📝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.
Rasmus Hojlund is in line for a reunion with Scott McTominay as Napoli are reportedly attempting to hijack AC Milan's move for the Manchester United striker. Antonio Conte had placed his faith in Romelu Lukaku to lead Napoli’s title defence, but that plan is in tatters after the Belgian powerhouse pulled up with a thigh problem in a pre-season clash with Olympiakos. The injury will rule him out for around three months, leaving Napoli scrambling to find a reliable replacement.
Arsenal continued their incredible record against the Premier League's elite clubs after Riccardo Calafiori’s towering header secured the three points in a scrappy win at Manchester United. This victory left Mikel Arteta’s men with a glittering statistic: 22 straight matches unbeaten against the traditional "Big Six" of the English top flight.
Leeds United have reportedly agreed an £18 million transfer for AC Milan and Switzerland striker Noah Okafor. The Premier League new boys are moving fast to assemble a fearsome attack under Daniel Farke, having already signed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.
Vinicius Junior has reportedly refused Real Madrid's latest contract proposal, casting huge doubt over his long-term future in the Spanish capital. The Brazilian, regarded as one of the brightest stars in the Los Blancos squad, has grown increasingly frustrated with the terms offered and his camp believes the numbers simply do not stack up.
Vinicius Junior is reportedly set to be dropped from the Brazil squad by Carlo Ancelotti for the September World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia. Ancelotti, who was once Vinicius' loudest cheerleader at Real Madrid, might rest the star forward during the upcoming international window.
Barcelona superstar Robert Lewandowski has stepped in to offer some big-brother advice to teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, as the youngster finds himself under a cloud of controversy just weeks after turning 18. The Spain international, hailed as one of the favourites to lift the Ballon d’Or this year, has been battling some PR nightmares off the pitch.
Manchester United are reportedly lining up a shock move for Sporting CP's powerhouse captain Morten Hjulmand after their pursuit of Brighton's Carlos Baleba hit a wall, with the Seagulls demanding a jaw-dropping £120 million for their Cameroonian star. United boss Ruben Amorim is desperate to bring Baleba to Old Trafford, but Brighton's sky-high asking price left Old Trafford chiefs wincing.
Wayne Rooney couldn’t resist a playful jab at Jack Grealish after the England winger chose Everton’s famous No.18 shirt, a number steeped in Merseyside football folklore. This summer, the jersey was up for grabs again after veteran Ashley Young’s departure, and Grealish, fresh from sealing a loan switch from Manchester City, wasted no time in claiming it.
Granit Xhaka has sensationally returned to the Premier League, signing for Sunderland in a £17 million ($23m) deal that has left Germany legend Lothar Matthaus fuming at Bayer Leverkusen boss Erik ten Hag. Matthaus believes Ten Hag should have done more to keep hold of the 31-year-old, who played a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title run in 2023-2024.
Borussia Dortmund players are reportedly lobbying for Jadon Sancho's homecoming with the Manchester United outcast seen as a "difference maker". However, while the calls within the squad to re-sign the English winger grow louder, the boardroom remains a hotbed of doubt and caution.
Real Madrid are reportedly one of five elite clubs interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. The 20-year-old England star has become one of the hottest properties in the Premier League, and delivered another masterclass in Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Liverpool.
Jude Bellingham FaceTimed England team-mate James Maddison after the Tottenham forward underwent surgery on his ACL injury. In a touching moment away from the pitch, the Real Madrid star checked in on his compatriot through video calling, delivering a message of strength and support.
Marcus Rashford has been told in no uncertain terms by Micah Richards that he’s missing a key trait "all other players at the top of world football" possess: a ruthless streak in front of goal. The 27-year-old England international, freshly loaned to Barcelona by Manchester United for the season, has made an early splash in Catalonia under new boss Hansi Flick, finding the net and creating goals in his last two pre-season outings.
Jose Mourinho has stoked the flames ahead of a high-stakes Champions League playoff, claiming Benfica are "unhappy" and would have much rather faced Feyenoord than Fenerbahce. The veteran Portuguese coach is just one step away from leading the Turkish giants into the main stage of Europe’s elite competition for the first time in 17 years.
Marcus Rashford has admitted to enduring a "difficult" pre-season at Barcelona after his loan move from Manchester United. The 26-year-old forward, who joined the La Liga champions after falling out of favour at Old Trafford, has described Barca head coach Hansi Flick's training routine as "very intense".
Harry Maguire has opened up on Cristiano Ronaldo’s "disappointing" second spell at Manchester United. The defender painted a picture of a dressing room initially lit up by Ronaldo’s arrival, only for tactical missteps and ever-growing frustration to overshadow the reunion.
Jack Grealish’s switch from Manchester City to Everton has drawn sharp reactions from the Italian press as they believe Napoli have "dodged a bullet" by missing out on the winger. The Toffees have secured the England international on a season-long loan deal which includes the option to buy him outright for £50m next summer.
Andre Onana has been brutally told that his "time is up" at Manchester United after two inconsistent seasons between the sticks. Amid the uncertainty surrounding Onana's future, Ruben Amorim has been urged to target former Red Devils shot-stopper David De Gea, who returned to Old Trafford with Fiorentina for a pre-season clash last weekend.
Lionel Messi has been sent a surprise warning by fellow Argentine striker Facundo Callejo, who is threatening to knock him off his perch as the country's top goal machine in 2025. Callejo is suddenly breathing down the neck of the Inter Miami star and he is not shy about letting him know it.