While all attention was on Bellingham, Osasuna’s greatest striker made history | Sid Lowe
Ante Budimir’s career has taken him on a long and winding road. But now he is in the record books at Osasuna
Mari Carmen was 78 and late. It was a January morning in Pamplona, cold and wet, and the taxi that was supposed to take her to hospital hadn’t turned up. Standing in the street watching time and traffic pass but no cabs, she was getting a bit worried when she saw a young man she thought she recognised. She, after all, is an Osasuna supporter and he is their striker. Although, like her, he wasn’t having the best of times back then; he was halfway through the season, well into the winter, and had scored just once, when she approached. “Excuse me,” Mari Carmen said. “Are you Ante Budimir? Could you do me a favour? Could you take me to the hospital?”
So he did, and there was the selfie to prove it. Mari Carmen knew her family would never believe her but, originally from tiny Carcastillo 50 miles south, recently widowed and having moved to the capital for health reasons, a tumour returning, that was definitely her in the front seat and that was definitely him alongside her. The picture eventually appeared weeks later when her daughter Myriam posted a cartoon strip to thank the many people who had helped her mum over a couple of difficult, lonely months, in which it felt like everything was going wrong at once. “Good on Osasuna for signing people before stars,” she wrote.
Continue reading...Topics
-
Defence is the greatest public benefit of all
Spending on pensions and healthcare is more popular with voters but Europe and the UK must make politically tough choicesFinancial Times - 14h -
Weekend review: Bellingham's red costs Madrid and Arsenal might have a striker
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham being sent off was the main talking point. That and more from around the continent.ESPN - 3d -
Oihan Sancet’s treble exorcises Athletic’s penalty pain against Girona | Sid Lowe
Paulo Gazzaniga’s hat-trick of penalty saves was fresh in the mind but Bilbao ran out comfortable victors at San Mamés. Paulo Gazzaniga rapped his studs against a post, tapped his fingertips ...The Guardian - Feb. 10 -
Super Bowl: If the Chiefs beat the Eagles, is this the greatest dynasty in NFL history?
Who has the edge in Sunday's Super Bowl? Let's break down the biggest matchups for Chiefs-Eagles from every angle.NBC News - Feb. 8 -
Chiefs eyeing history while Eagles want revenge - Super Bowl preview
Can the Kansas City Chiefs complete an unprecedented three-peat in Super Bowl 59 or will the Philadelphia Eagles gain revenge?BBC News - Feb. 8 -
Where Saquon Barkley's 2024 campaign ranks among greatest individual seasons in NFL history
Barkley is in the conversation for greatest season of all timeCBS Sports - Feb. 10 -
‘The greatest propaganda op in history’: Trump’s reshaping of US culture evokes past antidemocratic regimes
The president’s full-court press to dominate media and control cultural institutions is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. Bigger than the Super Bowl, claimed Donald Trump, sitting in a ...The Guardian - 4d -
Super Bowl repeat or revenge? Whatever happens, history will be made
Patrick Mahomes can become the first quarterback to win four titles before turning 30 while Saquon Barkley has a shot at breaking the postseason rushing record. A spectre of inevitability hangs ...The Guardian - Feb. 8 -
How Butler made Warriors franchise history in stellar debut
Warriors star Jimmy Butler made franchise history in his Golden State debut on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.Yahoo Sports - Feb. 9
More from The Guardian
-
Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US-brokered peace – live
US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this week. Vance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US ...The Guardian - 30m -
‘One of the hardest days’ in Israel as Hamas hands over hostages’ bodies
Remains of two young children, their mother and an elderly man arrive in Tel Aviv after ‘cruel’ handover in Gaza. The remains of two young children, their mother, and an elderly man taken hostage ...The Guardian - 2h -
Trump appears to agree to cut checks to Americans to share portion of savings from Doge cost-cutting
‘Department of government efficiency’ head Elon Musk suggested $5,000 checks to US households if targets met. Donald Trump has appeared to embrace a proposal to share a portion of the cuts in US ...The Guardian - 1h -
Americans’ confidence in air travel falls after string of plane crashes, poll shows
Survey indicates 64% of Americans believe flying is safe, down from 71% who said so last year. Americans’ confidence in aviation has slipped following a string of plane crashes in 2025, according ...The Guardian - 1h -
US Senate narrowly confirms Kash Patel as next FBI director
Patel, who was confirmed along party lines, aligns with Donald Trump on a range of issues. The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the next FBI director, handing oversight of the nation’s premier ...The Guardian - 21m
More in World
-
Europa League playoffs: Roma v Porto, Galatasaray v AZ and more – live
Europa League updates from around the grounds Live scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And mail Rob 45 min: Roma 2-1 Porto (agg: 3-2) Roma almost scored a third a moment ago, with a shot ...The Guardian - 15m -
US Senate narrowly confirms Kash Patel as next FBI director
Patel, who was confirmed along party lines, aligns with Donald Trump on a range of issues. The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the next FBI director, handing oversight of the nation’s premier ...The Guardian - 21m -
Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US-brokered peace – live
US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this week. Vance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US ...The Guardian - 30m -
Senators applaud McConnell as Republican vows to keep working until end of term in 2026 – live
Republican senator announces he won’t seek re-election in 2026, capping a decadeslong career in Congress. Mitch McConnell won’t seek Senate re-election in 2026 Donald Trump signed another ...The Guardian - 32m -
Nigel Farage dissents from Trump’s Zelenskyy ‘dictator’ claim
Reform leader contradicts Trump rant, saying ‘you shouldn’t always take things Donald Trump says absolutely literally’. Nigel Farage has contradicted his ally Donald Trump, saying Volodymyr ...The Guardian - 51m