📝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.
Wolves have reportedly struck a deal to appoint former defender Rob Edwards as their new manager after Middlesbrough rejected their initial approach. The Molineux-club parted ways with Vitor Pereira, whose nightmare reign ended with a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Fulham. Wolves have turned to a man who has been one of their own, and the appointment is a sort of homecoming for Edwards.
Liverpool are reportedly prepared to initiate contract talks with Dominik Szoboszlai, as the club looks to secure the future of the Hungarian. It has been revealed that Arne Slot is eager to tie down the playmaker, alongside teammate Ryan Gravenberch, with the Reds preparing for the long haul.
Florian Wirtz's dad claimed that the player's entourage is "perfectly happy" as he weighed in on his son's early struggles at Liverpool. The 22-year-old German was billed as the next great creative force as he was once the crown jewel of Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen side that swept to a historic Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double. However, since he swapped Bay Arena for Anfield, his attacking output has seen an abysmal fall.
Thomas Frank issued a concerning injury update on Mohammed Kudus ahead of their Manchester United clash this weekend. The Ghanaian playmaker, who joined Spurs from West Ham United in a £55 million ($72.5m) summer move, has become one of the club’s most consistent performers this season. He has scored once and set up five goals across 15 appearances. But just as he seemed to gain momentum, disaster struck again.
Mikel Arteta is excited about the return of the "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus from injury following a lengthy rehabilitation. The Brazilian forward has been sidelined by a brutal knee injury since January in an FA Cup encounter with Manchester United. The striker clashed awkwardly with Bruno Fernandes and had to be stretchered off from the pitch as Jesus was in visible pain.
Ruben Amorim and Enzo Maresca have been warned about Oliver Glasner as the Austrian is reportedly being eyed by the "big clubs" amid links with the Manchester United & Chelsea jobs. While both Amorim & Maresca continue to work at their respective clubs, Glasner’s calm authority at Selhurst Park has seen his reputation skyrocket. And the 51-year-old has been backed to eventually move to one of the big boys.
Carlos Baleba has been backed to become Manchester United's own Rodri despite Casemiro's resurgence at Old Trafford. In recent weeks, the Brazilian has reminded fans exactly why he’s one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation. Yet, Ruben Amorim feels that he needs to add more steel in midfield, and a summer bid for Baleba has not been ruled out.
Manchester United star Harry Maguire has revealed how his childhood nickname led to him legally changing his birth name because his "mum didn't like it". Once the most expensive defender in football history, Maguire arrived at Old Trafford in 2019 for a staggering £80 million from Leicester City. The world came to know about 'Harry Maguire', but only a few knew that his name was different when he was born.
Andre Onana & Altay Bayindir were slammed for Manchester United errors as former Newcastle star Shay Given lavished Senne Lammens for steadying the ship. When Onana was signed from Inter Milan, he was hailed as the modern-day saviour after David de Gea. He was comfortable with the ball at his feet, and United hoped to bring back authority while playing out from the back. Instead, his United spell became a nightmare reel of errors and misjudgments, with each mistake hammering another nail into the Red Devils’ fragile confidence.
Roy Keane has claimed that his infamous leg-breaker on Erling Haaland's dad, Alfie, was not an unfair challenge. To get a bigger picture and understand the magnitude of Keane’s fury, you have to rewind to September 1997, when Manchester United faced Leeds United at Elland Road.
West Ham are reportedly ready to offer Kobbie Mainoo an escape route from Manchester United in January, as the England star is desperate to rescue his 2026 World Cup chances. The 20-year-old England international once stormed onto the Premier League stage with poise and maturity. But he now finds himself watching from the sidelines, and could seek an exit in the winter transfer window.
Wrexham star James McClean delivered a shock message to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side amid a lack of game time. The winger has dropped a stunning revelation, claiming that his passion for boxing has eclipsed his love for football, and he’s planning to hang up his boots for gloves sooner rather than later.
Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard has reportedly set his sights on negotiating another new contract, barely months after securing improved terms at the Emirates. The Belgian international joined Arsenal from Brighton in January 2021 for £21 million. He was handed a pay rise during the summer, but without any extension to his current deal.
Wolves have reportedly approached Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards after cutting ties with Vitor Pereira, whose nightmare reign ended with a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Fulham last weekend. The Portuguese manager produced no wins during this current Premier League campaign and was sacked less than 24 hours after the final whistle at Craven Cottage, which left them at rock bottom of the table.
Ajax have sacked John Heitinga as the Dutch giants find themselves languishing eight points behind leaders Feyenoord. The 40-year-old has been sacked with immediate effect, just four months into his tenure, after a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League. It has been a horror show in Europe as they have suffered four defeats in as many games, which has placed them at the bottom of the league phase table.
Wrexham chief executive Michael Williamson admitted to being left "exhausted" as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s side continue to chase their Premier League dream. The man tasked with turning the wild English top-flight ambition into reality has lifted the lid on the relentless pressure of managing one of the world’s most-watched football clubs.
Chelsea's players were criticised by Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov for being "inattentive" in their 2-2 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday. What was expected to be a routine night for the Premier League giants quickly descended into chaos as the travelling Blues clung on to secure only one point on their travels to Azerbaijan.
Wrexham held on to a valuable point away from home as the Red Dragons extended their unbeaten Championship run, thanks to some heroic defending in a 0-0 draw at Portsmouth. Phil Parkinson's men went to the south coast on the back of a thrilling 3-2 win over league leaders Coventry, and they put in a gritty performance on Wednesday evening to snatch a point from the dominant hosts.
Arsenal and Crystal Palace have both made requests to the Premier League regarding fixture congestion after the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw caused a headache. The festive season is supposed to be the highlight of the English football calendar, with packed stadiums and Boxing Day drama. But this December, fixture scheduling has been a sticking point for the league authorities as teams complain of a lack of breathing space.