📝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 City are reportedly preparing to table a bumper new contract offer for their midfield linchpin, Rodri, as part of a strategic effort to fend off Real Madrid’s sustained interest. City see this new deal as pivotal to retaining one of Pep Guardiola’s most essential players, who is in line to become the second best paid player at the club after Erling Haaland.
Barcelona have opened disciplinary proceedings against Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has reportedly declined to authorize the club to share the details of his recent lower back surgery and recovery timeline with La Liga's medical commission. This has effectively stalled Barcelona's efforts to classify his injury as long-term, which would have allowed them to temporarily offload 80 per cent of his salary from their wage bill and register a new player.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure at Besiktas is reportedly on shaky ground, with mounting pressure from within the club possibly leading to an early dismissal. Despite being appointed only in January 2025, the Norwegian manager is believed to be on the verge of being replaced as the Turkish giants reassess their managerial direction.
Mason Greenwood extended his impressive run of form by adding another goal to his growing pre-season tally as Marseille secured a 1-1 draw with Spanish outfit Sevilla at the Stade Vélodrome. The 23-year-old forward found the net with a clever, stooping header after meeting a perfectly delivered cross from the left flank by Ulisses Garcia.
Rasmus Hojlund has made it clear to Manchester United officials that he has no intention of leaving Old Trafford for RB Leipzig, according to reports from talkSPORT. Despite interest from the Bundesliga club, the Danish striker has informed the Red Devils that a move to Germany is not on his agenda.
Franco Mastantuono has been tipped to succeed Lionel Messi as Argentina’s next No. 10 as Daniel Brizuela, the former head of scouting for River Plate, believes that the Real Madrid star has "Zidane-esque qualities". Unsurprisingly, some of Europe’s biggest clubs were circling as he turned 17. Paris Saint-Germain were among those reportedly eager to secure Mastantuono’s signature, but ultimately Real Madrid's persistence paid off.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim gave his verdict on the current batch of goalkeepers at Old Trafford amid sustained interest in Argentine star Emiliano Martinez. The Red Devils recently approached Aston Villa with a proposal to secure Martinez on loan, but the inquiry was swiftly turned down by the Midlands outfit.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has put the brakes on discussions regarding a contract extension, sparking growing uncertainty about his long-term future in the Spanish capital. The Brazilian has less than two years remaining on his current deal, and at this stage, his representatives have decided to step away from the negotiating table entirely, at least for the foreseeable future.
Harry Kane is "delighted" to play alongside Luis Diaz after the Liverpool star made his debut against Lyon on Saturday. Despite the game not being a flawless introduction for Díaz, the Colombian international displayed flashes of his talent that have already impressed the English forward.
Sheffield United forward Kieffer Moore is on the verge of completing a permanent transfer to Wrexham, with a medical scheduled for Saturday as the final step in the £2 million agreement, as revealed by Sky Sports. The transfer highlights Wrexham’s continued ambition following their recent promotion, with owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney once again putting their trust, and financial resources, behind manager Phil Parkinson.
Manchester United are reportedly willing to make a substantial offer for rising Barcelona star Fermin Lopez, with Sport claiming the Premier League club have tabled a £61 million ($70m) bid in the hope of luring the midfielder away from Camp Nou. Within the Barcelona camp, while some still believe in his long-term value to the squad, others are warming to the idea of parting ways, if a hefty proposal arrives.
Dele Alli is reportedly weighing up the possibility of ending his playing career at just 29 years old. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Como midfielder’s future hangs in the balance after being frozen out of the club’s first-team plans by manager Cesc Fabregas.
Armando Broja is reportedly on the verge of sealing a permanent transfer to Burnley after the Clarets reached an agreement with Chelsea. The 22-year-old forward has endured a difficult few years, beginning with an Achilles tendon rupture that sidelined him for a lengthy spell. Unfortunately, further misfortune followed when he sustained a significant ankle injury shortly after returning to action.
A dramatic reshuffling is underway at Manchester United as Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia will reportedly remain excluded from first-team operations. Although they will continue to train at the Carrington facility, they will have to do so under separate arrangements.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has become the subject of renewed interest from Saudi Arabia, with Al-Nassr now making a formal approach to sign the Portuguese playmaker. According to Abola, the Saudi Pro League club has taken active steps this week in pursuit of the 30-year-old midfielder as they look to challenge for domestic and continental honours.
Simon Wiles has been named the new head coach for Liverpool's Under-18s. The highly regarded young coach steps into the role vacated by Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, who left the club at the conclusion of last season after a decade-long tenure. Bridge-Wilkinson has since moved on to become the assistant manager at League One club Huddersfield Town.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hailed Mason Greenwood as the "star boy" as the former Arsenal striker admitted his excitement at linking up with the English forward at Marseille. The 36-year-old forward, who previously spent the 2023–24 season with the French club, returns after parting ways with Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah earlier this month. He left the Saudi club on a free transfer and has reportedly signed a new deal that keeps him at Marseille until the summer of 2027.
The north London rivalry has found a new lease of life on social media after Tottenham forward Richarlison took a cheeky swipe at Arsenal’s Gabriel following their pre-season meeting in Hong Kong. The Brazilian striker, who played a key role in Spurs’ 1-0 win over the Gunners, took to Instagram to share a photo of his Man of the Match trophy and that sparked a online feud between the two stars.
Anthony Gordon sympathised with Alexander Isak, who is heavily linked with a move away from Newcastle to Liverpool. The Sweden international is reportedly pushing for a move away from St James’ Park, a situation that closely mirrors Gordon’s own experience a year ago.
Everton supporters have always appreciated players who reflect their own values of hard work, humility and resilience and in Portuguese striker Beto, they’ve found exactly that. At 25, Beto arrived on Merseyside from Serie A outfit Udinese in a £25.75 million move, carrying with him a compelling personal story that resonates far beyond the pitch.