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Manchester United's Bulgarian striker Di

Berbatov thought he would die during kidnapping

Former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov has relived a frightening ordeal from the very early days of his career back home in Bulgaria, when he believed he was being kidnapped by a rival club and might be threatened with violence if he refused to join them. The situation was eventually resolved without that happening, but it made him realise he needed to grow up fast.

Spain v Bulgaria - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

A sign of what's to come? Spain match record set by World Cup-winning team

The Spain national team equalled their record of 29 unbeaten games in competitive matches following a dominant 4-0 victory over Bulgaria yesterday. Luis de la Fuente’s side matched the milestone previously set by Vicente del Bosque’s World Cup-winning Spain team, with Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino scoring twice to seal the win. Spain achieved the result despite the absence of key players such as Lamine Yamal and captain Alvaro Morata.

Spain v Bulgaria - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Merino grabs brace as Spain edge towards World Cup

Mikel Merino was Spain's difference-maker as the Arsenal star scored two headed goals to fire La Roja to an emphatic 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bulgaria at the Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla. Debutant Atanas Chernev put through his own net to all but secure the result, before Mikel Oyarzabal struck home a stoppage-time penalty to round off the scoring. The result edges Spain closer to history, marking their 29th competitive game unbeaten - equalling the record of their world champion generation.

Manchester United v Arsenal - Premier League

'Mr Manchester United' passes away aged 62 as club honour fan

A man famously named 'Mr Manchester United' has passed away aged 62, it has been confirmed. The Bulgarian construction worker previously known as Marin Zdravkov Lavidzhov had his name legally changed to Manchester United and became iconic for having the club crest tattooed to his forehead. He was inspired to support the Red Devils following their dramatic victory in the 1999 Champions League final, which secured the treble under Sir Alex Ferguson, and was a super-fan ever since.

Frequently asked questions

A group of workers from the Woolwich Arsenal Armanent Factory, who called themselves Dial Square, formed a football team in 1886. They would later rename themselves to Royal Arsenal in the same year. In 1893, the club was renamed to Woolwich Arsenal, before finally being named just Arsenal in 1919, six years after they moved to Highbury.

American billionaire Enos Stanley Kroenke is the owner of Arsenal, purchasing the club via Arsenal Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE).

The Emirates Stadium is the name of Arsenal's stadium. It has been the team's home ground since 2006, replacing Highbury, which served as Arsenal's home venue from 1913.

The Emirates Stadium has a capacity of 60,704 and is among the UK's biggest football venues.

Arsenal have won 48 trophies till date, including 13 league titles and a record 14 FA Cups.

Arsenal have 13 English top flight titles to their name, making them the third-most successful team behind Man Utd and Liverpool. They, however, won their last title over two decades ago.

London-born Irish defender David O'Leary sits at the top of the list for most Arsenal appearances in history. O'Leary spent 18 years at the club and made 722 appearances in all competitions, ahead of Tony Adams, George Armstrong, and Lee Dixon.

Thierry Henry is Arsenal's leading goalscorer of all-time with 228 goals in 377 games. No other Arsenal player has scored over 200 goals for the club, with Ian Wright sitting in second place (185 goals in 288 games).

Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Dennis Bergkamp, Mesut Ozil, Robert Pires, and Robin van Persie are among the popular footballing names to have played for Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery, George Graham, and Herbert Chapman are among the biggest names to have been in charge of Arsenal throughout their notable history.

Arsenal have a pretty unique nickname, called The Gunners. This nickname is a reference to the club's origins in the late 19th century, when a group of workers from the Royal Arsenal armanent factory in Woolwich formed the club. That's also the reason why the Arsenal badge includes a cannon.