📝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.
Real Madrid fans have reason to celebrate as Jude Bellingham posted an upbeat update on social media following his return to training at Valdebebas. The English midfielder had been sidelined since he underwent surgery to mend his shoulder that got dislocated during a clash against Rayo Vallecano back in November 2023.
Barcelona have confirmed that their iconic Camp Nou will not be ready to host their upcoming La Liga fixture against Valencia on Sunday, September 14. With construction delays and pending licenses causing significant setbacks, Hansi Flick's men will instead be forced to play at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, the 6,000-capacity ground primarily used by the club's B team and women's side.
Oleksandr Usyk is set to play alongside John Terry, Michael Owen, Kaka & Roberto Carlos as the world heavyweight boxing champion has signed up for a Legends Charity Game against Portugal. He’s beaten the biggest names in boxing, but now Usyk is preparing to swap gloves for boots. The world’s undisputed heavyweight champion will lace up his football boots in Lisbon next week as he lines up in a star-studded charity clash.
Cole Palmer remains an injury doubt ahead of Chelsea's Premier League return against Brentford this weekend. The English forward's status remains unknown. With the Blues looking to maintain momentum after wins against West Ham and Fulham, the absence of their brightest spark is a headache Enzo Maresca could do without.
Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou reportedly dined with Evangelos Marinakis before clinching the Nottingham Forest job. The Australian was unveiled as the club's new head coach, following the swift dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo. The deal may have been wrapped up in a hurry this week, but the seeds were planted months ago.
Tottenham midfielder Dejan Kulusevski left fans reeling after posting a startling image from his recent knee surgery. The 25-year-old shared a graphic photo showing his kneecap held open during the operation, surrounded by surgeons.
Thomas Tuchel took aim at three England forwards after the Three Lions struggled past Andorra in World Cup qualifying. England may have collected another three points in their march towards the 2026 World Cup, but the atmosphere at Villa Park told its own story. As the final whistle sounded on a 2-0 win over Andorra, thousands of empty seats glared back at Thomas Tuchel.
Harry Kane was pleased to get the "job done" against Andorra despite a sluggish performance from the Three Lions in World Cup qualifying. The 2-0 scoreline looked routine on paper, but the performance from Thomas Tuchel’s men was anything but inspiring. Still, the mission was accomplished, with the Three Lions now boasting four wins from four qualifiers in Group K.
Thomas Tuchel lavished praise on England debutant Elliot Anderson after he impressed during an uninspiring outing against Andorra. The Three Lions eventually secured a 2-0 victory, thanks to an early own-goal from Christian García and a late header from Declan Rice, but Anderson’s assured display was the talking point of the night.
Roberto Martinez insisted "Diogo Jota is with us" after Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 21st minute of Portugal's first game since the tragic death of the Liverpool star. The ex-Wolves forward and his brother Andre lost their lives in a devastating car crash, leaving the football world in shock.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fiancee Perrie Edwards have revealed they are expecting a second child. The Little Mix favourite posted a beautifully shot black-and-white clip to Instagram, where the pop star, Oxlade-Chamberlain and their four-year-old son Axel joined her in a moving family moment.
Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has admitted that leaving Alexander Isak out of Friday’s 2-2 draw against Slovenia was purely down to caution. The striker, who shattered the British transfer record with his £125 million move to Liverpool on deadline day, has barely trained and hasn’t kicked a ball in competitive action since forcing his way out of Newcastle United this summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo was seen consoling an emotional Portugal mascot ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Armenia. One little boy, overwhelmed by the gravity of the occasion, broke into tears as he realised he was walking beside his idol.
Kylian Mbappe admitted it was "stupidity" after making an eye-catching error during France's 2-0 win over Ukraine. The Real Madrid superstar struck late to bag his 51st goal for Les Bleus, drawing level with French icon Thierry Henry in the all-time scoring charts. Yet moments later, he left fans baffled with a botched attempt at a cheeky chip that could have sealed a brace.
All eyes were on Olivia Smith, the record-breaking £1 million signing from Liverpool, and the 19-year-old Canadian didn’t just live up to the hype, she blew the roof off with a sensational strike on her debut. Riding on the sensational solo goal, the Gunners demolished London City Lionesses 4-1 at the Emirates in front of 38,142 roaring supporters.
Manchester United have reportedly agreed to loan out Andre Onana to Trabzonspor following the arrival of Senne Lammens. The Turkish transfer window remains open until September 12, meaning Trabzonspor still have a few precious days to get their man through the door before the deadline slams shut.
Jamal Musiala has been dubbed irreplaceable "like Lionel Messi" by German icon, Lothar Matthaus, after a shock World Cup qualifying defeat to Slovakia. The Bayern Munich midfielder fractured his fibula and damaged ankle ligaments following a brutal collision with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Club World Cup. The 22-year-old was stretchered off in Atlanta, visibly distraught, and Bayern later confirmed he requires surgery that will sideline him for several months.
France sealed a 2-0 victory over Ukraine but Didier Deschamps left the pitch with a bitter taste as the Ballon D'Or frontrunner, Ousmane Dembele, hobbled off with a hamstring injury. However, the winger's setback paved the way for Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike to make his international debut in Wraclow.
Barcelona could reportedly make a move for Marc Guehi as the Spanish champions are set to rival Liverpool for the Crystal Palace captain. The Catalans, fresh off losing Inigo Martinez this summer, are now circling around Guehi with SPORT claiming that director of football, Deco, has added the 25-year-old to his January hit list.
Ruben Amorim can breathe a huge sigh of relief ahead of the Manchester derby as the Red Devils have reportedly received positive updates on Matheus Cunha. Concerns had grown when the Brazilian limped off during the Red Devils’ thrilling 3-2 victory over Burnley last weekend, sparking fears of a lengthy absence.