Saka should absolutely play for Nigeria

After two weeks of competition and a colorful closing ceremony, the Tokyo Paralympics have ended and the flag has been passed on to Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo ahead of the 2024 Summer Games.

Fans of European giants Real Madrid and Inter Milan will see their teams face unusual competition this autumn: a club from a tiny separatist region in one of Europe's least known countries, Moldova. After a couple of failed attempts, Sheriff FC is making its debut in the group stage of Europe's top football competition this year, becoming the first team ever from the ex-Soviet country to reach the Champions League itself. Sheriff FC hails from Transnistria, a Russian-speaking region which broke away from Moldova after a brief civil war following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Thursday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.⁣

Brazilian football legend Pele publishes a video on Instagram where he is seen working out in a hospital in Sao Paulo. The star had undergone surgery earlier in the month to remove a suspected colon tumor and was transferred back to an intensive care unit after suffering breathing difficulties. "By cycling like this, I'll be back at Santos (football club) soon, don't you think?" he wrote in the social media post.

This week at United Nations headquarters in New York, Joe Biden sat down with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The meeting came at a time when France, Washington's oldest ally, had recalled ambassadors to both countries – an unprecedented reaction to the blindside of a dropped submarine contract with Canberra and a surprise military alliance that brings in the UK and shuts out Paris.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta praises his team and the impact of having fans in the stadium after his team struck three times inside 35 minutes to beat Tottenham 3-1 and move above their north London rivals in the Premier League table.

Paris Saint-Germain fans hail Lionel Messi's first goal since joining the club, as the French side beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Parc des Princes stadium.

Footballers in Australia and Venezuela have revealed harassment and sexual abuse within their respective countries. The new claims comes in the wake of a sexual misconduct case in the United States.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro says he was prevented from seeing a football match in the city of Peruibe when he could not provide a Covid pass. The mandate applies for access to popular tourist spots and other public spaces such as cinemas, theaters, gyms, museums, sports stadiums and conference venues -- but not restaurants, bars or shopping malls. Brazil had a late start with coronavirus vaccination but is now the country with the fourth-most doses administered.

Alan Camsell may be 88 years old, but that hasn't stopped him from showing up every Friday as a goalkeeper for local walking football team Penrhyn Bay Strollers FC, based in Llandudno, North Wales. He was seen stopping shots and feeding his outfield teammates the ball during a match on Friday. Camsell started to play football in his forties, but decided to move to a team set up for those of retirement age, after he found that he was playing with the grandsons of previous players.

The ceremony to light the Olympic flame was disrupted as Tibetan and Hong Kong activists held banners protesting human rights abuses in China.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he has no worries about his position at the club ahead of his side's Champions League match against Atalanta.