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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

Manchester United were founded in 1878, although under a different name at first - Newton Heath LYR. The name Manchester United was born in April 1902, beating alternative suggestions like Manchester Central and Manchester Celtic.

Manchester United are currently co-owned by the Glazer family, as well as INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe. In February, Ratcliffe bought an initial 25% stake in the club, ganing control over all the sporting operations.

Manchester United play their home games at the Old Trafford, which is also known as the 'Theatre Of Dreams' among fans and pundits.

Old Trafford has a capacity of 74,310, making it UK's second-biggest football stadium in terms of capacity (behind Wembley).

Manchester United have an impressive haul of 68 trophies in their prestigious history, which includes 20 league titles, three Champions Leagues, as well as 13 FA Cups.

Manchester United have won a record 20 English top flight titles. They have won 13 titles in the Premier League era, all of them coming under Sir Alex Ferguson. United, though, haven't lifted the Premier League trophy since the 2012-13 season.

With 963 appearances to his name, Ryan Giggs holds the record of making the most appearances for Manchester United. Giggs made his debut for the club in March 1991 and spent his entire professional career, spanning 23 years, at Old Trafford.

Wayne Rooney is Manchester United's all-time top goalscorer with 253 goals in 559 games for the club. He spent 13 years at the club, from 2004 to 2017.

Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, George Best, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Edwin van der Sar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel Di Maria, and Denis Irwin are some of the most famous players to have donned the Manchester United colours.

Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, David Moyes, and Louis van Gaal are among the most famous to have been at the helm at Old Trafford.

Manchester United are famously known as The Red Devils among their fans and rivals alike. The term was introduced by the legendary Sir Matt Busby in the 1960s – after the tragic Munich air disaster – seeking inspiration from a local rugby club from Salford, who were referred to as "Les Diables Rouges" (The Red Devils) when they toured France in 1934.