📝Bio: Soham has been living and breathing football stories for almost a decade, carving his path as a news and SEO writer with an instinct for the big moments. Armed with an MA (Honours) in Sports Journalism from Symbiosis International University, he knew early on that his future wouldn’t be on the pitch but behind the pen, shaping narratives about the game he adores. He joined GOAL in 2017 and has since made his mark covering the Indian Super League, I-League, and the Indian national team. Based in Kolkata, where football is a religion, he grew up watching Bhaichung Bhutia scoring goals for fun in India, before falling head over heels for Real Madrid, a club that now dictates the rhythm of his everyday life.⚽My Football Story: It all began back in 2002. A cricket bat in hand, ready to step out, but then the skies opened up. The rain kept me indoors, and that twist of fate led me to the sofa, beside my father, who had a football match on TV. Little did I know at the time but it was the World Cup final: Brazil vs Germany. Forget the goals – what grabbed my imagination was Ronaldo’s haircut and his iconic celebration. From there, cricket slowly faded and football fever took over. By my teenage years, I was sneaking out of bed at 1am to watch the Champions League - fair to say I was hooked for life.
🎯Areas of Expertise:
Social media-specific content
Premier League, Champions League, European & Indian football coverage
Tactical analysis on the Indian national team
World Cup & European Championship tournaments
🌟Favourite Footballing Memory: The day Mohun Bagan demolished East Bengal 5-3 in the Kolkata Derby, with Chidi Edeh scoring four - a moment when the city turned maroon and green. But nothing beats the spine-tingling sight of Sergio Ramos’ 93rd-minute header in Lisbon, the goal that crowned Real Madrid’s La Decima and etched itself into footballing history.📝My All-Time XI: Iker Casillas; Phillip Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Claude Makélélé, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane; Cristiano Ronaldo, Raúl, Lionel Messi.
Oliver Glasner revealed his Crystal Palace ambitions after stopping Marc Guehi from swapping south London for Liverpool. The Austrian coach refused to sanction the centre-back’s sale to the Reds, even though the deal would have added £35 million into Crystal Palace’s account. However, with his contract running down and no extension in sight, Palace face the grim prospect of losing their skipper for free in 2026..
Manchester United have unveiled Senne Lammens as their newest recruit in a deal worth up to £21.7 million ($29m), but reports have revealed that Leeds and Sunderland had backed away from him over concerns of his suitability in the Premier League. United could have opted for proven Premier League quality in Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning Emi Martinez, yet the Old Trafford hierarchy instead banked on the promise of a 23-year-old.
Raheem Sterling has reportedly shut the door on lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United States, instead vowing to remain in London and wait for the January window to open. The 30-year-old forward has no intention of uprooting his young family from the capital and will continue training away from Chelsea’s main squad at Cobham.
Wrexham’s fairytale return to the Championship has been rocked by a gutting injury to hometown hero Danny Ward, who is set to go under the knife on Friday after dislocating his elbow in a sickening collision. The 32-year-old shot-stopper, who only rejoined the club this summer following his Leicester City exit, crashed to the turf during a bruising clash with Millwall at The Den. Although Wrexham went on to secure a gritty 2-0 win, Ward’s injury marred the victory.
Wayne Rooney has been called out over an England training ground incident as Michael Owen claimed the Manchester United legend had 'no respect'. Rooney has never been short of confidence, but according to Owen, the teenage prodigy’s first days with the Three Lions left some senior stars shaking their heads in disbelief.
Wayne Rooney has lifted the lid on one of the most bizarre transfer tales in recent memory, a story involving a Dubai water park, a clingy wet top, and a deal that never got over the line. The Manchester United and England great admitted that while some managers lure signings with a convincing sporting project, his own attempt at Derby County ended in pure slapstick.
Chelsea’s newest sensation Joao Pedro has wasted no time in proving exactly why the club splashed out a colossal £60 million ($81m) for his signature. The 23-year-old forward, one of five attacking reinforcements signed this summer, has lit up Stamford Bridge with his eye-catching performances and electric finishing so far. Already adored by the fans, Pedro insists this blistering start is 'just the beginning' of what he promises will be a special chapter in his career.
Quotes attributed to Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly accusing ex-Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho of sleeping all day and missing training have been rubbished as "completely fake". The Blues dramatically refused to make Sancho's loan move permanent in the summer despite having a £25 million ($34m) obligation to buy him. Instead of committing to the deal, the Blues chose to fork out a £5m penalty to United to escape the clause.
Chelsea’s Women’s Super League title defence has been rocked before a ball has even been kicked as star striker Mayra Ramirez will miss the start of the campaign after undergoing hamstring surgery. The 25-year-old pulled up clutching her right leg in the first half of Chelsea’s pre-season clash with AC Milan on Saturday. Looking visibly distraught, she was forced off and replaced by Chloe Sarwie.
Just days after gushing about the chance to live his Champions League dream, Facundo Buonanotte has been brutally snubbed. The 20-year-old Argentine, Chelsea’s latest summer recruit, has been left out of the Blues’ European squad in a decision that embarrassed the midfielder who had only just spoken of his excitement.
Alejandro Garnacho has risked the wrath of Manchester United supporters after openly confessing he grew up cheering for Chelsea because of his admiration for Eden Hazard. The revelation came just hours after he completed a £40 million ($54m) move from Old Trafford to Stamford Bridge.
Everton Women have pulled off one of the boldest moves of the summer, breaking their transfer record to prise Ruby Mace away from Leicester City. While the club haven't disclosed the exact figure, reports speculate that the deal dwarfs the £100,000 bid Everton saw turned down earlier in the window. The Toffees were determined to get their player, and under ambitious new ownership, they’ve finally landed their marquee signing.
Sports Interactive has lifted the curtain on the next entry in its iconic series with Football Manager 2026 promising to push the franchise into new territory, offering fans a fresh and immersive managerial experience that builds on more than two decades of simulation expertise. One of the headline features of FM26 is the long-anticipated move to the Unity engine. This overhaul is expected to deliver smoother 3D animations, lifelike ball physics, and more natural player movements.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor confirmed Sam Kerr's long-awaited return into WSL action after an 18-month ACL lay-off. The Australian striker suffered the devastating setback during a Chelsea mid-season training camp in Morocco in January 2024 and has been sidelined from competitive football ever since.
Arsenal star Jurrien Timber broke his silence on the clash with Liverpool ace Cody Gakpo during the Gunners' defeat at Anfield. The pair went head-to-head over the weekend, with Gakpo deployed on Liverpool’s left flank and Timber tasked with right-back duties for Arsenal.
Borussia Dortmund sporting chief Sebastian Kehl has revealed just how brutal Chelsea were to deal with as he wrapped up a deal to sign Carney Chukwuemeka in a €20 million (£17m/$23m) move. Chukwuemeka, who spent last season on loan at Dortmund, was never likely to feature prominently in Chelsea’s long-term plans. But with the club seeking to keep their financial balance sheets in check, they refused to let him leave on the cheap.
Liverpool might reportedly miss out on Marc Guehi again as five clubs are looking to take advantage of the Crystal Palace captain's contract situation. The Reds' frantic deadline day took a dramatic twist when their £35million pursuit of Marc Guehi sensationally collapsed at the final hurdle. The Crystal Palace skipper had been all set to complete his switch to Anfield, even undergoing medical checks, before the deal was ripped away at the eleventh hour.
Saturday’s League Two clash between Notts County and Fleetwood Town could be thrown into chaos by an issue no one saw coming, a fungal disease ravaging the pitch at Meadow Lane. Officials have confirmed that a final inspection will take place on Friday morning, leaving the game’s status hanging in the balance until the last moment.
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has opened up on the devastating loss of teammate Diogo Jota, admitting he and the rest of the squad will “probably never get over” the shocking tragedy. The 28-year-old Portuguese forward and his brother, Andre Silva, were killed in July when their Lamborghini veered off the road after a tyre blowout while overtaking, before bursting into flames.
Liverpool could reportedly make a shock move for Harry Kane's Bayern team-mate as a potential successor to Mohamed Salah. At 33, the Egyptian king still reigns supreme at Anfield, smashing in 34 goals last season, firing the club to their historic 20th league title, and becoming the only player in history to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award three times. But time waits for no man.