📝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 are reportedly monitoring the former Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho's son and are "not ruling out" a transfer for the Santos teenager in January. Although a deal mid-season is considered unlikely, United are refusing to shut the door on a move and are prepared to revisit negotiations at the end of 2025 if they feel the timing is right.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been handed a stark warning from Anfield legend Jamie Carragher, who believes the Dutchman has just one week left to salvage his position at the club. The manager delivered a stunning Premier League title in his debut campaign, but is now facing the kind of scrutiny few could have predicted six months ago, following a disappointing run in England and Europe.
Diogo Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, has shared a moving message on Instagram as the couple’s youngest child celebrated her first birthday. It was the family’s first without the former Liverpool forward, whose life was cut short in a devastating car crash last summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo is making a move into MMA, with the Portugal icon announcing a new job in a link-up with UFC legend Ilia Topuria. At 40 years of age, and with his glittering football career entering its final chapters, Ronaldo has made one of the clearest statements yet about life after football. The Al-Nassr star says the new project "represents values I truly believe in - discipline, respect, resilience."
Shaun Wright-Phillips has urged Chelsea to break the bank for Newcastle United defender Malick Thiaw in the upcoming January transfer window. Thiaw, who cost Newcastle just £30 million ($40m) when he arrived from AC Milan in August, has been one of Eddie Howe’s standout performers this season. And now, the former Chelsea star wants the Blues to go all-in for the defender to bolster their backline.
Karim Adeyemi has reportedly made his choice between Manchester United and Arsenal as the Borussia Dortmund star is tipped to leave the Bundesliga next summer. The 23-year-old, whose contract runs until 2027, has stalled on extension talks with Dortmund and has privately accepted that a fresh challenge awaits him.
Paul Pogba completed one of football’s longest and most scrutinised journeys back to the pitch on Sunday, making his Monaco debut after 811 days away from competitive football. The former Manchester United midfielder stepped onto the grass at Roazhon Park in the 85th minute, greeted by a ripple of applause from travelling supporters who knew how much the moment meant to him.
Jamie Redknapp has urged Liverpool to be patient with Arne Slot despite a dismal run of form and a thumping weekend defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Tricky Trees produced a stunning 3-0 victory at Anfield, plunging the Premier League champions into a full-blown crisis and prolonging a run of form that has raised serious questions over Slot’s second season in charge.
Manchester United are being put through their paces as Ruben Amorim implements an unforgiving training programme designed to rebuild standards. Despite having no European fixtures this season, Amorim has refused to scale back demands. Instead, he has kept his squad active six days a week, allowing only Mondays as their guaranteed break.
Xabi Alonso has offered a robust defence of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness, form, and future at Real Madrid, as the English defender prepares to make only his third league start of the season in Sunday’s away trip to Elche. The 27-year-old’s transfer from Liverpool has not yet ignited in the Spanish capital, with recurring injuries limiting him to brief cameo appearances and only two starts in La Liga.
Michael Olise stole the show with a brace and three assists while Harry Kane continued his incredible scoring record as Vincent Kompany's men pumped six goals past Freiburg. The French international was simply sensational as he turbocharged Bayern's comeback after the defending champions fell behind by two goals within 17 minutes.
Arne Slot has been warned that a defeat to Nottingham Forest "would make things tricky" for him at the Liverpool dugout, but a potential return for Jurgen Klopp has been ruled out. The reigning Premier League champions, who only weeks ago appeared to have rediscovered their rhythm with statement victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, were humbled at the Etihad in Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match in management.
Celtic’s annual general meeting collapsed into acrimony on Friday as open conflict between supporters and board members forced proceedings to be abandoned. Interim manager Martin O’Neill, who was warmly applauded upon his introduction, later described the morning as "one of the saddest" he had witnessed in his long association with the club.
Sergio Ramos has left fans bemused and delighted in equal measure after posting a light-hearted Instagram video of himself dancing to Taylor Swift’s global hit Shake It Off. The 39-year-old, now playing for Monterrey in Mexico, showed a surprisingly playful side - a huge contrast to the uncompromising persona that defined his peak years at Real Madrid.
Tottenham Hotspur have secured a new sponsorship agreement with Elithair, a major Turkish hair transplant clinic, becoming the club’s official hair treatment partner at a time when the long-awaited stadium naming rights deal remains unresolved. Outside football, affordability in countries such as Turkey, where procedures are significantly cheaper, has accelerated demand, making the industry a commercial opportunity that Premier League clubs are increasingly willing to attach their brands to.
The Premier League has confirmed that the 2026/27 campaign will begin a week later than usual, marking the latest season start in the competition’s history. The decision, announced after a shareholders’ meeting on Friday morning, is designed to counter the growing strain on players created by an "increasingly congested global football calendar".
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal defender Gabriel will be unavailable for "weeks" after sustaining a thigh injury on international duty. The defender limped off during last weekend’s friendly against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium and missed the subsequent match against Tunisia. His injury now presents a significant setback for a team sitting four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Marc Guehi is reportedly being pursued by five Champions League clubs this winter, with the Crystal Palace captain eligible for pre-contract talks with foreign outfits from January 1. The 25-year-old has already informed Palace that he will not sign a new deal, paving the way for a summer exit after being linked with Liverpool last summer.
Eberechi Eze spoke to Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the 'Beast Mode on Podcast', opening up on the only difference between representing Crystal Palace and wearing the colours of Arsenal, the club that took him in as a child and eventually returned for him in a £60 million deal this summer. The 27-year-old midfielder, released by Arsenal at 13 and later rejected by Millwall at the end of his youth scholarship, has come full circle by rejoining the club he supported as a boy.
Sweden boss Graham Potter shared an update on Dejan Kulusevski's injury as the Tottenham star continues a lengthy recovery. The 25-year-old has not played a minute under new Spurs manager Thomas Frank after suffering a right patella injury in May during a Premier League match against Crystal Palace. It was a blow that ruled him out of Tottenham’s Europa League final triumph over Manchester United.