📝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.
Manchester United have unveiled their 2025-26 third kit in a video featuring Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Amorim. In a campaign dripping with nostalgia, swagger, and a touch of kung-fu theatre, Dimitar Berbatov has also starred in the role of a serene martial arts master to reveal what supporters are already calling the club's "best jersey in decades".
Barcelona’s dressing room has reportedly been rocked by an extraordinary bust-up between two of its brightest young stars, with Gavi allegedly demanding that his long-time friend Fermin Lopez be sold after a furious clash that nearly turned physical. The pair’s relationship stretches back to their teenage years at La Masia but those warm memories have been torched in recent days, as a personal dispute has spiralled into a full-blown feud.
Alexander Isak is reportedly "adamant" that his Newcastle career is over, even if his proposed transfer to Liverpool does not materialise. The Swedish striker is said to have no intention of pulling on a Magpies shirt again as his relationship with the club hierarchy has hit an all-time low.
Alejandro Garnacho has reportedly issued a bombshell ultimatum to Manchester United in order to push through his proposed transfer to Chelsea. The 21-year-old winger has made it clear that his future lies away from Manchester, with Stamford Bridge emerging as his preferred next destination.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is reportedly ready to call time on his Stamford Bridge stay as he has set his sights on a move to Newcastle United. But the transfer is hanging by a thread, tied to the future of Newcastle’s star man Alexander Isak, who is being hunted by Liverpool in one of the window’s fiercest transfer battles.
Marcus Rashford left Raphinha stunned as he missed the chance tap into an open goal during a friendly against Como. The 27-year-old forward, who arrived at the Nou Camp on loan from Manchester United this summer with an option for a permanent deal, was handed a golden chance to pad the scoreline. Instead, he somehow contrived to miss an empty net in front of a stunned crowd.
Virgil van Dijk was furious as Wembley’s air of solemnity was broken on Sunday as a small group of Crystal Palace supporters disrupted a minute’s silence for Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, ahead of the Community Shield. The two brothers tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain last month, and both sets of players had gathered at the centre circle to honour their memory.
Newcastle United are on the verge of securing the signature of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, with the towering centre-back expected to undergo his medical on Monday before penning a deal that will take him to Tyneside. The Magpies have agreed an initial payment of €35million (£30.3m / $40.8m), with a further €5m (£4.3m / $5.8m) in potential performance-related bonuses close to being finalised.
Spanish football could be on the brink of a groundbreaking moment and it’s FC Barcelona leading the charge. According to reports in Sport, the Catalan club is pushing for its December league fixture against Villarreal to be staged not in Spain, but under the Florida sun at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. If approved, it would mark the first official La Liga match ever played outside Spain.
Harry Kane is set to lose his team-mate, Kingsley Coman, as the Bayern Munich star has reportedly agreed to join Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. According to German outlet Bild, the Riyadh-based club have been pursuing the French international relentlessly in recent days, and now, the finish line is in sight. The deal on the table would hand Coman an eye-watering salary of between €25-€30 million (£22m/$29m - £26m/$35m) a year.
RB Leipzig are reportedly ready to bring Christopher Nkunku back to Germany, as part of a blockbuster deal that would see Xavi Simons join Chelsea in a £60 million ($81m) move. The Bundesliga side have floated the sensational idea of a player-plus-cash swap with Chelsea preparing to move out several players, including Nkunku, before going all-in on their top attacking targets.
Robert Lewandowski has made it clear he is not ready to walk away from Barcelona, turning down approaches from Saudi Arabia and setting his sights firmly on continuing his career in Catalonia. The veteran striker is determined to see out his current deal, and possibly extend it, despite being linked to a lucrative move to the Middle East.
Former Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant has thrown down the gauntlet to Newcastle United, sell Alexander Isak to Liverpool for £110 million ($148m) or risk a season of drama and disappointment. Pennant believes the Magpies are playing with fire by holding on to an unsettled striker, insisting a quick sale would end the saga and give Eddie Howe the funds to rebuild before the new campaign kicks off.
Manchester United won on penalties but were held to a 1-1 draw by Fiorentina in their final pre-season friendly as Bryan Mbeumo shone the brightest amid a lacklustre attacking unit.
Manchester City’s training ground had a touch of nostalgia this week as former winger Riyad Mahrez made an unexpected appearance, reuniting with old team-mates and staff. The 34-year-old, remembered as one of the defining figures of City’s dominant era, was spotted walking through the Etihad Campus, exchanging warm greetings and laughter with familiar faces.
The football community continues to mourn the loss of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, with AS Roma's Paulo Dybala, accompanied by veteran manager Claudio Ranieri and sporting director Frederic Massara, arrived at Anfield to lay a bouquet of flowers at the growing memorial dedicated to Jota. The Portuguese international and his younger brother, André Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain in early July.
Luka Modric is diving headfirst into his role at Swansea City as he works to help the club secure a return to the Premier League. Despite his recent move to AC Milan the Croatian legend has made it clear that he intends to play a hands-on role in Swansea’s ambitions. His involvement goes beyond the boardroom, and there is even hope that Modric could finish his career playing for the Welsh club.
Manchester United have reportedly shown interest in Internacional's young forward, Ricardo Mathias, following a scouting mission this week. According to Globo Esporte, the Premier League club sent an official scout to observe the 19-year-old in action during Internacional’s Copa do Brasil match against Fluminense at the Maracana Stadium. Although Internacional was eliminated after the 1-1 draw, the performance of their rising star did not go unnoticed by potential suitors.
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has reportedly been left disgruntled after failing to make manager Ruben Amorim’s newly formed six-man leadership group. The squad hierarchy, headed by club captain Bruno Fernandes, also includes Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, and veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has reaffirmed that Alexander Isak remains part of the club’s long-term plans, but admitted the Sweden international cannot currently train with the squad or feature in their Premier League curtain-raiser against Aston Villa. The decision comes amid mounting transfer speculation linking the forward with a transfer to the reigning English champions Liverpool.