📝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.
Marcus Rashford has admitted to enduring a "difficult" pre-season at Barcelona after his loan move from Manchester United. The 26-year-old forward, who joined the La Liga champions after falling out of favour at Old Trafford, has described Barca head coach Hansi Flick's training routine as "very intense".
Harry Maguire has opened up on Cristiano Ronaldo’s "disappointing" second spell at Manchester United. The defender painted a picture of a dressing room initially lit up by Ronaldo’s arrival, only for tactical missteps and ever-growing frustration to overshadow the reunion.
Jack Grealish’s switch from Manchester City to Everton has drawn sharp reactions from the Italian press as they believe Napoli have "dodged a bullet" by missing out on the winger. The Toffees have secured the England international on a season-long loan deal which includes the option to buy him outright for £50m next summer.
Andre Onana has been brutally told that his "time is up" at Manchester United after two inconsistent seasons between the sticks. Amid the uncertainty surrounding Onana's future, Ruben Amorim has been urged to target former Red Devils shot-stopper David De Gea, who returned to Old Trafford with Fiorentina for a pre-season clash last weekend.
Lionel Messi has been sent a surprise warning by fellow Argentine striker Facundo Callejo, who is threatening to knock him off his perch as the country's top goal machine in 2025. Callejo is suddenly breathing down the neck of the Inter Miami star and he is not shy about letting him know it.
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has admitted he is still haunted by his Ballon d’Or disappointment at Bayern Munich. The Poland international was favourite for the 2020 award before it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and then came second to Lionel Messi in the vote the following year.
Jack Grealish has reportedly sacrificed a hefty chunk of his Manchester City fortune to seal a shock loan move to Everton, who have the option to buy him outright for £50 million ($67m) next summer. The England international, kitted out in a sleek black velour tracksuit, ticked off his medical on Monday ahead of his official unveiling at Everton.
Manchester United's stance on a move for Gianluigi Donnarumma has been revealed with the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper reportedly nearing an exit from the Parc des Princes. The Italian goalkeeper is understood to be open to calling time on his PSG career, but only if the right club comes knocking. PSG offered him an upgraded contract in a bid to secure his long-term commitment, but Donnarumma rejected the terms.
Tottenham are reportedly "exploring" a transfer for Eberechi Eze as the Crystal Palace star has been lined up to replace the injured James Maddison. The 27-year-old England star has become the latest name on Spurs’ hit list as the club scrambles to inject creativity into their attack following the devastating loss of Maddison through a season-wrecking ACL injury.
Manchester United have unveiled their 2025-26 third kit in a video featuring Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Amorim. In a campaign dripping with nostalgia, swagger, and a touch of kung-fu theatre, Dimitar Berbatov has also starred in the role of a serene martial arts master to reveal what supporters are already calling the club's "best jersey in decades".
Barcelona’s dressing room has reportedly been rocked by an extraordinary bust-up between two of its brightest young stars, with Gavi allegedly demanding that his long-time friend Fermin Lopez be sold after a furious clash that nearly turned physical. The pair’s relationship stretches back to their teenage years at La Masia but those warm memories have been torched in recent days, as a personal dispute has spiralled into a full-blown feud.
Alexander Isak is reportedly "adamant" that his Newcastle career is over, even if his proposed transfer to Liverpool does not materialise. The Swedish striker is said to have no intention of pulling on a Magpies shirt again as his relationship with the club hierarchy has hit an all-time low.
Alejandro Garnacho has reportedly issued a bombshell ultimatum to Manchester United in order to push through his proposed transfer to Chelsea. The 21-year-old winger has made it clear that his future lies away from Manchester, with Stamford Bridge emerging as his preferred next destination.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is reportedly ready to call time on his Stamford Bridge stay as he has set his sights on a move to Newcastle United. But the transfer is hanging by a thread, tied to the future of Newcastle’s star man Alexander Isak, who is being hunted by Liverpool in one of the window’s fiercest transfer battles.
Marcus Rashford left Raphinha stunned as he missed the chance tap into an open goal during a friendly against Como. The 27-year-old forward, who arrived at the Nou Camp on loan from Manchester United this summer with an option for a permanent deal, was handed a golden chance to pad the scoreline. Instead, he somehow contrived to miss an empty net in front of a stunned crowd.
Virgil van Dijk was furious as Wembley’s air of solemnity was broken on Sunday as a small group of Crystal Palace supporters disrupted a minute’s silence for Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, ahead of the Community Shield. The two brothers tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain last month, and both sets of players had gathered at the centre circle to honour their memory.
Newcastle United are on the verge of securing the signature of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, with the towering centre-back expected to undergo his medical on Monday before penning a deal that will take him to Tyneside. The Magpies have agreed an initial payment of €35million (£30.3m / $40.8m), with a further €5m (£4.3m / $5.8m) in potential performance-related bonuses close to being finalised.
Spanish football could be on the brink of a groundbreaking moment and it’s FC Barcelona leading the charge. According to reports in Sport, the Catalan club is pushing for its December league fixture against Villarreal to be staged not in Spain, but under the Florida sun at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. If approved, it would mark the first official La Liga match ever played outside Spain.
Harry Kane is set to lose his team-mate, Kingsley Coman, as the Bayern Munich star has reportedly agreed to join Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. According to German outlet Bild, the Riyadh-based club have been pursuing the French international relentlessly in recent days, and now, the finish line is in sight. The deal on the table would hand Coman an eye-watering salary of between €25-€30 million (£22m/$29m - £26m/$35m) a year.
RB Leipzig are reportedly ready to bring Christopher Nkunku back to Germany, as part of a blockbuster deal that would see Xavi Simons join Chelsea in a £60 million ($81m) move. The Bundesliga side have floated the sensational idea of a player-plus-cash swap with Chelsea preparing to move out several players, including Nkunku, before going all-in on their top attacking targets.
.jpg?quality=60&width=200&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
