📝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.
Lionel Messi's bodyguard, Yassine Cheuko, showed off his insane takedown skills in a 1v1 challenge against YouTuber Jeremy Lynch. A former Navy SEAL and martial arts expert, he’s been by Messi’s side since the Argentine legend landed in Miami in 2023. When Messi made the shock switch to Major League Soccer, Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham insisted that the 2022 World Cup winner needed personal security, and Cheuko would be the man.
Cristiano Ronaldo shared a bold new haircut as he showed off his shaved head as he returned to Al-Nassr training in Riyadh this week. The 40-year-old superstar looked every inch the warrior he is with his new look while going through the hard yards on the training pitch. Known for making regular tweaks to his hairstyle down the years, CR7 will hope this latest iteration helps him to deliver yet more success.
Thomas Frank revealed whether Tottenham will smash their transfer record after a £100 million ($135m) cash injection from the Lewis family. After months of fevered speculation about potential Saudi and American investors circling the north London club, the owners have now made it crystal clear that the club is not for sale. Instead, they are doubling down on their commitment to push Tottenham towards the Premier League summit, with head coach Frank now giving them hope of a new dawn.
Arne Slot has revealed Alexander Isak is fully fit again after his lack of pre-season, with the £125 million ($166.7m) striker now searching for his first Premier League goal for Liverpool. The Swedish striker might have forced his way out of Newcastle United in a messy transfer saga over the summer, but he is yet to shine since swapping St James' Park for Anfield.
Mikel Arteta laid down a stern "pressure" warning to Viktor Gyokeres as the Arsenal boss claimed he isn't concerned by a six-game goal drought. The Swedish striker enjoyed a prolific spell at Sporting Lisbon, but is enduring a nightmare run in front of goal since his summer move to North London. Now, Arteta has made it clear that wearing Arsenal’s No.9 shirt comes with heavy expectations and an unrelenting level of pressure.
Cole Palmer's injury has been put down to Chelsea's "bizarre, wrong and impossible" schedule, with club icon Pat Nevin spelling out Enzo Maresca's "biggest challenge" so far. The 23-year-old has been ruled out for at least another six weeks, as revealed by the Italian manager in a press conference before resuming Premier League commitments after the international break with a clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Manchester United's newest star Senne Lammens supposedly became a goalkeeper to 'avoid running and being substituted', with his brother revealing the secrets of the Belgian stopper. Signed from Royal Antwerp this summer for £18.2 million ($24.5m), the 23-year-old has quickly caught attention with his commanding presence between the sticks. His clean sheet on debut in a 2-0 victory over Sunderland before the international break gave United fans a glimpse of his potential.
Cole Palmer is set to spend six more weeks on the sidelines, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca admitting he was "wrong" about his injury return in November. The 23-year-old, who inspired the Blues to last season's Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs, has seen his campaign derailed by a persistent groin injury that hasn't healed.
Yoane Wissa is reportedly set to avoid a nine-month injury layoff, with Newcastle's £55 million ($74m) striker eyeing a return against former club Brentford. The 29-year-old, yet to even kick a ball for the Magpies since arriving on Tyneside, injured his knee while on international duty with DR Congo just a week after completing his move. The timing could not have been worse, as he hadn't even trained once with his new team-mates before disaster struck.
Declan Rice has opened up on England's World Cup ambitions, with the Arsenal midfielder taking on a "leadership" role under Thomas Tuchel. Fresh from sealing World Cup qualification in ruthless fashion, Rice insists that the squad's hunger and maturity have reached new heights. The Three Lions are dreaming big and are ready to do what it takes to bring back the global crown.
Liverpool have reportedly made a decision on whether they will pursue a Nico Schlotterbeck transfer as contract talks with Borussia Dortmund continue to stall. The 25-year-old's negotiations with Dortmund have dragged on for months, with both sides yet to agree on fresh terms. The club is desperate to keep hold of one of their defensive cornerstones, but Schlotterbeck’s camp has been reluctant to commit, leaving Europe’s biggest teams circling with the hopes of a potential transfer.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was gifted a £87,000 Audi as Real Madrid handed BMWs to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham. It’s back to business for Europe’s elite and they’re doing it in serious style. The two footballing powerhouses, both partnered with German car giants, have given their players the keys to brand-new, high-performance machines to kick off the club season’s return.
Manchester City are eyeing a move to sign a certain "Brazilian Erling Haaland" with a £87 million ($117m) release clause as Pep Guardiola's side look to the future. His name is Wendeson Wanderley Santos de Melo, better known simply as Dell. Just 17, the striker from Bahia is already being whispered about as Brazil’s next superstar, but he has plenty of time to reach his potential.
Birmingham City signing Marvin Ducksch revealed the impact of 'GOAT' Tom Brady on his summer transfer. The 31-year-old German striker, once a darling of Werder Bremen fans, stunned many when he swapped the glamour of top-flight football for a Championship rebuild project.
Brazil international Paulo Henrique joked that he is trying to help Vasco da Gama lure Tottenham and Newcastle stars to the Serie A from the Premier League. The 29-year-old winger made the light-hearted confession after Brazil’s embarrassing 3-2 defeat to Japan in Tokyo, a friendly that went from cruise control to complete calamity in the second half.
Manchester United legend Wes Brown gave his verdict on whether Rio Ferdinand was better than Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk ahead of the huge clash between the two rivals this weekend. As anticipation builds for Sunday’s heavyweight showdown at Anfield, the former Red Devils star reignited one of football’s most heated debates by picking a side between two of the greatest Premier League defenders.
Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has been urged to make a bold call by dropping Manchester City’s £60 million ($81m) midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from his national team setup. The 26-year-old has been one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted lieutenants since arriving from AC Milan in the summer, shining as a deep-lying creative force in City’s engine room. But despite his fine start to life in England, not everyone back home believes he should keep his place in the Oranje midfield.
Manchester United are reportedly preparing to make sweeping changes to the Old Trafford pitch layout following the heartbreaking death of former Arsenal academy player Billy Vigar, who tragically passed away after suffering a fatal head injury during a non-league match. The 21-year-old forward, who came through Arsenal’s youth system before moving into non-league football, died last month after colliding with a concrete wall during a match for Chichester City at Wingate & Finchley FC’s Maurice Rebak Stadium.
Former Manchester United star Wes Brown picked a shock name as his hardest team-mate, and did not mention Roy Keane. Instead of the fiery former captain, Brown, who also played for the likes of Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers, instead chose Keane's midfield partner, who was more known for his tidy passing than his temper.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has blasted England manager Sarina Wiegman after her astonishing claim that Manchester United skipper Maya Le Tissier is better suited to right-back than centre-half, despite the defender being one of the most consistent defenders in the Women’s Super League. Wiegman’s insistence came as a shock to many, with Wright joining a growing chorus of voices demanding answers over why the United captain continues to be overlooked in her natural position for the national team.