OBITUARY
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi killed in helicopter crash
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner long seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media said on Monday.
The charred wreckage of the helicopter which crashed on Sunday carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was found early on Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.
“President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Raisi’s death was later confirmed in a statement on social media by Vice President Mohsen Mansouri and on state television.
State TV reported that images from the site showed the aircraft slammed into a mountain peak, although there was no official word on the cause of the crash.
State news agency IRNA said Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.
Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear programme, had earlier sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.
PRAYERS, SEARCHES
Rescue teams fought blizzards and difficult terrain through the night to reach the wreckage in the early hours of Monday.
“With the discovery of the crash site, no signs of life have been detected among the helicopter’s passengers,” the head of Iran’s Red Crescent, Pirhossein Kolivand, told state TV.
Earlier, the national broadcaster had stopped all regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country.
Video showed a rescue team, wearing bright jackets and head torches, huddled around a GPS device as they searched a pitch-black mountainside on foot in a blizzard.
Several countries had expressed concern and offered assistance.
The White House said U.S. President Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash. China said it was deeply concerned. The European Union offered emergency satellite mapping technology.
HARDLINER, POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR TO KHAMENEI
The crash comes at a time of growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises. Iran’s clerical rulers face international pressure over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and its deepening military ties with Russia during the war in Ukraine.
Since Iran’s ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, provoking Israel’s assault on Gaza, conflagrations involving Iran-aligned groups have erupted throughout the Middle East.
In Iran’s dual political system, split between the clerical establishment and the government, it is Raisi’s 85-year-old mentor Khamenei, supreme leader since 1989, who holds decision-making power on all major policies.
For years many have seen Raisi as a strong contender to succeed Khamenei, who has endorsed Raisi’s main policies.
Raisi’s victory in a closely managed election in 2021 brought all branches of power under the control of hardliners, after eight years when the presidency had been held by pragmatist Hassan Rouhani and a nuclear deal negotiated with powers including Washington.
However, Raisi’s standing may have been dented by widespread protests against clerical rule and a failure to turn around Iran’s economy, hamstrung by Western sanctions.
Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border on Sunday to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalasi Dam, a joint project. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who said he had bid a “friendly farewell” to Raisi earlier in the day, offered assistance in the rescue.
-Reuters
Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75, his former club Newcastle United said on Monday.
Keegan’s family and Newcastle announced in January that the two-time European Footballer of the Year was undergoing cancer treatment, without disclosing details of his illness.
In June, Keegan, who was nicknamed ‘King Kev’ and ‘Mighty Mouse’ and was one of the most influential figures of his generation in English football, revealed he had stage four cancer.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history,” Premier League Newcastle said in a statement.
“As a player, he brought world-class talent, ambition and belief to St. James’ Park, helping to transform perceptions of what Newcastle United could be.
“As a manager, he ignited our city. Kevin gave supporters hope and pride, and led a team whose style, spirit and passion captured the imagination of football fans around the world. He was so much more than an entertainer.”
GLITTERING CAREER
Keegan began his career at Scunthorpe United before joining Liverpool in 1971.
He made 323 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 100 goals over six seasons. He won three First Division titles, the FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and the 1977 European Cup during a glittering spell at Anfield.
After moving to Hamburg, Keegan was named European Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1979, becoming the only British player to win the Ballon d’Or twice. He later returned to England to play for Southampton and Newcastle before retiring in 1984 at the age of 33.
Keegan scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England between 1972 and 1982, captaining the side 31 times.
He moved into management at Newcastle in 1992, guiding the club into the Premier League and transforming it into one of England’s most entertaining sides.
Keegan’s team came agonisingly close to winning the 1995-96 Premier League title before they were overtaken by Manchester United.
After leaving St James’ Park in January 1997, he had a brief spell at Fulham before taking charge of England in 1999 following Glenn Hoddle’s departure.
He resigned after Euro 2000 and a defeat by Germany at Wembley Stadium, famously saying he was “not good enough” to do the job, at a media conference. He won seven of his 18 matches in charge.
Keegan later managed Manchester City before leaving the club in March 2005 and initially announcing his retirement from football. He made an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008, though his second spell at the club lasted only eight months.
A treasured World Cup memory: Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan poses with Sports Village Square Publisher Kunle Solaja during the France ’98 FIFA World Cup in France
A LASTING LEGACY
A statement from Keegan’s family, quoted by British media, said on Monday: “It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75.
“The former England player and manager had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.”
Tributes poured in for Keegan, with Liverpool saying in a statement: “Our ‘Mighty Mouse’, his legacy at Liverpool will be forever etched in history.”
England Football wrote on X: “We are incredibly saddened by the news that Kevin Keegan OBE has passed away,” while former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer wrote: “My Hero. My manager. My friend. Sleep easy Boss”.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
-Reuters
An Argentine footballer playing in Venezuela’s second division has suffered a devastating personal loss after last week’s powerful earthquakes claimed the lives of his wife and two children, according to CNN Español.
Lucas Trejo, 38, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent days desperately searching through the rubble of his destroyed beachfront home in La Guaira for signs of his wife, Yanina, and their children, Aarón and Ainhoa, following the twin earthquakes that struck the country.
According to CNN Español, Trejo was attending a training camp with his club in Caracas when the earthquakes — described by the U.S. Geological Survey as a rare “doublet” because two major quakes struck just 39 seconds apart — rocked Venezuela. The player immediately travelled to La Guaira, approximately 18 miles north of the capital, only to find widespread devastation.
Trejo’s brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, told CNN Español that the footballer was “emotionally overwhelmed” by the tragedy.
“What he found was a horrific scene,” Ardiles said. “He found absolutely nothing of what the building itself had been.”
For several days, Trejo combed through the debris alongside friends, teammates and volunteers while appealing for heavy machinery to assist in the rescue effort. A video circulated by fellow players highlighted the desperate need for additional equipment.
“Right now we only have one machine, but it’s not enough,” Venezuelan footballer Robert Garcés of Metropolitanos F.C. said in the appeal, according to CNN Español.
The search ended in heartbreak on Sunday when Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira confirmed the deaths of Trejo’s wife and children.
In a message posted on social media, the club said it “deeply mourns the irreparable loss” of the player’s family and offered its support during the difficult period.
“Lucas, you are not alone. Your family at Maritime La Guaira is with you,” the club stated alongside a family photograph.
The tragedy has resonated throughout the football community in Venezuela and beyond. According to CNN Español, the earthquakes have claimed the lives of several footballers and affected many others connected to the sport.
Among the victims was 18-year-old Yimvert Berroteran, regarded as one of Venezuela’s promising young talents. The Venezuelan national team and the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) confirmed his death on Friday. Berroteran had represented Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Doha just months earlier and had recently featured for the country’s U-20 national team.
The disaster also claimed the lives of young players Víctor Palacios and Razan Sijaa, according to the FVF and their respective clubs.
Another footballer, Héctor Bello, lost his partner in the tragedy. Bello revealed on social media that she died while protecting their young daughter during the earthquake.
“I’ll make sure to remind our baby girl how wonderful you were and how much you loved her,” Bello wrote in an emotional tribute.
The wider humanitarian crisis continues to unfold. Venezuelan authorities reported on Sunday that more than 1,400 people have died, while thousands remain missing. Sports Village Square reports that a minute of silence was observed before World Cup matches during the group stage last week in honour of the earthquake victims.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals. Chinese state media reported that eight Chinese citizens were among the dead, while Spain’s Foreign Ministry said at least nine Spanish nationals had been killed and more than 100 remain missing.
Rescue operations are continuing, although hopes of finding more survivors are fading as search efforts move beyond the critical first 72 hours after the disaster. Experts note that survival chances diminish significantly after that period, particularly in the absence of access to water.
As Venezuela mourns one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history, the football community is among those grappling with profound personal losses that extend far beyond the game.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The Association of Sports Veterans of Nigeria has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of two of its pioneer members, Adegboye Onigbinde and Henry Nwosu, describing them as towering figures whose contributions greatly shaped Nigerian football.
In a statement jointly signed by the association’s president, Chief Jonathan Ogufere, and secretary, Elder Paul Bassey, the body paid glowing tributes to the late football icons, recalling their immense service to the nation and their achievements on the global stage.
Henry Nwosu
The association noted that Onigbinde rose to prominence after succeeding Brazilian coach Otto Gloria at a time when many Nigerians were clamouring for an indigenous coach to handle the national team.
The late Modakeke-born tactician went on to make history by becoming the first Nigerian coach to lead the national team to a silver medal finish at the 1984 African Cup of Nations finals in Côte d’Ivoire.
Widely respected for his calm touchline demeanour, the traditional chief of Modakeke also achieved another historic milestone when he became the first coach — indigenous or foreign — to defeat Ghana national football team on home soil in Accra during the qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The veterans further highlighted Onigbinde’s role in nurturing young talents, recalling how he introduced a teenage Femi Opabunmi into Nigeria’s World Cup squad in 2002. They also credited him for recommending legendary goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who later earned over 100 caps for Nigeria.
According to the statement, Onigbinde managed the Super Eagles in 37 international matches across two spells between 1983 and 1984, and later in 2002, recording 13 victories, 17 draws and seven defeats.
The association also paid tribute to former international midfielder Henry Nwosu, who was part of Nigeria’s victorious squad at the 1980 African Cup of Nations and represented the country for more than a decade.
Nwosu later served as assistant coach to Onigbinde during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea and also handled several domestic clubs and youth teams, including the national U-17 side, Ibom Stars, Union Bank FC and Gateway FC.
The Sports Veterans Association said both men would be greatly missed for their lasting contributions to the advancement of football in Nigeria.
JOIN THE SPORTS VILLAGE SQUARE CHANNEL:
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
CAF Doubles WAFCON Winners’ Prize to $2 Million in Landmark Boost for Women’s Football
CAF Opens Bidding for AFCON 2028, 2032 and 2036, Confirms Abuja for 2026 General Assembly
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Launch Joint Bid to Host 2032 AFCON
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
- World Cup1 week ago
Potential World Cup expansion to be discussed after 2026 edition Says Infantino
- World Cup1 day ago
How a 64-team World Cup could transform soccer’s economics
- World Cup3 days ago
Reuters: 10 Key Takeaways from the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- World Cup1 week ago
Norway turn World Cup heartbreak into celebration as huge crowds pack capital
- World Cup4 days ago
The economic goal that never came: World Cup falls short of boosting Mexico
- World Cup6 days ago
Argentina’s coach, Scaloni faces former tutor, Spain’s De la Fuente In World Cup final
- World Cup5 days ago
Spain’s Sanchez to attend World Cup final alongside Trump amid tensions
- World Cup2 days ago
FIFA Salutes Kunle Solaja as Historic World Cup 2026 Draws to a Close