Author: Rahul Giri

After a chaotic and disappointing opening leg of the GOAT Tour of India in Kolkata, Hyderabad offered a sharp and striking contrast, one that underlined how planning and crowd management can define a global sporting event. Lionel Messi arrived in Hyderabad on a private jet after the Salt Lake Stadium episode in Kolkata left fans and organisers facing uncomfortable questions. What unfolded in the Telangana capital on Saturday evening, however, was a reminder of what the event was always meant to be: controlled, celebratory and fan-first. Messi, accompanied by close associates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez, entered the stadium…

What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration for football fans in Kolkata turned into a chaotic and deeply disappointing episode on Saturday at Salt Lake Stadium, as the much-anticipated Lionel Messi event descended into disorder. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, has ordered an inquiry under a retired judge into the incident. “I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and…

In Kolkata, Lionel Messi is not merely a footballer. He is a feeling that has lived quietly and sometimes loudly inside the city for decades. His name exists everywhere: etched permanently on tattoos, scribbled inside old sports diaries, glowing on mobile wallpapers. Every four years, during the World Cup, half of Kolkata turns sky blue. Lanes are draped with Argentine flags, buildings are painted in blue and white, and sleep becomes optional. When Argentina lifted the World Cup in Qatar, the city did not rest that night. Messi, their icon, had completed the journey they had walked with him for…

Pressure around Xabi Alonso intensified on Wednesday night as Real Madrid slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Manchester City in the Champions League, a result that deepens the uncertainty surrounding the manager’s position at the Santiago Bernabéu. Madrid entered the match already in a fragile state, with only two wins in their previous seven outings. The loss to City added to that slide, making it two consecutive home defeats and extending a worrying run that has come to define their last month and a half. Despite the growing noise around the club, both players and senior management attempted to…

The Netherlands will headline Group F alongside Japan, widely considered Asia’s strongest contender aiming for a deep run in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Tunisia, making their third consecutiveappearance, will look to finally break into the knockout rounds. All three nations await the final entrant, which will emerge from the UEFA Playoff Path B in March, featuring Sweden, Ukraine, Poland, or Albania. The Netherlands, three-time Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010), were eliminated in the quarterfinals in Qatar. They open their campaign against Japan, who are playing in their eighth successive World Cup. GROUP F 1. The Netherlands Fixtures (All Times are…

East Bengal’s defeat to FC Goa in sudden death of the Super Cup final, on Sunday, will hurt the fans. But behind the pain, there is something new: belief, progress and a growing identity. After a long time, East Bengal look like a team that can compete with the best, not just participate. This was their second straight runners-up finish in a major tournament, coming just six weeks after losing the IFA Shield final to Mohun Bagan SG on penalties. In that game too, they were arguably the better side but couldn’t finish the job. On Sunday, history repeated itself…

Fatorda Stadium witnessed a dramatic and unforgettable final as FC Goa defeated East Bengal in a tense penalty shootout to defend their Super Cup crown and secure a spot in the AFC Champions League Qualifier. The electric crowd at Fatorda, not fully packed but loud enough to shake the stands, welcomed both teams with deafening cheers for what was billed as a blockbuster final. The early moments lived up to the anticipation as Miguel Ferreira nearly stunned East Bengal in the 12th minute. After timing his run perfectly to beat the off-side trap and latching onto a clever through pass…

( Javier Siverio, PC- FC Goa Media) With the Super Cup final set to unfold under the floodlights at Fatorda, FC Goa forward Javier Siverio finds himself in a familiar yet emotional position, preparing to face his former club, East Bengal, in a high-stakes clash with silverware and an AFC competition berth on the line. For Siverio, the build-up isn’t just about tactics, pressure or expectation, it’s also about memory. “I’ve played for East Bengal, and of course…

Fatorda Stadium is set for a heavyweight showdown as East Bengal lock horns with the defending champions, FC Goa in the Super Cup Final on Sunday. The Red and Gold Brigade enters the final driven by the memory of falling short in the Durand Cup and IFA Shield finals. They are fiercely motivated to seize this opportunity and repeat their 2024 Super Cup triumph. While East Bengal will be without their Head Coach Oscar Bruzón on the sidelines—the Spanish coach was dismissed in the last game following a heated exchange—the team remains focused on the task at hand. Assistant Coach…

Indian Super League clubs, excluding East Bengal, have once again written to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) urging immediate intervention to resolve the ongoing commercial and operational uncertainty surrounding the league. The latest letter comes just days after a high-level meeting with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi on December 3, a meeting that ended without any concrete roadmap or immediate solutions. With the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) set to expire on December 8, the clubs have warned that the top tier of Indian football is now on the…