Ritabrata Banerjee

Ritabrata Banerjee

News writer

📝Bio: Ritabrata has been living and breathing football for nearly two decades. Has a bachelor's degree in Business Management but took up sports journalism as a career path to live and breathe football. He joined GOAL in 2017 and has since made his mark covering the Indian Super League, I-League, and the Indian national team. He has also been part of Goal's coverage team at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017. Based in Kolkata, where football is a religion, he grew up idolising Bhaichung Bhutia and continues to support East Bengal FC. 

⚽My Football Story: My football journey began in 1999 with the Kolkata derby when I was a seven-year-old and watched a live football match for the first time. The 2002 World Cup solidified my love for the game. In a cricket-obsessed nation, football continues to remain my true passion.

🎯Areas of Expertise:

  • Social media-specific content
  • Premier League, Champions League, World Cup, Euros, European & Indian football coverage
  • Tactical analysis of the Indian national team, Indian Super League clubs and European teams
  • News & SEO content writing

🌟Favourite Footballing Memory: East Bengal winning the ASEAN Club Championship in 2003, beating then AFC Champions League runners-up BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand, remains my most cherished football memory alongside watching the 'little Argentine' lifting the 2022 World Cup in Doha.

📝My All-Time XI: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos; Sergio Busquets, Zinedine Zidane, Andres Iniesta; Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Phenomenon, Lionel Messi.

Articles by Ritabrata Banerjee
  1. Why Chelsea have suffered a setback in Garnacho pursuit

    Chelsea have hit a roadblock in their pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho amid standoff between the player's representatives Carlos Cambeiro and Enrique de Lucas and Pini Zahavi's Gol International agency. It was earlier reported that Manchester United have asked Alejandro Garnacho to leave the club this summer and have agreed that the winger won't join the club's pre-season in the summer.

  2. Madueke spotted partying at Wireless Festival in London with Sancho

    Noni Madueke, who is all set to complete a move from Chelsea to Arsenal this summer, was spotted partying at the Wireless Festival in London alongside ex-team-mates Jadon Sancho and Carney Chukwuemeka. Madueke was in London at a time when the Blues were in action in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey. The English side won the tie 3-0 to lift the trophy.

  3. Man Utd outcasts ordered to train AFTER 5pm

    Five Manchester United outcasts have been asked to train after 5pm at Carrington, once Ruben Amorim and the rest of the first-team squad have left the facilities. Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia have been deemed surplus to Amorim's needs ahead of the 2025-26 campaign and are free to leave the club this summer.

  4. 'Lazy' Rashford accused of 'letting team-mates down' at Man Utd

    A former Manchester United player has accused Marcus Rashford of being 'lazy' and 'letting his team-mates at Old Trafford down', with the forward's resurgence at Barcelona dismissed. Rashford has rediscovered himself in Catalonia this season after completing a loan move from United. He had fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim and was included in the manager's 'bomb squad' during pre-season.

  5. Man Utd backed for shock Premier League title charge

    Manchester United have been backed for a shock Premier League title tilt as a former Red Devils coach feels that 'positive power' is finally building under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. With their latest win at Anfield over reigning champions Liverpool, United have finally registered back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since the Portuguese coach took charge of the club.

  6. Salah dropped for Liverpool's UCL clash with Frankfurt

    Mohamed Salah has been left out of Liverpool's starting line-up to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Arne Slot has taken action following the Premier League defeat at home to Manchester United last Sunday. Hugo Ekitike has replaced the Egyptian winger in the Reds' XI after starting on the bench against the Red Devils.

  7. Frank compares Simons to Wirtz amid playmakers' struggles

    Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank compared Xavi Simons to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz as the playmakers continue to struggle for form since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer. Simons left RB Leipzig to complete his move to Spurs, while Wirtz joined the Reds from former German champions Bayer Leverkusen as the Merseyside broke the British transfer record at that time.

  8. 📽️ | Pogba shows off keepy-uppy skills in hotel room

    Paul Pogba showed off his keepy-uppy skills in a hotel room with a big smile on his face as he is preparing to return to football after spending nearly two years on the sidelines after being slapped with an 18-month doping ban. The Frenchman signed for AS Monaco this summer as a free agent, and as the Ligue 1 club face Nottingham Forest in a pre-season friendly, it could mark Pogba's return to action.

  9. Palmer unfollows girlfriend Connie Grace on social media

    Chelsea star Cole Palmer has unfollowed his girlfriend Connie Grace on social media amid rumours of tension in the couple's relationship. Earlier this month, Palmer admitted that he was going through a rough patch 'on and off the pitch', which further fuelled the speculation. He recently starred in the Club World Cup final as the Blues beat Paris Saint-Germain to win the title.

  1. Emiliano Martinez Aston Villa 2025

    Man Utd weighing up swap deal for Emi Martinez

    Manchester United are plotting a swap deal to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa after Andre Onana suffered an injury in pre-season training. The Red Devils are yet to approach the Villans with a formal offer but they are internally assessing their options of whether to go with current crop of young goalkeepers or sign an experienced campaigner like Martinez.

  2. Lineker reacts as Rashford closes in on dream transfer to Barca

    Gary Lineker gave his approval to Marcus Rashford's imminent move to Barcelona from Manchester United as he reacted on social media. The Catalan giants are closing in on signing Rashford from United on a loan deal with an option to buy next summer. The Spanish champions have also agreed to pay the player's entire salary as the England international is close to completing his dream move.