📝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.
Cristiano Ronaldo is making the most of his off-season, soaking in the Mediterranean breeze aboard a luxurious yacht, accompanied by his partner, Georgina Rodriguez. As football takes a temporary back seat, the Al-Nassr superstar is indulging in a serene break far from the stadium spotlight.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provided an injury update on Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber after the defensive pair missed the Gunners' pre-season win over AC Milan. Bukayo Saka's second-half goal sealed the victory in the friendly fixture as the North London side continue to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming Premier League season.
Barcelona have officially announced the cancellation of their pre-season friendly against Japanese club Vissel Kobe, which was scheduled to take place this Sunday, July 27. The Catalan giants were set to fly out to Japan on Thursday morning at 11am local time, but that plan has now been abandoned following what the club has described as a “serious contractual breach” by the promoter responsible for organising the fixture.
Barcelona have confirmed the arrival of Marcus Rashford on a season-long loan, with the England international handed the iconic No.14 shirt. The jersey carries deep historical weight at Camp Nou, previously worn by legendary figures such as Thierry Henry and Javier Mascherano.
Wrexham have secured the services of veteran midfielder Josh Windass on a contract that will keep him at the Racecourse Ground through the end of the 2027-28 campaign. The 31-year-old arrives as a free agent after parting ways with Sheffield Wednesday last week, ending a four-year association with the Yorkshire club. Josh is the son of Hull City legend Dean Windass.
Bayern Munich’s rising talent, Lee Hyunju, has signed with Portuguese club FC Arouca, but it wasn’t the transfer itself that grabbed headlines. Instead, it was the club’s unique and hilarious announcement that went viral on the internet as it was inspired by Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron's kiss cam moment, at a Coldplay concert.
Arsenal kicked off their summer tour with a 1-0 triumph over AC Milan in a tightly-contested friendly held at the National Stadium in Singapore. The encounter, which marked the first pre-season fixture for both clubs, saw Bukayo Saka net the only goal of the game, giving Mikel Arteta’s side an early boost in their preparations for the upcoming campaign. However, the game still went to a penalty shootout.
Lucy Bronze insists the Lionesses have no need to prove themselves despite scraping into the Euro 2025 semi-finals and final. On Monday, they overturned a 1–0 deficit to beat Italy 2–1 in extra time thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from 19‑year‑old Michelle Agyemang and a dramatic penalty rebound goal by Chloe Kelly.
Ian Wright has weighed in on the Lionesses' decision to no longer take the knee before matches, expressing that, had he still been an active player, he would consider continuing the act as a personal symbol of standing against racism. The former England and Arsenal striker emphasised that taking the knee should always have been an individual choice rather than a mandated team action.
West Ham United may have to vacate the London Stadium temporarily if the 2029 World Athletics Championships are awarded to the city. Last week, the UK government officially committed to supporting the bid financially, pledging £35 million ($47m) from the Treasury. An additional £10m ($13.5m) was also secured from the Mayor of London’s office, taking the total public funding support to £45m ($61m).
Aston Villa paid a heartfelt tribute to Black Sabbath frontman and music legend Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away aged 76. Osbourne performed his final live show at Villa Park, a homecoming farewell concert attended by 42,000 fans. The concert, dubbed Back To The Beginning, was staged as a celebration of Osbourne’s monumental career and life in music.
Kevin De Bruyne’s much-anticipated first appearance for Napoli ended in disappointment as the reigning Serie A titleholders suffered an unexpected 2-0 defeat to third-division club Arezzo in a pre-season friendly. The Belgian midfielder, who recently joined from Manchester City, was handed a starting role by manager Antonio Conte, but the night didn’t unfold as planned for the star-studded Italian side.
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is reportedly on the verge of taking over the famed No. 10 shirt as the club gears up for the 2025–26 season. After his first year in the Spanish capital, the 26-year-old appears set to trade his current No. 9 shirt - previously worn by the likes of Karim Benzema - for the number vacated by club legend Luka Modric, according to MARCA.
Gary Lineker defended Marcus Rashford over his poor spell at Manchester United and believes that he will succeed at Barcelona. The England international is on the verge of sealing a season-long loan deal to the Spanish champions, in what many see as a bold attempt to reignite his career after a challenging spell at Old Trafford.
David de Gea, the former Manchester United goalkeeper, has addressed the saga of his failed transfer to Real Madrid back in 2015. While still choosing to keep many of the details under wraps, the Spaniard hinted that he will eventually share the full story, but only after he hangs up his gloves for good.
Arsenal have reached a full agreement with Sporting CP to sign Viktor Gyokeres in a transfer valued at €63.5 million (£55m/$74m) upfront, with an additional €10m (£8.6m/$12m) in performance-based add-ons. The final breakthrough came after protracted discussions over the structure and attainability of the bonus payments, which had previously stalled the move despite a general agreement on the main fee.
Charly Alcaraz etched his name into the Everton record books by becoming the first senior men’s team player to find the back of the net at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. They registered a 2-1 win over Port Vale on Tuesday afternoon in a behind-closed-doors friendly, marking the beginning of a new era for the Merseyside club.
Manchester United have flown to the United States to begin their Premier League Summer Series campaign, but one notable name is missing from the travelling squad, Harry Maguire. The England international has not joined his teammates on the flight to Chicago due to a "personal matter", per multiple reports.
Liverpool have submitted a €90 million (£78m/$105m) bid to Eintracht Frankfurt for French striker Hugo Ekitike. Sky Sports have revealed that an agreement in principle has been established between Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt, laying the groundwork for what could soon become one of the most significant deals of the summer.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres has hit an impasse, with discussions over the transfer structure reaching a frustrating deadlock. Talks with Sporting Lisbon have made little headway in recent days, resulting in growing despondency among those closest to the player.