Sauradeep Ash

Senior Sub-Editor for |
Arsenal FC 🔴⚪️❤️

[Preeti @MadridPreeti]

🚨 Egypt's Coach:

"I will say this regardless of the consequence, this was clearly a rigged match.

If they want Argentina to win so bad, why call everyone to come and participate?"

Why aren't ESPN Or Fabrizio or any media outlets positing this !?

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Illan Meslier is heading to the Arsenal

First signing for @Arsenal looks on course.

#Arsenal #TransferNews

[Mykhel Football @Mykhel_football]

🚨 Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Illan Meslier! 🧤🔴

The Gunners are set to bring the former Leeds United goalkeeper to the Emirates on a free transfer, with the deal expected to be completed after a medical. The 26-year-old Frenchman is poised to add quality and Premier League experience to Mikel Arteta's goalkeeping department.

A smart, low-risk move for the Premier League champions as they continue strengthening their squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

via @TheAthleticFC

#Arsenal #AFC #COYG #IllanMeslier #Transfers #PremierLeague #MikelArteta #FootballTransfers

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Sanju Samson continues to be India's Scapegoat whenever the team fails.

It seems everyone has just forget how he played in the T20 World Cup.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi getting his debut at the expense of his former @rajasthanroyals skipper is a sad view, and an absolute unfair one for #SanjuSamson

https://t.co/cir5uDyHv2

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🚨Advantage Mexico Already? 🇲🇽

Mexico vs England rescheduled at 12 pm on Sunday to avoid Thunderstorms.

Mexico benefits significantly from high-altitude conditions at Estadio Azteca (2,240m), where thinner air causes quicker fatigue for unacclimatized England players, while locals thrive. Afternoon warmth adds to the strain on visitors.

England’s shorter recovery after their tough midweek DR Congo match, plus travel, leaves them fatigued. Rescheduling avoids thunderstorm interruptions common in July evenings, allowing uninterrupted flow that favors Mexico’s rhythm and home familiarity.

Additional edges include Azteca’s fortress record, passionate crowd support as co-hosts, and England’s logistical challenges, stacking the deck firmly in Mexico’s favor.

#Mexico #England #WorldCup #WC2026 #Azteca

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

A lesson for Mexico indeed!

[Mykhel Football @Mykhel_football]

🇲🇽 Mexico and Cachirules Scandal

As Mexico prepare to face Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, the infamous #Cachirules scandal once again becomes part of the conversation.

Back in 1988, Mexico's U-20 team fielded overage players in the CONCACAF Youth Championship by falsifying birth records. Once the deception was uncovered, FIFA handed down one of the harshest punishments in football history - not just banning the youth side, but suspending every Mexican national team from international competition for two years.

The consequence was devastating.
❌ Mexico missed the 1990 FIFA World Cup, ending a streak of appearances and denying an entire generation, including the legendary Hugo Sánchez, a chance to compete on football's biggest stage.

Nearly four decades later, El Tri have rebuilt their legacy through resilience and consistency. But the #Cachirules incident remains a timeless lesson that integrity is as important as talent in the beautiful game.

#FIFAWorldCup #WorldCup2026 #Mexico #Ecuador #ElTri #FootballHistory #Cachirules #RoadToGlory #WorldCupKnockouts
📷 AFP

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Gonzalo Plata - El Hijo de Oro de Ecuador (The Golden Boy of Ecuador)

#ecuador #FIFAWorldCup2026

[Mykhel Football @Mykhel_football]

🇪🇨⚡ 5 Things to Know About Gonzalo Plata, who has taken Ecuador to #WorldCup knockouts after 20 years.

🔥 One of Ecuador's brightest attacking stars is making headlines at the FIFA World Cup 2026! Here's what you should know about Gonzalo Plata:

1️⃣ 🇪🇨 Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on November 1, 2000.
2️⃣ 🌟 Developed at Independiente del Valle, one of South America's top football academies.
3️⃣ 🌍 Has played in Portugal (Sporting CP), Spain (Real Valladolid), Qatar (Al Sadd) and now stars for Flamengo in Brazil.
4️⃣ 🏆 Scored the winning goal to help Flamengo lift the 2024 Copa do Brasil title.
5️⃣ ⚡ Famous for his explosive pace, dazzling dribbling and ability to change a game in an instant for Ecuador.
💛 From Guayaquil to the World Cup stage, Plata continues to shine!

#GonzaloPlata #Ecuador #FIFAWorldCup #WorldCup2026 #LaTri #Flamengo #SouthAmerica #RisingStar
📷AFP

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are in Same Group in the upcoming Calcutta Football League. The

@IFABengal
has announced the Groups for the Premier Division on Thursday and two arch-rivals are in the same group. Calcutta Football League Premier Division 2026-27 Groups

Group 1: East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan SG, Behala SS, United Kolkata SC, Measurers Club, Kalighat Milan Sangha, Railway FC, Calcutta Customs, Pathachakra, George Telegraph, Kidderpore SC, Bidhannagar Municipal SA, Bhawanipore FC

Group 2: United SC, Mohammedan SC, Diamond Harbour FC, Wari AC, Sribhumi FC, Peerless SC, Police AC, Kalighat Sports LA, Suruchi Sangha, Rainbow AC, Coal India, Aryan Club, Calcutta Police Club

The top 3 clubs of each group will then again progress to Super Six and the winners there will be crowned Champions

#calcuttafootballleague #CFL #kolkata #indianfootball #ifa #eastbengal #mohunbagan #mohammedan

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

HISTORY MADE! Ryan Mendes has just become the FIRST player in Cabo Verde history to reach 100 international caps!

The 36-year-old captain led the Blue Sharks out against Uruguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tonight. From the islands to the biggest stage in the world.

#RyanMendes #100Caps #CaboVerde #WorldCup2026 #BlueSharks #uruguay #worldcup

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Alireza Beiranvand has showcased his class against Belgium. But he's not your ordinary Goalkeeper, he holds 2 World Records as well!

The Iranian giant holds two official Guinness World Records

Longest throw of a football in a competitive match → 61.00 metres (vs South Korea, 2016)

Longest drop kick → 78.01 metres (Persepolis, 2019)

#Beiranvand #GuinnessWorldRecords #IranFootball #GoalkeeperGoals #wc2026 #belgium #iran #alirezabeiranvand

📷 AFP

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🇮🇷 Alireza Beiranvand: Take a Bow! 🙏🙏

From herding sheep in a small village in Lorestan to becoming one of Asia’s best shot-stoppers, Alireza Beiranvand’s journey is pure inspiration.
Remember that iconic penalty save against Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2018 World Cup? That’s Beiranvand!

And today, he has already shown his class against Belgium in the #FIFAWC2026 match.

The left hand to deny De Kuipers is a stunning one, and so far, he has made 6 saves.

The 33-year-old Tractor star has won multiple Persian Gulf Pro League titles, earned nearly 90 caps for Iran, and turned goalkeeping into an attacking weapon.

From sleeping rough in Tehran and washing cars to captaining the national team, his story proves that talent and determination can change everything.
A true warrior. A national hero.

#AlirezaBeiranvand #IranFootball #PersianLeopard #FootballLegends #RagsToRiches #Iran #worldcup

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

The FIFA World Cup 2026 was supposed to be a celebration of football's biggest stage. Instead, we're witnessing a tournament increasingly dictated by television schedules, commercial interests and endless interruptions.

The constant hydration breaks, twice a match, have become impossible to ignore. And each and every time, the World Cup matches suddenly transitions into an ad frenzy for 2-3 minutes.

Yes, player welfare matters. Nobody disputes that. But when almost every marquee game feels like it comes with a built-in timeout, fans have every right to ask whether these stoppages are serving football or serving broadcasters.

FIFA must answer for this.

The governing body expanded the World Cup to 48 teams, stretched the tournament across three countries, packed the schedule, and placed matches in conditions where regular stoppages became inevitable. Then fans are told to accept repeated interruptions as part of the spectacle.

But football's beauty lies in its flow. A team pressing for an equaliser. A crowd creating deafening momentum. A star player taking over a game. These moments are priceless because they are uninterrupted. Every hydration break kills that intensity and turns a flowing contest into a series of segments.

And let's not pretend broadcasters are innocent spectators here.

Every hydration break conveniently creates another advertising opportunity. Another commercial slot. Another sponsor activation. Another chance to maximise revenue from the biggest sporting event on the planet. Football pauses, commercials roll, and the cash register keeps ringing.

The World Cup should be about the players, the fans and the drama on the pitch. Instead, FIFA and its broadcast partners are treating matches like television programming that needs scheduled breaks.

It's a shame and I hail the fans on the pitch who have 'Booed' their voice out everytime a Hydration break has been taken.

#WorldCup2026 #FIFAWorldCup #FootballFans #SaveFootball #FIFA #HydrationBreak #FootballFirst #NoMoreAdBreaks #ModernFootball #GameUnderThreat #FIFA

📷AFP

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

A massive boo from the Houston crowd as the Hydration Break is taken in the Netherlands vs Sweden #FIFAWorldCup2026 match.

The NRG Stadium is fully air-conditioned, but #FIFA continues to make a mockery of the game for advertisements and broadcasters' welfare.

The match was stopped for the Hydration break for 3 minutes. It's high that the fans continue to protest and express their feelings on it.

#worldcup #usa #hydrationbreak #football

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

All India Football Federation (AIFF) to Football Federation of Bharat (FFB)

At a time when Indian football is battling one of the most turbulent phases in its history, the All India Football Federation's proposal to rename itself as the Football Federation of Bharat (FFB) feels astonishingly misplaced and ludicrous at the same time.

The question is simple: Will changing a name change Indian football's fortunes?

India remains absent from the FIFA World Cup. While #Curacao, #Capeverde are playing World Cups, a country of 1.5 billion are light years away from it.

The men's national team has stagnated, youth development remains inconsistent, and the country continues to lag behind Asian rivals. Meanwhile, the Indian Super League's future structure remains uncertain, with discussions on a club-led model still unresolved and pushed forward for another round of talks.

Clubs have repeatedly voiced concerns over governance, commercial sustainability, promotion-relegation clarity.

Supporters are demanding a roadmap and the Players and Clubs need a vision.

Yet the headline emerging from the federation is a rebranding exercise.

No new logo, acronym, or federation name will improve FIFA rankings, produce better coaches, strengthen grassroots football, or resolve the ISL impasse.

Indian football needs a vision, not a rebrand. And the way the entire machinery is being run, we are edging towards doomsday!

#indianfootball #aiff #joke #india #worldcup2026 #bharat #football #grassroots

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🔴�� The Oscar Bruzon era at East Bengal has come to an end.

The Spanish tactician has officially announced his departure from the Red & Gold Brigade, bringing the curtain down on a chapter that saw the club fight to re-establish itself among Indian football's elite.
Bruzon arrived with a clear vision, emphasizing discipline, tactical structure, and a winning mentality as he sought to restore East Bengal's competitive edge.
He won the ISL title with @eastbengal_fc as the club ended its 22-year wait for a top flight league title.

Thank you, Oscar Bruzon, and best wishes for the road ahead. ❤️💛

#EastBengal #OscarBruzon #IndianFootball #EBFC #JoyEastBengal #FootballNews #ISL

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🇭🇹 The Dream Ends, But Haiti's Spirit Lives On 💙❤️

Haiti's FIFA World Cup 2026 journey has come to an end after a 3-0 defeat to Brazil, coupled with Morocco's 1-0 victory over Scotland in Group C. After two matches, Haiti remain without a point and are mathematically eliminated from the tournament.

Yet this campaign was about far more than results. The Caribbean nation returned to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1974, ending a 52-year wait and inspiring millions back home. Despite defeats to Scotland and Brazil, Haiti showed courage, passion and resilience against some of football's biggest names.

The scorelines will fade, but the memories of Haiti's return to the world's biggest football stage will remain. A young generation has seen their nation compete with pride, proving that Haitian football belongs among the global elite.

#FIFAWorldCup2026 #Haiti #Grenadiers #WorldCup #Football 🇭🇹⚽

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🇺🇸⭐ From Arsenal Prospect to USMNT Hero ⭐🇺🇸

Not long ago, Folarin Balogun was one of Arsenal's brightest academy talents, dreaming of making it big at the Emirates. Yet despite his immense promise, opportunities were limited. While others broke through, Balogun was sent out on loan, forced to prove himself away from North London.

Then came the turning point.

His sensational loan spell at French club Reims saw him score goals for fun, announcing himself as one of Europe's most exciting young strikers. But with Arsenal's path to the first team still blocked, Balogun made the bold decision to forge his own journey, eventually joining Monaco and committing his international future to the United States.

Many questioned whether he could become the difference-maker the USMNT had been searching for. Balogun answered in the only way he knows, by scoring goals.

At the FIFA World Cup 2026, he has emerged as one of America's biggest stars. His movement, composure and eye for goal have helped propel the United States into the Round of 32, giving fans hope of a historic run on home soil.

Balogun has scored 2 goals so far in World Cup 2026, and looks a force for #USMNT. Against Australia, he forced an own goal and left the pitch with standing ovation.

From Arsenal academy graduate to World Cup hero, Folarin Balogun's story is proof that sometimes the road less travelled leads to the greatest destination.

#USMNT #FolarinBalogun #WorldCup2026 #Arsenal #Monaco #Football #USA

📷 AFP

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Syndrela Das creates history as the youngest Indian to be picked for Asian Games!

She is among the 5 names in the Women's Squad named by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).

The Kolkata-born has been relentless in her quest for a place in the senior side, and has done herself immensely proud.

In the domestic rankings, Syndrela is currently 2nd and her World ranking is 109 currently, which has been a result of her relentless hardwork in the last six month or so.

#syndreladas #ttfi #tabletennis #india #wtt #asiangames #ittf

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

🏓🇮🇳 India unveil Table Tennis squads for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships!

The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has announced a strong 10-member contingent, with Manav Thakkar leading the men's challenge and Sreeja Akula set to spearhead the women's campaign.

🔥 Men's Team: Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, Payas Jain
🔥 Women's Team: Sreeja Akula, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Syndrela Das, Sutirtha Mukherjee
One of the biggest highlights is the inclusion of Syndrela Das, who becomes the youngest Indian player to be named in an Asian Games table tennis squad. The talented teenager from Kolkata has earned selection for both major events and is regarded as one of India's brightest prospects.

The experienced duo of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah are expected to be India's key force in men's doubles, while Sutirtha Mukherjee and Syndrela Das could form an exciting women's doubles partnership. Mixed doubles combinations featuring Manav-Sreeja and Payas-Syndrela are also likely to be in focus.

Notably, Manika Batra has been named among the reserves alongside Swastika Ghosh, while Ankur Bhattacharjee and Ronit Bhanja are reserve players in the men's section.

India will first compete at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi (July 27–August 2) before heading to Nagoya, Japan, for the Asian Games (August 20–28).

#TableTennis #IndiaTT #AsianGames #CommonwealthTT #SreejaAkula #ManavThakkar #SyndrelaDas #TeamIndia 🇮🇳🏓

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Farewell to a Legend: Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa 🇲🇽

From the streets of Guadalajara to the grandest stages of the world, Memo Ochoa has been more than a goalkeeper, he’s been Mexico’s heartbeat, our unbreakable shield, our eternal warrior in green. Today, as he prepares to hang up his gloves after the 2026 World Cup, our hearts ache with gratitude and pride.

For over two decades, Ochoa embodied loyalty like few others. Starting at Club América, where he became a star, he took his talent across Europe. Spain, France, Belgium, Italy - yet his soul always belonged to El Tri. Six World Cups. Six. From 2006 to 2026, he stood tall as Mexico’s guardian, earning 150+ caps and six CONCACAF Gold Cups, the most decorated player in the tournament’s history.

Who can forget the magic? That unforgettable night in 2014 against Brazil - ten heroic saves, including that impossible stop on Neymar’s header. Man of the Match in a 0-0 draw that made the world gasp. Or the heroic penalty save against Lewandowski in 2022. The fingertip stops, the commanding presence, the leadership that inspired generations. In every round-of-16 exit, Memo gave us hope when others faltered. He didn’t just save shots - he saved our dreams.

Memo, you taught us what it means to fight with heart, to represent your country with dignity and fire. You said Mexico was your compass, your life. For us, you were our pride.

Thank you, Memo. For the saves, the tears, the glory. This World Cup is your final dance, on home soil, in front of your people. Go out as the legend you are.

¡Gracias, Memo! ¡Eres eterno! @yosoy8a

#guillermoochoa #mexico #wc2026 #worldcup2026 #ochoa #memo #goalkeeper #gracias #eltri

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

@GOLversia Yes it must have been a special moment for him personally

[Sauradeep Ash @SauradeepAsh]

Aymen Hussein's journey is one of the most inspiring stories of #FIFAWorldCup2026.

Born in Hawija, Iraq, Hussein grew up amid conflict and loss. His father, an Iraqi Army officer, was killed in an al-Qaeda attack when Aymen was just a boy. Years later, his brother was kidnapped by ISIS and has never been found. Forced to live through war, displacement and uncertainty, football became his escape and his purpose.

The striker rose through Iraq's football ranks to become the face of a generation. He starred at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, scored crucial goals in World Cup qualifying, and on March 31, 2026, delivered the most important goal in Iraqi football history, the winner against Bolivia that sent Iraq to their first FIFA World Cup since 1986.

His World Cup journey almost began in controversy after he was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours upon arriving in the United States before eventually being cleared to enter.

Now, Hussein has written another chapter in Iraqi football folklore. By scoring against Norway at FIFA World Cup 2026, he became the first Iraqi player to find the net at a World Cup in 40 years, turning adversity into history once again. 🇮🇶⚽🔥

#iraq #aymenhussein #worldcup #stories #iraqfootball #wc2026