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. Jadon Sancho

    Emery's explanation for benching Sancho against Everton

    Unai Emery explained why he kept Jadon Sancho on the bench against Everton last Saturday as the Manchester United loanee is forced to wait on his Aston Villa debut. After being shunned from the first team and included in Ruben Amorim's "bomb squad", Sancho was destined to leave Old Trafford during the transfer window and he eventually managed to secure a loan move to Villa Park on deadline day.

  2. Guardiola hails 'extraordinary' Arteta

    Pep Guardiola has hailed Mikel Arteta as "extraordinary" and claimed that Arsenal are "one of the toughest opponents" to beat in Europe ahead of Manchester City's trip to the Emirates Stadium. Other than Liverpool, Arteta's Gunners have given Guardiola's City the toughest competition in the Premier League title race in the last decade and they are unbeaten in their last five head-to-head clashes.

  3. Frank offers olive branch to Spurs outcast Bissouma

    Thomas Frank has offered olive branch to Tottenham outcast Yves Bissouma following the Mali international's failed move out of the club in the summer transfer window. Bissouma, who has entered the final year of his contract, was strongly linked with a move away from Spurs but the midfielder failed to secure a transfer and stayed back in the Premier League.

  4. Barca line up Kane as Lewandowski replacement

    FC Barcelona are plotting a move to sign England captain Harry Kane from Bayern Munich as the La Liga giants look to replace an ageing Robert Lewandowski. At 37, Lewandowski is in the final year of his contract with the Blaugrana and the Polish forward is likely to move away from the club in the summer of 2026. The Catalan giants see Kane as an immediate replacement for their star forward.

  1. Premier League icon keen to make managerial comeback

    Iconic Premier League manager Rafael Benitez wants to make a managerial comeback in England's top-flight before formally ending his illustrious coaching career. The Spanish head coach managed four different English clubs in the last three decades, including his maiden stint at Anfield, where he guided Liverpool to their fifth Champions League title.

  2. Revealed: Staggering sum Man Utd must fork out to sack Amorim

    Manchester United will have to fork out a staggering fee in compensation if they plan to sack Ruben Amorim in the middle of the season. The Red Devils are off to a nightmare start in the 2025-26 campaign and it only got worse after their humiliating derby loss against Manchester City last Sunday. The Red Devils currently find themselves 14th in the Premier League after four games.

  3. Videos explain why Blackburn vs Ipswich called off after 80 mins

    New videos have emerged which explained why Saturday's Championship fixture featuring Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town had to be abandoned just ten minutes before full-time at Ewood Park. Blackburn were leading 1-0 against ten-man Ipswich, who are part-owned by singer Ed Sheeran, when the referee stopped the game due to torrential rain and, after checking the pitch conditions, called it off.

  4. Nuno 'holds talks' with West Ham as Potter nears sack

    Nuno Espirito Santo has held talks with West Ham as head coach Graham Potter could be sacked following a series of poor results. Nuno, who parted ways with Nottingham Forest this month due to a breakdown in his working relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis, could return to the Premier League soon after he was replaced at the City Ground by Ange Postecoglou.

  5. Dembele reveals Messi message 'really struck' PSG star

    Ousmane Dembele revealed that Lionel Messi's 'direct message' after Ballon d'Or win 'really struck' him as the Frenchman claimed that his former Barcelona colleagues and coach congratulated him. Dembele beat Blaugrana sensation Lamine Yamal to win the Golden Ball earlier this week after starring for PSG in the 2024-25 campaign, where the French giants won the treble.