Ritabrata Banerjee

Ritabrata Banerjee

News writer

📝Bio: Ritabrata has been living and breathing football for nearly two decades. Has a bachelor's degree in Business Management but took up sports journalism as a career path to live and breathe football. He joined GOAL in 2017 and has since made his mark covering the Indian Super League, I-League, and the Indian national team. He has also been part of Goal's coverage team at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017. Based in Kolkata, where football is a religion, he grew up idolising Bhaichung Bhutia and continues to support East Bengal FC. 

⚽My Football Story: My football journey began in 1999 with the Kolkata derby when I was a seven-year-old and watched a live football match for the first time. The 2002 World Cup solidified my love for the game. In a cricket-obsessed nation, football continues to remain my true passion.

🎯Areas of Expertise:

  • Social media-specific content
  • Premier League, Champions League, World Cup, Euros, European & Indian football coverage
  • Tactical analysis of the Indian national team, Indian Super League clubs and European teams
  • News & SEO content writing

🌟Favourite Footballing Memory: East Bengal winning the ASEAN Club Championship in 2003, beating then AFC Champions League runners-up BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand, remains my most cherished football memory alongside watching the 'little Argentine' lifting the 2022 World Cup in Doha.

📝My All-Time XI: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos; Sergio Busquets, Zinedine Zidane, Andres Iniesta; Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Phenomenon, Lionel Messi.

Articles by Ritabrata Banerjee
  1. 'Totally normal person' - Mbappe lifts lid on life with Messi at PSG

    Kylian Mbappe has opened up on what it was like to play with Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain and also revealed why he 'wants to thank' the Inter Miami star. Mbappe played alongside Messi for two seasons in the French capital after the Argentina captain moved to the Ligue 1 giants on a free transfer after leaving boyhood club Barcelona in the summer of 2021.

  2. 'I'll definitely return' - Zidane outlines plan to be France boss

    Zinedine Zidane has outlined his plan to become the next manager of the France national team as the former Real Madrid boss opened up on how his 'life changed' after retirement. Zidane has managed Los Blancos over two stints and enjoyed overwhelming success, which includes winning the Champions League three times and La Liga twice at Santiago Bernabeu.

  3. Klopp sends out strong message to Liverpool fans about Wirtz

    Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has sent out a strong message to Reds fans about new signing Florian Wirtz following the German midfielder's slow start to life at Anfield. Wirtz moved to Merseyside on a blockbuster £116 million ($156m) transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, but the star player is yet to deliver with a goal or an assist in the Premier League and Champions League.

  4. Spain boss De la Fuente makes contradictory claim about Olmo

    Barcelona's injury war with the Spanish national team continued as La Roja manager Luis de la Fuente made a contradictory claim about Dani Olmo's injury. The Barcelona attacking midfielder was left out of the Spain squad for their 2-0 win over Georgia on Saturday and the 27-year-old has now been released from the national team as he won't regain full fitness ahead of their upcoming clash on Tuesday.

  5. Rashford lines up permanent move to Barcelona

    Marcus Rashford has lined up a permanent move to Barcelona next summer after a prolific start to his life in Barcelona. After being put in Ruben Amorim's 'bomb squad' this summer, Manchester United outcast Rashford was sent out on a loan move to Barcelona. The Catalan giants have the option to make the transfer permanent next year for a fee of £26million ($34m).

  6. Madrid earmark Haaland as Vini Jr replacement

    Real Madrid have earmarked Erling Haaland as Vincius Junior's replacement as the Spanish giants make the Manchester City star a priority target if the Brazilian leaves the club and moves to Saudi Arabia. Vinicius Jr has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League for almost two years now. The winger has yet to agree to sign a new Los Blancos contract, with only two years left in his existing deal.

  7. 📽️ | Costa reignites feud with Liverpool enemy during charity match

    Former Chelsea star Diego Costa reignited his feud with former Liverpool enemy Martin Skrtel during a charity match between the Blues and the Reds. Costa, who was infamous for his flaring tempers during matches, has not changed and it was evident in his antics during the game, which was deemed to be a friendly encounter for a noble cause. Costa spent three years at Stamford Bridge between 2014 and 2017.

  8. Spurs star returns to form with hat-trick for England U-19s

    Tottenham star Mikey Moore returned to form with a stunning hat-trick in England Under-19s' thumping 4-1 win over Belgium on Saturday. Moore scored his maiden hat-trick for England in the U19 age group as Will Antwi's side marched towards a comprehensive victory in the first of the two international friendlies they are scheduled to play during the October break.

  1. England defender withdraws from squad after picking up injury

    England defender Jarell Quansah has been forced to pull out of the England squad ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia after picking up an injury. The ex-Liverpool centre-back will now head back to his club Bayer Leverkusen, while manager Thomas Tuchel has decided not to name Quansah's replacement for their final game in the ongoing international break.

  2. Rodrygo

    Rodrygo opens up on 'difficult' absence from Brazil squad

    Rodrygo has opened up on his "difficult" absence from the Brazil national team amid his battle to earn Xabi Alonso's trust at Real Madrid. After missing the last two international windows, Rodrygo is finally back in the national team setup after receiving a call-up from his former coach Carlo Ancelotti for the friendlies in October against Asian giants South Korea and Japan.

  3. Mourinho piles pressure on Martinez with World Cup demand

    Jose Mourinho has piled the pressure on Roberto Martinez as the Benfica boss insisted that Portugal must aim to win the World Cup next year. The Selecao boast one of the best squads in Europe with players like Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva in midfield and an attack spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal are also fresh from winning the Nations League this year.

  4. Ronaldo backed to keep playing 'at least into his mid-40s'

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been backed to keep playing "at least into his mid-40s" by former Premier League rival and England star Joe Cole, who claimed the Portugal legend is "defying medical science". At 40, Ronaldo is still scoring for fun at both club and international level. He has kicked off the 2025-26 campaign on a high, having scored five goals in six matches across all competitions for Al-Nassr.

  5. Huijsen forced to pull out of Spain squad for October qualifiers

    Real Madrid centre-back Dean Huijsen has pulled out of the Spain squad for the October World Cup qualifiers after he suffered a muscular injury. Huijsen, who joined Los Blancos from Bournemouth this summer, has appeared in all of Madrid's matches, except for the Espanyol clash, where he was suspended. He also played the full match against Villarreal last weekend.

  6. Florian Wirtz Liverpool 2025

    How Wirtz is trying to kickstart Liverpool career with Germany

    Florian Wirtz is putting in the hard yards as he is doing extra training for Germany in a bid to kickstart his Liverpool career after a slow start to life at Anfield. Since completing a whopping £116 million ($156m) transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, Wirtz has struggled to adjust to his new surroundings and has not had a single goal involvement in the Premier League.