an advisor a decade earlier. That allegation led to both being banned by the FIFA ethics committee in 2015. Also read: FIFA President seeks speedy, complete recovery of Salahuddin FIFA has filed a civil action in Switzerland to try to recover the money from Platini. Valcke was acquitted last October of charges of accepting bribes and criminal mismanagement while at FIFA. He was found guilty of a lesser charge of forging documents. Swiss prosecutors have appealed against the verdicts of the federal criminal court, which also saw Qatari soccer and broadcasting executive Nasser al-Khelaifi acquitted of inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.

 

Much like they did with cable in the 1980s and satellite television in the 1990s, the NFL on Thursday made another significant transition in the way its games are viewed.

Bangladesh football star Rahmat Mia tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and he missed a flight to Nepal where the Bangladesh national football team is flying to play a three-team tournament.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has come out of international retirement at the age of 39 and is set to play for Sweden for the first time since the 2016 European Championship.