📝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.
Robert Lewandowski has made it clear he is not ready to walk away from Barcelona, turning down approaches from Saudi Arabia and setting his sights firmly on continuing his career in Catalonia. The veteran striker is determined to see out his current deal, and possibly extend it, despite being linked to a lucrative move to the Middle East.
Former Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant has thrown down the gauntlet to Newcastle United, sell Alexander Isak to Liverpool for £110 million ($148m) or risk a season of drama and disappointment. Pennant believes the Magpies are playing with fire by holding on to an unsettled striker, insisting a quick sale would end the saga and give Eddie Howe the funds to rebuild before the new campaign kicks off.
Manchester United won on penalties but were held to a 1-1 draw by Fiorentina in their final pre-season friendly as Bryan Mbeumo shone the brightest amid a lacklustre attacking unit.
Manchester City’s training ground had a touch of nostalgia this week as former winger Riyad Mahrez made an unexpected appearance, reuniting with old team-mates and staff. The 34-year-old, remembered as one of the defining figures of City’s dominant era, was spotted walking through the Etihad Campus, exchanging warm greetings and laughter with familiar faces.
The football community continues to mourn the loss of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, with AS Roma's Paulo Dybala, accompanied by veteran manager Claudio Ranieri and sporting director Frederic Massara, arrived at Anfield to lay a bouquet of flowers at the growing memorial dedicated to Jota. The Portuguese international and his younger brother, André Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain in early July.
Luka Modric is diving headfirst into his role at Swansea City as he works to help the club secure a return to the Premier League. Despite his recent move to AC Milan the Croatian legend has made it clear that he intends to play a hands-on role in Swansea’s ambitions. His involvement goes beyond the boardroom, and there is even hope that Modric could finish his career playing for the Welsh club.
Manchester United have reportedly shown interest in Internacional's young forward, Ricardo Mathias, following a scouting mission this week. According to Globo Esporte, the Premier League club sent an official scout to observe the 19-year-old in action during Internacional’s Copa do Brasil match against Fluminense at the Maracana Stadium. Although Internacional was eliminated after the 1-1 draw, the performance of their rising star did not go unnoticed by potential suitors.
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has reportedly been left disgruntled after failing to make manager Ruben Amorim’s newly formed six-man leadership group. The squad hierarchy, headed by club captain Bruno Fernandes, also includes Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, and veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has reaffirmed that Alexander Isak remains part of the club’s long-term plans, but admitted the Sweden international cannot currently train with the squad or feature in their Premier League curtain-raiser against Aston Villa. The decision comes amid mounting transfer speculation linking the forward with a transfer to the reigning English champions Liverpool.
Endrick has beaten Gonzalo Garcia to the No.9 shirt number at Real Madrid. The decision marks a significant vote of confidence from manager Xabi Alonso, who is expected to give the youngster a more prominent role in the upcoming campaign.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is bracing his side for the intensity and demands of Championship football as the club prepares for its first second-tier campaign in more than four decades. Their remarkable journey from the National League to the Championship has captivated fans, but Parkinson is under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead.
The 2024/25 Championship season began with more drama off the ball than on it, as Birmingham City’s opening clash with Ipswich Town at St Andrew’s on Friday night descended into chaos during stoppage time. A tense contest, decided by a stoppage-time penalty, was overshadowed by a heated player confrontation and an alarming pitch invasion.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has chosen to remain non-committal regarding Nicolas Jackson's long-term role at the club as speculation mounts about a potential transfer for the striker. Despite the Senegalese forward’s intention to remain and compete for his place, the club appears open to offers, with Newcastle United monitoring the situation closely.
Chelsea’s newest Brazilian starlet, Willian Estevao, has opened up about the footballing heroes who inspired his move to Stamford Bridge and shared his ambitious goals following his official introduction to Blues supporters this week. The Blues struck a deal for the forward in June 2024 while he was still 17. However, FIFA regulations meant he couldn’t complete his move to England until he turned 18, a milestone he reached in April 2025.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot, Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman and Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique are among the prominent nominees for the Johan Cruyff awards that will be given away at the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Both Chelsea coaches, Enzo Maresca and Sonia Bompastor, have been nominated as well, along with Barcelona's Hansi Flick, who inspired the Blaugranas to a domestic treble.
Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a significant blow ahead of the new season, with midfielder James Maddison confirmed to have sustained a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The England international is expected to be sidelined for the bulk of the upcoming campaign, leaving Spurs manager Thomas Frank facing an urgent challenge to fill the creative void left behind.
Christian Norgaard marked a personal milestone by scoring his first goal for Arsenal, yet the Danish midfielder offered a sobering reflection on his side’s performance following a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal in a pre-season friendly. The Dane found the net just after the half-hour mark but former Tottenham star Arnaut Danjuma further increased the lead to inspire his side to a narrow win.
Cody Gakpo has set his sights on European silverware as Liverpool gear up for the 2025–26 season, aiming to follow up their Premier League triumph with Champions League success. The Dutch forward, who played a crucial role in the Reds’ resurgence under new manager Arne Slot, is eager to build on last season’s achievements and go even further on the continental stage.
Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber has denied any formal approach from Manchester United regarding midfielder Carlos Baleba, despite growing rumours linking the Cameroon international with a summer switch to Old Trafford. While the Red Devils are exploring a transfer through intermediary-level conversations, Brighton maintain that the player remains a critical part of their plans.
Brentford attacker Yoane Wissa has reportedly rejoined first-team training after clearing the air with head coach Keith Andrews, although the player continues to pursue a move away from the west London club. The 28-year-old forward was seen participating in a full training session on Wednesday morning, marking his first involvement with the senior squad since walking out of the team’s pre-season camp in Portugal on July 21.