chirayuparmar

Chirayu Parmar

European football writer

📝 Bio: I’m a European football writer with a focus on La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and the stories shaping the continent’s biggest competitions. I began my journey in football media in 2020, contributing to outlets such as Barca Times and The Sports Mania. Beyond journalism, I’ve also worked with sports marketing agencies, managing the social media presence of Premier League clubs in India - an experience that blended content creation with fan engagement at scale. At GOAL, I cover everything from tactical shifts and transfer sagas to the cultural stories that define the modern game. A lifelong FC Barcelona fan, I try to bring the same mix of passion and perspective to my writing that the club bring to their football. I haven’t won any awards just yet, but if staying up until 2am for midweek games counted, I’d have a few medals by now.

My Football Story: Football has been part of my life for more than a decade, first with a ball at my feet during school days and later with countless hours on EA FC. I still play regularly, even if my first touch doesn’t always agree with me, and dream of one day watching a game at Camp Nou. My love for the sport grew quickly after 2014, with Barcelona becoming the team closest to my heart. Writing about football was the natural next step - if you can’t play alongside Messi, the least you can do is write about him.

🎯 Areas of Expertise:
• Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga coverage with a focus on tactical trends
• Transfer market dynamics and player scouting
• In-depth European football analysis & storytelling
• Fan engagement, digital culture and the global reach of the game

🌟 Favourite Footballing Memory: Barcelona’s incredible 6-1 comeback against PSG in the 2017 Champions League - a night that reminded the world that belief, energy and Camp Nou magic can turn the impossible into reality. Trailing 4-0 from the first leg, every neutral had written them off, but what followed was 90 minutes of pure chaos, drama and history. From Neymar’s free-kick to Sergi Roberto’s last-gasp winner, it was the perfect reminder of why we watch football in the first place.

🏆 My all-time XI: 4-3-3, of players I've seen - Manuel Neuer; Dani Alves, Sergio Ramos, Virgil van Dijk, Marcelo; Sergio Busquets, Luka Modric, Andres Iniesta; Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi.

Articles by Chirayu Parmar
  1. Endrick won't budge as Real Madrid push for transfer

    Endrick has shut down Real Madrid’s idea of a loan move, insisting on fighting for his place at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 19-year-old has yet to debut under Xabi Alonso after recovering from injury, and with Gonzalo Garcia’s rise adding pressure, the teenager faces a defining battle to earn his breakthrough.

  1. Dembele's former team hail Ballon d'Or winner with full-page ad

    Rennes went all out to honour Ousmane Dembele after his Ballon d'Or triumph, taking out a full-page advert in L'Equipe and running tributes across social media. The Paris Saint-Germain forward fired his side to a historic treble last season and became the club’s first Ballon d’Or winner, while his boyhood team proudly reminded the world of their role in shaping his journey.

  2. Yamal 'motivated even more' to win Ballon d'Or, says Barca president

    Lamine Yamal may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or race against Ousmane Dembele, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the setback will only fuel his hunger to claim the award in future. The teenager made history with back-to-back Kopa Trophies, while Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance by lifting a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.