📝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.
Jorrel Hato was left out of Ajax squad for their friendly against Celtic as Chelsea ramp up their pursuit of the Dutch defender. As talks between the Premier League club and the Amsterdam side continue, Hato’s exclusion has been interpreted as a sign that Ajax may be coming to terms with the likelihood of his departure.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has suggested the club’s summer business may not be over, sparking further speculation about a possible move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak. The Reds, who have already spent close to £300 million in this transfer window, appear determined to strengthen their squad even further before the new season kicks off.
Arsenal star Declan Rice has opened up about the mental and physical toll he endured after England’s heartbreaking loss in the Euro 2024 final to Spain. Despite the crushing disappointment, Rice has now turned the page, declaring his intent to push his limits for both club and country over the next 12 months.
Alan Shearer has expressed his frustration with Newcastle United after they released what he deemed a misleading statement regarding Alexander Isak’s absence from their pre-season tour. The former Newcastle captain and the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer criticised the club’s decision to cite a “minor thigh injury” as the reason for Isak missing the trip, just hours before news broke that the Swedish striker wants to leave the club this summer amid interest from Liverpool.
Arsenal have unveiled Cristhian Mosquera as their latest summer acquisition, securing the young centre-back from Valencia for an initial fee of €15 million (£13m/$18m). However, performance-related bonuses could see the final fee climb to €20 (£17m/$23m). The 21-year-old Spanish defender has signed a five-year contract that ties him to the Emirates Stadium until June 2030, with an option to extend the agreement by an additional year.
Marcus Rashford has officially swapped Manchester for Barcelona and while the deal represents a significant opportunity for the player to rediscover his best form, club legend Rivaldo has poured cold water on any suggestions that the English forward will walk into the starting XI, particularly at the expense of Raphinha. Rashford has moved on a one-year loan deal and the Spanish giants retain the option to make the deal permanent next summer for a fee of £30 million.
Bayern Munich are set to launch a renewed attempt to sign Luis Díaz from Liverpool, with a second offer reportedly on the cards. While Díaz remains with the Liverpool squad during their pre-season tour in Asia, discussions surrounding his potential departure have intensified behind the scenes.
Manchester United are facing the growing possibility of concluding the summer transfer window without securing the striker reinforcement they desperately need. The club’s efforts to bolster their frontline have hit a wall following unsuccessful pursuits of Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitike, and Viktor Gyokeres.
Chelsea are reportedly pushing forward to finalise the signing of Ajax’s highly-rated defender Jorrel Hato, with the Premier League side now entering the latter stages of negotiations after reaching an agreement with the player on personal terms. While no deal has been reached between the two clubs yet, the transfer fee currently being discussed is in the region of €40 million (£35m/$47m).
Cristiano Ronaldo is making the most of his off-season, soaking in the Mediterranean breeze aboard a luxurious yacht, accompanied by his partner, Georgina Rodriguez. As football takes a temporary back seat, the Al-Nassr superstar is indulging in a serene break far from the stadium spotlight.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provided an injury update on Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber after the defensive pair missed the Gunners' pre-season win over AC Milan. Bukayo Saka's second-half goal sealed the victory in the friendly fixture as the North London side continue to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming Premier League season.
Barcelona have officially announced the cancellation of their pre-season friendly against Japanese club Vissel Kobe, which was scheduled to take place this Sunday, July 27. The Catalan giants were set to fly out to Japan on Thursday morning at 11am local time, but that plan has now been abandoned following what the club has described as a “serious contractual breach” by the promoter responsible for organising the fixture.
Barcelona have confirmed the arrival of Marcus Rashford on a season-long loan, with the England international handed the iconic No.14 shirt. The jersey carries deep historical weight at Camp Nou, previously worn by legendary figures such as Thierry Henry and Javier Mascherano.
Wrexham have secured the services of veteran midfielder Josh Windass on a contract that will keep him at the Racecourse Ground through the end of the 2027-28 campaign. The 31-year-old arrives as a free agent after parting ways with Sheffield Wednesday last week, ending a four-year association with the Yorkshire club. Josh is the son of Hull City legend Dean Windass.
Bayern Munich’s rising talent, Lee Hyunju, has signed with Portuguese club FC Arouca, but it wasn’t the transfer itself that grabbed headlines. Instead, it was the club’s unique and hilarious announcement that went viral on the internet as it was inspired by Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron's kiss cam moment, at a Coldplay concert.
Arsenal kicked off their summer tour with a 1-0 triumph over AC Milan in a tightly-contested friendly held at the National Stadium in Singapore. The encounter, which marked the first pre-season fixture for both clubs, saw Bukayo Saka net the only goal of the game, giving Mikel Arteta’s side an early boost in their preparations for the upcoming campaign. However, the game still went to a penalty shootout.
Lucy Bronze insists the Lionesses have no need to prove themselves despite scraping into the Euro 2025 semi-finals and final. On Monday, they overturned a 1–0 deficit to beat Italy 2–1 in extra time thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser from 19‑year‑old Michelle Agyemang and a dramatic penalty rebound goal by Chloe Kelly.
Ian Wright has weighed in on the Lionesses' decision to no longer take the knee before matches, expressing that, had he still been an active player, he would consider continuing the act as a personal symbol of standing against racism. The former England and Arsenal striker emphasised that taking the knee should always have been an individual choice rather than a mandated team action.
West Ham United may have to vacate the London Stadium temporarily if the 2029 World Athletics Championships are awarded to the city. Last week, the UK government officially committed to supporting the bid financially, pledging £35 million ($47m) from the Treasury. An additional £10m ($13.5m) was also secured from the Mayor of London’s office, taking the total public funding support to £45m ($61m).
Aston Villa paid a heartfelt tribute to Black Sabbath frontman and music legend Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away aged 76. Osbourne performed his final live show at Villa Park, a homecoming farewell concert attended by 42,000 fans. The concert, dubbed Back To The Beginning, was staged as a celebration of Osbourne’s monumental career and life in music.