United News of Bangladesh

Brazil has been forced to make a late change to its World Cup squad after right back Wesley was ruled out with a thigh injury less than a week before the team's opening match against Morocco. The Brazilian Football Confederation said on Sunday that Wesley suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh during Brazil’s friendly against Egypt in Cleveland on Saturday. Medical scans later confirmed the injury was serious enough to end his World Cup campaign. "Wesley is a player who is highly valued by the squad and will always remain part of this team striving to win a sixth world title," the confederation said in a statement. Midfielder Éderson, 26, has been called up as Wesley’s replacement and is expected to join the 26-man squad in the United States. Brazil will begin its World Cup group-stage campaign on Saturday at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Meanwhile, concerns remain over the fitness of veteran forward Neymar. The 34-year-old did not travel with the team to Cleveland and is currently sidelined with a calf injury.

Alexander Zverev captured his maiden Grand Slam title on Sunday, defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller to win the French Open at Roland Garros. The third-seeded German secured a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 victory in more than four hours to claim the first major title of his career in his fourth Grand Slam final. With top rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz absent from the final, Zverev made the most of the opportunity on the Paris clay. The 28-year-old sealed the victory when Cobolli missed an overhead shot on the second championship point. Overcome with emotion, Zverev fell to the court and celebrated his long-awaited breakthrough. Receiving the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, Zverev dedicated the triumph to years of perseverance, recalling both his success and heartbreak at Roland Garros. “This court is so special to me,” he said after the match, referring to the serious ankle injury he suffered during the 2022 French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal and his defeat in the 2024 final. Zverev now joins a select group of players who won their first Grand Slam title in their fourth major final, including Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanisevic and Dominic Thiem. The victory marks a significant milestone for Zverev, who had long been regarded as one of the best players yet to win a Grand Slam title.

Tamim Iqbal, the former national team captain, was elected president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday night, formalizing his rise to the sport’s top office. Following an internal vote by the newly formed 23-member director panel, Tamim transitioned from his role as the head of the interim ad-hoc committee into the board's chief executive position. His path to the presidency was paved by a landslide win in the Category-2 club elections, where he secured 73 of the 76 available votes. While the result was widely anticipated, the lead-up to the election was marked by intense controversy and claims of systemic engineering. Critics and media outlets raised alarms over a clear conflict of interest, noting that seven of the eleven members on the ad-hoc committee—the very group charged with ensuring a neutral vote—were themselves running for board seats. Public frustration was equally palpable, as the interim administration faced widespread ridicule. The board was frequently labeled the "Baper Doa Cricket Board"—a satirical jab implying nepotism—due to the inclusion of influential ministers' children who arrived at their posts without any background in sports administration. This deep-seated political backing effectively hollowed out the election’s democratic core. Competition was scarce, with seven of the ten regional director spots decided without a single vote cast, fueling widespread allegations of backroom deal-making and pressure from powerful government quarters. Regarding the broader election results, the Category-2 club race saw 12 directors elected from a pool of 16 candidates. Four hopefuls—Major Imroz Ahmed, Faiyazur Rahman, Amjad Hossain, and Syed Borhanul Hossain—failed to secure seats. In the regional Category-1 contests, most races were decided by walkovers, with voting restricted to the Barisal and Khulna divisions. Mizanur Rahman, owner of the BPL franchise Fortune Barishal, defeated Muntasir Alam to take the Barisal seat, while Shafiqul Alam and Shantanu Islam claimed the two contested spots in Khulna. Meanwhile, Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir was elected uncontested to Category-3, which represents universities and institutional bodies. The incoming board consists of regional representatives Sayeed Bin Zaman, SM Abdullah Al Fuad, Minhajul Abedin, Moin Uddin Chowdhury, Mir Shakrul Alam, Mirza Faisol Amin, and Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury. The club directors joining Tamim include Masuduzzaman, Fahim Sinha, Asif Rabbani, Yasir Mohammad Faisal Ashik, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Israfil Khosru, Rafiqul Islam, Sarkar Mahbub Ahmed Shamim, Shanian Tanim, Saheed Ibrahim Ahmed, and Sakif Ahmed.

Former national team captain Tamim Iqbal secured the highest number of votes to become a director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday. It has placed him as the frontrunner to be elected the board's next president later on Sunday night.  Tamim, who also headed the ad-hoc committee responsible for organizing the election, secured 73 out of 76 possible votes in Category-2 (Dhaka clubs). Sixteen candidates contested the 12 available director posts in this category. The four candidates who lost the club-category race are Major Imroz Ahmed, Faiyazur Rahman, Amjad Hossain, and Syed Borhanul Hossain. The majority of the board’s leadership took office without a contest, as seven out of ten regional director posts in Category-1 were decided uncontested. Voting took place only in the Barisal and Khulna divisions. In Barisal, Fortune Barishal BPL team owner Mizanur Rahman defeated Muntasir Alam to claim the lone director seat. In the Khulna division, where three candidates vied for two spots, Shafiqul Alam and Shantanu Islam won. Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir had already secured his position uncontested in Category-3, which represents universities and various institutions. Following the confirmation of all 23 elected directors, the newly formed panel will cast their votes on Sunday night to elect the next BCB president, a position Tamim is expected to assume. The newly elected BCB director panel features representatives across three distinct categories. In Category-1, which covers regional divisions and districts, Sayeed Bin Zaman and SM Abdullah Al Fuad won seats for Dhaka, while Minhajul Abedin and Moin Uddin Chowdhury secured leadership for Chittagong. Shafiqul Alam and Shantanu Islam claimed the two available spots for Khulna, alongside individual division representatives Mir Shakrul Alam for Rajshahi, Mirza Faisol Amin for Rangpur, Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury for Sylhet, and Mizanur Rahman for Barisal. The highly competitive Category-2, representing the Dhaka clubs, saw twelve directors take office: Tamim Iqbal, Masuduzzaman, Fahim Sinha, Asif Rabbani, Yasir Mohammad Faisal Ashik, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Israfil Khosru, Rafiqul Islam, Sarkar Mahbub Ahmed Shamim, Shanian Tanim, Saheed Ibrahim Ahmed, and Sakif Ahmed. Completing the board's new leadership structure, Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir secured his position as the sole representative for Category-3, which governs universities and institutional bodies.

As the FIFA World Cup draws closer, the legacy of Brazilian football icon Pelé continues to attract visitors to Santos, the coastal city where he built most of his legendary career. Tourists from around the world visit Santos to explore places linked to Pelé, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento. His presence can still be felt across the city through colorful murals, football memorabilia and tributes displayed in public spaces. Among the visitors is 67-year-old Mexican retiree Mario Álvarez Gamiño, who traveled to Santos to learn more about the football legend. "His legacy is very important. His life remains an example for everyone," Álvarez said. He praised Pelé not only for his football skills but also for his humility, describing him as a true genius. Pelé, who died in 2022 at the age of 82, spent most of his career at Santos Futebol Clube between 1956 and 1974. He also helped Brazil win three FIFA World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970, a record that still stands. The city is home to the Pelé Museum, which showcases the football star's life and achievements through trophies, jerseys, photographs and other memorabilia. Museum director Paulo Monteiro said Pelé's name remains closely tied to Santos around the world. "When people from other countries hear the name Santos, the first thing they think of is Pelé," Monteiro said. "After his passing, our responsibility has become even greater. We want to ensure that his legacy remains alive for future generations." Many of Santos' more than 400,000 residents were too young to watch Pelé play, but they still take pride in his connection to the city. Local bar owner Anderson Albino said Pelé continues to bring attention and visitors to Santos. "We see international media and tourists coming here because of Pelé," Albino said. "For those of us who live in Santos, it is a great honor that he played for our club and represented our city."

Iran's national football team will be allowed to enter the United States only on the days of its World Cup matches and must leave the country the same day due to US visa restrictions, according to Iran's ambassador. Speaking to media, Ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh said, “We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day,” citing restrictions imposed on Iranian travelers. Messi absent from friendly win over Honduras due to muscle fatigue The envoy's remarks come as Iran has shifted its World Cup preparations to Mexico, abandoning earlier plans to train in Tucson amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States during the World Cup, including two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, Washington. Tensions in the region intensified after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in late February, setting off a series of retaliatory attacks and contributing to broader instability across the Middle East. In response, Iran carried out strikes against Israel and targeted countries hosting US military bases. It also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important route for global energy supplies. Source: Al Jazeera

Lionel Messi did not play in Argentina’s friendly against Honduras on Saturday night as he continued to manage muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left hamstring ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Messi, who will turn 39 in three weeks, participated in the pre-match warm-up with his teammates at Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M. However, he remained on the bench throughout the match, watching from the sidelines as Argentina secured a 2-0 victory. Messi could return in Argentina warm-ups Argentina has said Messi’s return will depend on his “clinical and functional progress.” The team is scheduled to face Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday in its final World Cup warm-up match before resuming training in Kansas City. The defending champions will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on June 16. During a training session in Kansas City on Wednesday, Messi arrived on the practice field after the rest of the squad and carried out conditioning exercises separately. Widely expected to retire from international football after this summer’s World Cup, Messi holds the record for the most World Cup appearances with 26 matches. He is also four goals away from surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who holds the tournament scoring record with 16 goals.

Lionel Messi could feature in Argentina's World Cup warm-up fixtures as he recovers from a hamstring injury, Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni said on Friday. Messi was diagnosed with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring while playing for Inter Miami in a 6-4 MLS win over Philadelphia on May 24. Scaloni said the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner might be available for Saturday's friendly against Honduras in College Station, Texas, or its final preparatory game against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday. "Leo is doing well," Scaloni told reporters. "He trained for a while with the main group, which is important. He's not fully recovered, but he's coming along. He may get some minutes in these two friendlies. We'll see if it's the one tomorrow or the next one. But he's doing a lot better and that gives us peace of mind." Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Nico Paz and Gonzalo Montiel also trained separately as they recover from minor injuries. Scaloni said he would seek to replace any players that are not 100% fit before the tournament. "It may happen," he said. "Today we have the feeling that the guys are doing well, but what we're completely sure of is that if any one of them is not available, they'll be left out." "We have that clear. For now, they're doing well, but we've been monitoring them. When the decisive stage arrives, which is the final week, where they have to ramp up to see if they are 100%, that's when we'll decide, even though it'll hurt a lot if any one of the guys has to be left out." Argentina will start its World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Austria and Jordan in Group J.  

India regained the South Asian women's football crown on Saturday, defeating holders Bangladesh 3-1 in the SAFF Women’s Championship final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. The defeat shattered Bangladesh's hopes of a third consecutive title, ending their brief regional dominance and handing India a record sixth championship. Bangladesh head coach Peter Butler shook up his starting lineup for the decider, bringing in star forwards Tohura Khatun and Shamsunnahar Junior. Both teams squandered early chances in a high-tempo opening before India broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute. Pyari Xaxa pounced on a defensive lapse to hit a strike that deflected off defender Suravi Akter Afrin, looping over an advanced Mile Akter in goal. Bangladesh struck back deep into first-half injury time. Winger Ritu Porna Chakma collected a sharp pass from Tohura, cut inside from the left flank, and hit a low diagonal shot past the Indian goalkeeper to equalize. It was the first goal India conceded in the entire tournament. However, the momentum shifted back to India just 48 seconds after the restart. Sanfida Nongrum got ahead of the Bangladeshi defense to meet a cross from Xaxa, directing a powerful header into the net. Butler tried to spark a recovery by introducing Monika Chakma for Anika Rania Siddika in the 60th minute. Bangladesh then had a strong penalty appeal turned down shortly after when Shamsunnahar Senior went down after a challenge with Malvika in the box. As Bangladesh pushed forward, their defensive shape collapsed. India took full advantage of the disarray in the 83rd minute when Linda Kom Serto slotted home a third goal to wrap up the victory for Crispin Chettri’s side.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva claimed her maiden Grand Slam title on Saturday, defeating Poland’s Maja Chwalinska in straight sets to win the French Open women’s singles crown. The 19-year-old eighth seed secured a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 114th-ranked Polish qualifier in the Roland Garros final. With the triumph, Andreeva became the youngest player to win the French Open women’s singles title since Monica Seles captured her third consecutive crown at the age of 18 in 1992. Andreeva, who emerged as one of tennis’ brightest prospects at the age of 15, completed a dominant run in Paris to lift her first major trophy. Chwalinska, meanwhile, was aiming to make history as the first qualifier to win the French Open women’s singles title but fell short in the championship match. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with the men’s singles final between Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.