United News of Bangladesh

Lionel Messi and defending champions Argentina will take on Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final, a highly anticipated clash between one of football’s greatest individual talents and the sport’s most dominant team in recent years. Messi, who rarely finds himself on the losing side, will lead Argentina against a Spain team that has gone unbeaten in 37 consecutive matches since early 2024. The final is expected to provide a fitting conclusion to the biggest World Cup in history. For Spain, the match offers an opportunity to win a second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph and further establish themselves as the leading force in international football. Argentina, meanwhile, are aiming to become the first men’s team to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil achieved the feat under Pele in 1958 and 1962. For Messi, the final could represent his last appearance in the national team’s famous blue-and-white jersey, giving him another chance to complete a remarkable international career. “On Sunday, we will watch a great show,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “Two great national teams — two superteams, in my opinion — very similar in some aspects in terms of attitude and talent. I think it’s going to be an amazing final.” The contest has often been described as a battle between the world’s best player and the world’s best team, but the storyline goes far beyond that. Messi’s connection with Spain The final carries special significance for Messi, who was born in Argentina but spent much of his youth and entire club career in Spain. He could have represented Spain internationally, and Spanish officials attempted several times to convince him to choose their national team. However, Messi remained committed to Argentina. Sunday’s match will be his first encounter with Spain since a 2010 friendly when Argentina defeated the then-world champions. Despite the enormous pressure, Messi said he would approach the final in the same way he has always played football — with joy and passion. “We grew up playing soccer with passion, eager to play,” Messi said. “We played everywhere. We played on the street, at school and with teams. We didn’t think about pressure. It was just natural play.” The final will also feature a unique connection between Messi and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. The two players were photographed together nearly two decades ago when Yamal was an infant, and they will now meet on football’s biggest stage. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni described Messi as “the best footballer that the world has seen,” saying the forward had become a symbol of football history. Messi’s remarkable comeback with Argentina A decade ago, Argentina’s current success seemed unlikely. Messi briefly retired from international football in 2016 after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalties, with Messi missing one of the spot kicks. His retirement lasted only a few weeks, and he returned to continue leading Argentina. Since then, the team has won the Copa America in 2021, the World Cup in 2022 and another Copa America title in 2024. The 39-year-old forward has also continued to shine at club level, playing for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. He remains a key figure in Major League Soccer and is still capable of producing decisive moments. “He is pure history. History. A legend,” Scaloni said. Spain chasing defensive record Spain enter the final as favourites after producing one of the strongest defensive performances in World Cup history. La Roja have conceded only one goal in their first seven matches and have never fallen behind during the tournament. Argentina, in contrast, have spent more than 100 minutes trailing, including stoppage time. Only three previous champions — Spain in 2010, Italy in 2006 and France in 1998 — won the World Cup after conceding just two goals throughout the tournament. Spain’s current defensive record puts them on course to match or surpass that achievement. Spain captain Rodri warned that Argentina are much more than just Messi. “Argentina is far more than Messi,” Rodri said. “They have proven they are a very complete team with top players. We are the best two teams playing collectively as a group. Of course, we need to be mindful of Leo, but there are many other players.” The final will be the 104th and last match of a tournament featuring 48 teams across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The World Cup was also marked by controversies, including political tensions surrounding Iran’s participation, criticism over FIFA’s decision to overturn the red-card suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun after intervention from President Donald Trump, and calls from the British government for an investigation into Argentina players’ actions involving the Falkland Islands after their semifinal victory over England. However, the tournament will ultimately end with the familiar scene of one team celebrating and another suffering heartbreak. “They have their strengths. So do we,” Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said. “I hope it will be a final that goes down in history.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino travelled nearly 60,000 miles and spent more than 100 hours in the air while moving across North America during the 2026 World Cup, the most geographically spread-out edition of football’s biggest tournament. Infantino travelled extensively across the United States, Canada and Mexico for matches, meetings and official events as the tournament was held across three countries, 16 cities and four time zones. The competition will conclude with Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain in New Jersey. An analysis by The Associated Press of flight records of a private jet used by Infantino in recent years, along with photographs and social media posts, found that the FIFA president’s journey during the tournament covered enough distance to circle the Earth nearly two and a half times. Infantino’s extensive travel was made possible through access to a Gulfstream G650 aircraft from the Qatari government’s fleet. The plane is operated by Qatar Airways’ private charter division, with the airline being one of the sponsors of the World Cup. According to flight-tracking data from FlightAware, the aircraft began its tournament journey with a June 9 flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City ahead of the opening match. Since then, it averaged more than one flight per day, with several days involving more than three flights. Apart from attending matches, Infantino’s schedule included visits to New York for a Fox & Friends interview and Miami for a FIFA summit involving representatives from the organization’s 211 member associations. He also travelled to Doha to attend the funeral of Qatar’s former emir before returning to the United States for the World Cup semifinals. FIFA did not respond to requests for comments regarding Infantino’s travel arrangements. By the time the final is played, Infantino is expected to have attended 43 World Cup matches. Flight records showed that the jet was scheduled to travel from New Jersey to Miami for the third-place playoff between England and France but the trip was cancelled due to weather-related delays at New York-area airports. The FIFA president visited all 16 stadiums hosting World Cup matches, with Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium being his most frequent destination, where he watched five games. Infantino attended two matches on 13 different days, often travelling between venues hundreds of miles apart. The private jet used 21 airports during the tournament, mostly major international airports in host cities but also smaller aviation facilities. The aircraft crossed international borders 23 times within North America before the semifinals. The jet accumulated around 115 hours of flight time during the tournament, excluding repositioning flights and a 29-hour trip to Qatar for the funeral. The total flight time was equivalent to nearly five days in the air. The longest journey, excluding the Qatar trip, was a five-hour and 44-minute flight from Miami to Seattle, where Infantino attended the Belgium-Egypt match on June 15. The shortest trip was a 28-minute flight from Seattle to Vancouver on July 6. Infantino watched the United States-Belgium match in Seattle before travelling to Vancouver to attend another game the following day. The aircraft travelled 59,281 miles (95,403 kilometres) during the tournament, according to AP’s analysis. The distance exceeded the combined length of round trips between New York and Singapore, Los Angeles and Doha, and London and Perth. The busiest travel day came on June 26, when the aircraft covered 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometres). The journey included flights from Miami to Dallas, then Seattle, before returning to Miami the following morning. Infantino’s travel has also drawn attention because FIFA has pledged to cut carbon emissions linked to the World Cup and related activities by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. Environmental groups and climate researchers have warned that the expanded 2026 World Cup, involving three countries and extensive air travel for teams, supporters and officials, could become the most carbon-intensive edition of the tournament in history.

US President Donald Trump is preparing to hand over the FIFA World Cup trophy to the winners of Monday’s final between Argentina and Spain, but he believes the tournament itself has delivered a major victory for the United States. “Turns out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” Trump said Friday at a FIFA event at Trump Tower in New York. “This has really brought the world together.” The White House views the final match as the conclusion of more than a year of preparations and coordination with co-hosts Canada and Mexico for what is expected to be the largest World Cup ever held. However, the tournament faced several challenges, including concerns over the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies that affected entry for fans and officials from some qualifying nations. Human rights organizations had raised concerns, while the competition also faced criticism over expensive ticket prices. Trump had previously suggested relocating matches from cities that did not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Local officials and FIFA also clashed over transportation costs in the weeks leading up to the tournament. The administration continued to face international criticism over visa decisions, including the denial of entry to a Somali referee who had received praise for his officiating. Tensions increased further after the United States launched military action against Iran, forcing officials to deal with the Iranian team’s participation as some fans and staff members were unable to enter the country. The team was eventually based in Tijuana, Mexico. Despite the controversies, the narrative surrounding the tournament changed as millions of fans shared positive experiences of American culture and hospitality on social media. Concerns about possible immigration raids near venues also failed to materialize. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said the tournament had exceeded expectations by creating not only memorable sporting moments but also significant cultural exchanges. “We are not just talking about incredible athletic achievements on the field, but also these incredible cultural moments,” Giuliani told The Associated Press. Trump, however, remained involved in one controversy during the tournament after calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a disputed referee decision during the United States’ match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The referee had issued a red card to US forward Folarin Balogun, ruling him out of the following game against Belgium. FIFA later overturned the decision. Trump praised Infantino during Friday’s reception, saying the reversal was a “great decision,” although the US eventually lost 4-1 to Belgium. Giuliani defended the administration’s intervention, saying officials had a responsibility to raise concerns about the review process. He also highlighted billions of dollars in federal investment to ensure the tournament was secure and fairly conducted. The successful hosting of the World Cup was considered important for the United States as the country prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The US is also widely expected to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Giuliani said ensuring that “women and only women” compete in the tournament would be part of the hosting process, reflecting the Trump administration’s opposition to transgender women participating in women’s sports. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey, whose state will host Monday’s final, said the tournament’s positive atmosphere had outweighed logistical problems, including occasional transportation issues. The World Cup also took place amid political tensions between the United States and its co-hosts Canada and Mexico. Trump had imposed tariffs on both countries and decided not to extend a regional trade agreement, leading to new negotiations. On Friday, Trump again threatened tariffs on Canada over wildfire-related air pollution affecting parts of the US, joking that FIFA should choose the United States as host again — “this time, we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out.” Despite the tensions, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are expected to attend the final after receiving invitations from Trump. Trump, following World Cup tradition for host nation leaders, will present the trophy after the final but has not publicly revealed which team he supports. Spain has had disagreements with Trump over issues including NATO defense spending and US military operations against Iran. Meanwhile, Argentine President Javier Milei has maintained close ties with Trump and his administration. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is scheduled to attend Sunday’s final, while Milei will remain in Argentina, citing superstition.

A photograph taken nearly two decades ago showing a young Lionel Messi bathing an infant Lamine Yamal has taken on extraordinary significance ahead of Monday's FIFA World Cup final, where the two football stars will face each other for the sport's biggest prize. The now-iconic images, captured in 2007 by Barcelona-based freelance photographer Joan Monfort for a charity calendar organised by local newspaper Sport and UNICEF, have resurfaced as Argentina prepare to meet Spain in the final. Monfort said he never imagined the photo shoot would become one of football's most remarkable stories. "I never believed in destiny, but this is beyond explanation," he told The Associated Press from Barcelona. The photos came about after Yamal's mother won a raffle that allowed families from Mataro, near Barcelona, to take part in the charity project. By chance, her infant son was paired with Messi, then a rising Barcelona star.  

Argentina and England will reignite one of international football’s most storied rivalries when they face off in the FIFA World Cup semifinals on Thursday at 1:00 am, with a place in Monday’s final against Spain at stake. The semifinal in Atlanta brings together two of the sport’s traditional powerhouses, whose World Cup clashes over the decades have produced some of football’s most memorable and controversial moments. England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the significance of the fixture, describing both national teams as iconic and their previous encounters as deeply embedded in football history. The rivalry stretches back to the 1960s, but gained greater intensity during the 1966 World Cup quarterfinal when England defeated Argentina 1-0 in a heated contest that saw Argentine captain Antonio Rattin sent off. England went on to lift its only World Cup title that year. Twenty years later, Argentina gained revenge in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, where Diego Maradona inspired a 2-1 victory with his infamous "Hand of God" goal and a remarkable solo effort widely regarded as one of the greatest goals in World Cup history. Argentina eventually won the tournament. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Maradona’s famous second goal remains one of football’s most unforgettable moments and continues to inspire generations of fans. The rivalry continued in 1998 when England midfielder David Beckham was sent off during a round-of-16 defeat on penalties after an incident involving Argentina’s Diego Simeone. Beckham later found redemption by scoring the decisive penalty in England’s 1-0 group-stage victory over Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, contributing to Argentina’s early elimination. Despite the history between the teams, Tuchel said his focus has been on preparing his players for the match itself rather than dwelling on past encounters. Both teams have faced difficult paths to the last four. Defending champions Argentina survived tough knockout matches against Cape Verde and Egypt before overcoming a 10-man Switzerland side 3-1 after extra time in the quarterfinals. England also had to battle through adversity, coming from behind to defeat DR Congo and Norway before edging co-host Mexico 3-2 in an exhausting round-of-16 contest despite playing part of the match with 10 men. Argentina captain Lionel Messi has once again been central to his team's campaign, scoring eight goals and contributing key assists. England, meanwhile, has relied heavily on captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham. Both players have scored six goals during the tournament, with Bellingham netting twice in each of England’s previous two matches. The winner of Thursday’s semifinal will face Spain in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Monday.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached the semifinal stage with four former champions—Argentina, Spain, France and England—remaining in contention, setting up two high-profile encounters between the world's top-ranked teams. France will take on Spain in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, while defending champions Argentina face England in Atlanta on Thursday, with the winners advancing to the final. According to FIFA's latest rankings, the four semifinalists entered the tournament as the world's top four teams. It is also the first time since the 1990 World Cup that all four semifinalists are previous world champions. The Argentina-England clash revives one of football's fiercest rivalries, shaped by decades of memorable World Cup encounters. Their history includes England's controversial 1966 quarterfinal victory, Diego Maradona's iconic "Hand of God" goal in Argentina's 1986 triumph, Argentina's penalty shootout win in 1998, and England's 1-0 group-stage victory in 2002 through David Beckham's penalty. France and Spain, meanwhile, renew a growing rivalry after Spain defeated France 2-1 in the semifinals of Euro 2024 before going on to win the continental title. France, led by Kylian Mbappe, has impressed throughout the World Cup with its attacking strength, while Spain has relied on late goals and resilience despite injury concerns. The race for the tournament's Golden Boot also remains wide open. Lionel Messi of Argentina and France's Mbappe jointly lead the scoring chart with eight goals each. England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have scored six goals apiece, while France's Ousmane Dembele has five and Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal has four. Messi, playing what is widely expected to be his final World Cup at the age of 39, is also chasing another milestone. He has scored 21 goals across World Cup tournaments, one more than Mbappe, and is aiming to lead Argentina to back-to-back world titles—a feat last achieved by Brazil in 1958 and 1962. With four football powerhouses still in the hunt and several of the game's biggest stars on display, the semifinals promise two of the tournament's most anticipated matches.

Senegal has sacked national football team head coach Pape Thiaw following the team's exit from the FIFA World Cup in the round of 16, the Senegalese Football Federation announced on Sunday. In a statement, the federation said Thiaw's entire technical staff had also been relieved of their duties after an assessment of the team's recent performances and future prospects. "The Executive Committee believes that a change is necessary in the interest of Senegalese football," the federation said. Thiaw, 45, took charge of the national team in 2024. Earlier this year, he guided Senegal to what initially appeared to be a continental title in Morocco, but the triumph was later overturned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Senegal has since sought to challenge the decision through the Court of Arbitration. Senegal's World Cup campaign ended in the round of 16 after a dramatic defeat to Belgium, despite holding a 2-0 lead until the 83rd minute. The West African side had also faced a difficult group-stage campaign, suffering defeats to France and Norway before advancing to the knockout stage.

FIFA has begun selling pieces of the pitch that will be used in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, offering fans a chance to own a souvenir from the tournament for $450 per piece. The collectible, available through FIFA's official online store, contains an authentic fragment of the grass from the July 19 final, preserved in premium acrylic and accompanied by a USB keepsake. According to FIFA, each turf segment measures 17.5 by 17.5 by 17.5, although the governing body has not specified whether the measurements are in inches, centimetres or millimetres. Promoting the item, FIFA described it as a unique collectible celebrating one of football's biggest events. The organisation said the acrylic display includes an authenticity film and is packaged in a premium presentation box designed for collectors and football enthusiasts. Orders will be shipped only after the World Cup final, and delivery is currently limited to addresses in the United States and Europe. The sale comes as FIFA has faced criticism over the high cost of tickets for the expanded World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. MetLife Stadium, the venue for the final, has also drawn criticism from players and coaches over the quality of its playing surface. The stadium normally uses artificial turf for NFL games involving the New York Giants and New York Jets. FIFA is also selling standard tickets for the World Cup final for as much as $32,970, while hospitality packages that include food and beverages are priced at $34,500 and $32,500.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the Argentine Football Association's (AFA) financial activities in the United States over allegations of possible money laundering, according to a report by Argentine daily La Nacion. The report said investigators are examining how the AFA, headed by president Claudio Tapia, transferred funds through the U.S. financial system and whether any criminal activity was involved. The investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Argentine football following the country's controversial 3-2 victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, a match that drew criticism over several refereeing decisions. According to La Nacion, Florida-based TourProdEnter LLC, which reportedly manages the AFA's financial operations abroad, is also under investigation. The newspaper claimed that documents it reviewed showed TourProdEnter LLC handled at least US$260 million in AFA revenue through accounts at five U.S. financial institutions — Citibank, Synovus, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and PNC Bank. While part of the funds could be linked to identifiable operating expenses, the report alleged that approximately US$57 million was transferred to various companies and beneficiaries without any apparent economic justification. It further claimed that tens of millions of dollars were wired to companies that appeared to provide no identifiable services and were controlled by individuals who, according to official records cited by the newspaper, received social welfare benefits and lived in Bariloche or Buenos Aires. The FBI has not publicly commented on the reported investigation, and no formal charges related to the alleged money laundering have been announced. Tapia has previously faced legal and political scrutiny. In March, he was charged with tax evasion and has also been involved in an ongoing dispute with Argentine President Javier Milei over the ownership structure of the country's football clubs. Neither the AFA nor TourProdEnter LLC has publicly responded to the latest allegations.

The race for the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals continues on Tuesday with two final round-of-16 matches, headlined by a much-anticipated showdown between Argentina captain Lionel Messi and Egypt star Mohamed Salah in Atlanta. The winner of the clash will move a step closer to the title, while the losing side will see its World Cup campaign come to an end. The knockout stage has already featured several standout performances from football's biggest stars. France, inspired by Kylian Mbappé, secured a place in the last eight, while Norway advanced behind Erling Haaland. England also booked a quarterfinal berth after edging Mexico 3-2, whereas Portugal exited the tournament following a 1-0 defeat to Spain in what was Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup appearance. Defending champions Argentina enter Tuesday's match led by Messi, who continues to impress at the age of 39. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored seven goals in four matches, matching Mbappé and Haaland in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot. Messi has also extended his record by scoring in eight consecutive World Cup matches dating back to Argentina's title-winning campaign in 2022, taking his overall World Cup tally to 20 goals. Egypt, meanwhile, will rely heavily on Mohamed Salah, who has long been the face of the country's football. The Liverpool forward has scored three World Cup goals, one shy of the Egyptian national team's all-time international scoring record held by current coach Hossam Hassan. Salah has already helped Egypt reach new milestones by guiding the Pharaohs to their first-ever World Cup group-stage victory and their maiden knockout-stage win after eliminating Australia in a penalty shootout. Neither Messi nor Salah has confirmed whether they will continue playing international football after the tournament, adding further significance to Tuesday's encounter. In the day's other last-16 fixture, Switzerland will take on Colombia in Vancouver. Colombia will become the only team to have played matches in all three host nations — Mexico, the United States and Canada — during this expanded World Cup. Colombia reached the knockout stage after victories over Uzbekistan, Congo and Ghana, while Switzerland advanced by defeating Algeria 2-0 for its first World Cup knockout win since 1938. However, the Swiss could be without several key players, with Johan Manzambi, Ruben Vargas and Djibril Sow all facing fitness concerns after cutting short Monday's training session. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni warned against underestimating Egypt, noting that several traditional football powers have already been eliminated in an unpredictable tournament. "This World Cup has shown there are no clear favorites," Scaloni said, recalling Argentina's hard-fought extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the previous round. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan also expressed confidence ahead of the match, insisting his side is capable of producing another upset. The winner of Argentina-Egypt will face the victor of the Switzerland-Colombia match in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Kansas City. France, Belgium, Spain, Norway and England have already secured their places in the last eight. Round of 16 schedule (BD time): Tuesday, July 7: — Argentina vs. Egypt, 10:00pm in Atlanta Wednesday, July 8: — Switzerland vs. Colombia, 2:00am in Vancouver, British Columbia Quarterfinals schedule Friday, July 10: — Morocco vs. France, 2:00am in Foxborough, Massachusetts Saturday, July 11: — Spain vs. Belgium, 1:00am in Inglewood, California Sunday, July 12: — Norway vs. England, 3:00am in Miami Gardens, Florida — Argentina-Egypt winner vs. Switzerland-Colombia winner, 7:00am in Kansas City, Missouri