Raised in a sports-loving family, Soham Bhagawati’s journey into football began at an early age. Born in Guwahati and raised in Dubai, he grew up surrounded by sporting influence: his father was a tennis player and his grandfather was a footballer. This unwavering family support helped turn a childhood passion into a serious career pursuit. Now based in Spain, the young footballer is steadily building his path towards a potential India debut.Soham moved to Spain about two and a half years ago to improve his football skills and gain exposure at a higher level. At the same time, he is continuing his studies and pursuing a degree in sports management, which helps him learn more about the sport both on and off the field.

Soham was called up for trials with the India Under-19 team in 2020, a significant milestone in his career. He considers wearing the Indian jersey a major achievement and a moment of pride, further motivating him to push himself.The 22-year-old currently plays for Terrassa FC, representing the club’s B team in the second division of Catalonia, while the senior team competes in Spain’s fourth division.According to him, football in Spain has helped him grow both technically and mentally, and the competitive environment has been a valuable learning experience.Soham named Brazilian star Neymar as his early inspiration. However, with time and a deeper understanding of the game, he feels that every player brings something different to it. Today, rather than idolising one individual, Soham believes there is something to learn from everyone and focuses on improving by taking lessons from all players he watches and plays alongside.From Indian football, Soham calls Sunil Chhetri “the king” and draws inspiration from his achievements and leadership. He likes FC Barcelona and Argentina’s Boca Juniors, and he dreams of one day representing a club of similar stature through hard work and dedication.

Soham along with teammates during a practice session with Terrassa FC.

He hopes to represent his favourite ISL club, NorthEast United FC, one day. For now, however, his focus is on gaining experience and improving his game.According to Soham, the difference between players from India and Spain is not talent but exposure, which sets them apart. He, though, feels the level of young Indian footballers is steadily improving.“India has talented players and improving facilities, especially with ISL clubs now offering strong infrastructure. However, football does not receive the same level of investment and attention as other sports, which limits growth. Exposure to competitive environments is still the biggest gap,” Soham told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.Soham emphasised how crucial the ISL is for Indian football. He said it not only provides young players with much-needed exposure and professional experience but also keeps fans connected to the sport.“The ISL is the main league people associate with football in India in recent years. Without it, the sport loses visibility and structure. Even though the format and wages have changed, it’s good that players are back on the field — playing matches is what matters most for footballers,” he added.Soham’s short-term goal is to break into his club’s first team, while his long-term aim is to play at a higher professional level in Spain. Representing India at the senior level remains a clear dream — one he believes is achievable through consistent hard work, dedication and belief in his abilities.

Soham in action during a match.

“Representing India at the senior level is everyone’s dream. For me, it could happen very soon if I keep working hard towards it. Let’s see — it takes effort, but if it happens, it will be a proud moment,” Soham added.Soham is optimistic about the future of Indian football. He believes that, with proper focus and commitment, India has the potential to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.“We already have top-quality players like Sandesh Jhingan, Lallianzuala Chhangte and many more. If we focus well and give everything to it, I believe we can achieve it in the next few years,” he said.Beyond football, Soham is deeply spiritual and credits his faith for keeping him grounded.“I always pray every day and look up to God because He is the one giving us opportunities. We’re truly blessed to have everything we have. There will be bad times, but they always pass. The key is to stay positive, focus on the right things, and always be happy and smile,” he said.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been sacked by Spurs after just under eight months in charge.

While the higher ups at Spurs focus on finding Frank’s replacement, we thought we’d test your knowledge by looking at those head coaches who have come before.

Can you name the past 10 permanent Tottenham managers? Good luck!

Almost seven years ago, Samer Tawk wondered whether he would walk again.

“I was young and crazy and was skiing somewhere I shouldn’t have been in Lebanon, and I fell 14 meters (46 feet),” Tawk told DW.

Now the cross-country skier is preparing to represent Lebanon at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

It is a long-awaited return to the world stage for the 27-year-old. In 2019, Tawk was looking forward to the Beijing Games in 2022 and his second Winter Olympics but then suffered serious injuries doing the sport he loved.

“I was broken. I broke my hips in four places. My left leg was 40% paralysed. I tore my urethra, had internal bleeding, broke my elbow and my hand.”

The skier was rushed to the hospital, where he spent over a week in intensive care.

“At first, my thoughts were on whether I would survive and then if I would be disabled.”

Recovery begins for Tawk

Slowly, but surely, he started to recover, and the thought of getting back on the skis was always there. In the beginning, though, he was literally focused on taking the next step.

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“I didn’t complicate things. I didn’t overthink it. I just wanted to try my best, and that’s what I told the doctors,” Tawk said. “I started with small steps, and when I saw even tiny progress, I was so happy and motivated.”

So much so that he was soon thinking about competing again, either in the Paralympics or the Olympics.

“Most of the doctors thought it would be nearly impossible for me to recover 100%,” Tawk said.

But Tawk wanted to see how far he could get.

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“In the first year, I was trying to ski on cross-country skis, but I couldn’t move more than 10 meters, my left leg couldn’t handle it, and I kept falling down.”

This went on for about two years.

“I was skiing a bit, but my technique was much worse. It took a long time. After three and a half years, I was like ‘okay, I can train again and be serious about my goal.’”

The switch from alpine to cross-country

Tawk had originally tried alpine skiing at age 6 on the slopes of Lebanon, near his home of Bsharri in the mountains, around 60 kilometers (37.3 miles) north of Beirut.

“It was so good but expensive, and my family wasn’t rich. I had to pay coaches [and] buy a season pass, so I switched to cross-country skiing. It was less expensive, and I loved it.”

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Lebanon may have a lot of snow, but organized winter sports are rare. Tawk is one of only two athletes in Lebanon’s delegation for the Milan Cortina Olympics, with Andrea El Hayek, an alpine skier competing in the men’s slalom, the only other. 

“It wasn’t easy, but I lived close to the slopes and could be there in just 10 minutes, and I started to train more and more,” Tawk said.

In 2015, the Lebanese federation brought in a coach from Serbia to help. He told Tawk that if he trained hard enough, he could make the Olympics in three years’ time, and in 2018 that’s exactly what happened.

Tawk competed in Pyeongchang, becoming the first competitor from his homeland to compete in Olympic cross-country skiing.

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“It was so cold, it was crazy but a great experience,” said Tawk, who finished 105th in the 15-kilometer freestyle event.

The prospect of going to Beijing four years later was exciting, and even after the accident, there was some hope.

“When I fell, I thought maybe in six months, I will be normal again, but in 2020, I was still broken. In 2021, I was not so good,” Tawk said.

Desperate to go to China but recognizing he wasn’t fit enough to compete, Tawk went to Beijing as a coach.

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A long way back

Four years later, he returns to the course as an athlete. At Milan Cortina, Tawk does not see himself competing with skiers from the strong European nations such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. He says that Lebanon could perhaps start reaching the podium in about 20 years.

“Thinking about a medal is more than dreaming, even if I was never injured, it would be impossible as there are some countries that have a big history in cross-country skiing and can spend millions just on coaching,” Tawk said.

In the meantime, there is a different way to win for Tawk. Meeting his own expectations and competing with countries on a similar level to Lebanon, such as Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

There is also the possibility that he can help inspire his home nation to move to the next level.

“The Lebanese people know a little about winter sports but not much,” said Tawk, who would like the government to do more.

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“For the Winter Olympics, I am frustrated that we don’t have any official recognition. Nobody has said ‘good luck’ officially. We didn’t even have a meeting and I don’t even know if I will be given kit to wear. Lebanon is a beautiful country but it’s not great if you want to be organized as an athlete,” Tawk said.

After all he has been through, Samer Tawk, is however, just delighted to be there.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding

Michael Carrick maintained his unbeaten start to life as Man Utd head coach after Benjamin Sesko scored a 96th-minute equaliser at West Ham.

When Michael Carrick threw Joshua Zirkzee on for the final nine minutes of Manchester United’s game against West Ham on Tuesday, he was making his own philosophy clear. Ruben Amorim was reluctant to deviate from the tactical script, but Carrick was willing to roll the dice.

By bringing Diogo Dalot off, Carrick was asking Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw to hold the fort defensively, while everyone else went in search of an equaliser. The gambler’s mindset paid off when Benjamin Sesko’s brilliant finish kept the momentum rolling for United and for Carrick.

It could easily have been different. United’s commitment to chasing the game left them wide open and West Ham had several chances to kill the game on the break in the closing stages. They wasted a couple, and twice Yoro produced brilliant defensive interventions. They kept United in the game and allowed Sesko his moment.

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Carrick was asked about his changes and desire to chase the game post-match and his answer felt revealing. “It’s always worth it to try and get something out of the game,” he said.

That has been evident in his five-game spell in charge so far. United have found a scoring touch late in games and their desire to keep going has been noticeable. This squad is in a better place than it was under Amorim. The dynamic and togetherness are stronger, and Carrick referenced the spirit on Tuesday in terms of that ability to score vital late goals.

This was the second time Sesko has made a decisive contribution in injury time. Having scored the winner against Fulham after 94 minutes, he has now got an equaliser against West Ham after 96 minutes. The Slovenian striker is pushing for a start and deserves more action than the 61 minutes he has got so far under Carrick, but his ability to change a game from the bench is also a major weapon to have in reserve.

That is particularly true in a squad lacking depth. Carrick’s only other real attacking change from the bench is to bring on Zirkzee, who came close to scoring at the London Stadium but isn’t the long-term answer. That makes the glut of late goals all the more impressive.

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United have now scored in the last 14 minutes in all five games under Carrick. Three times they have scored in the 87th minute or later, earning five points thanks to those goals.

It was a trend that began with Patrick Dorgu’s 76th-minute goal, putting United 2-0 up against Manchester City in Carrick’s first game in charge. Then came Matheus Cunha’s brilliant 87th-minute winner at the Emirates Stadium, scoring almost immediately after Arsenal had pulled it back to 2-2.

Sesko then delivered his first glorious moment, before Bruno Fernandes wrapped up the win against Tottenham with United’s second after 81 minutes at the weekend. Finally, we have Sesko’s equaliser on Tuesday.

“I think that’s a huge part of it,” Carrick said when asked if he had sent the message to the players that they had to keep going. “I think you’ve got that spirit and then sometimes you’ve got to find a way. We all want to be the best we can be. Sometimes it doesn’t quite happen, but it doesn’t mean you give up and we obviously went for it.

“We went three at the back and the rest all attacking basically towards the end to try and find that goal. And I think that’s the way we should do it at that moment and we managed to pull it off.”

Carrick played in an era when United made scoring late goals an art form. The phrase ‘Fergie time’ entered the football lexicon for a reason and Sir Alex Ferguson’s mantra was to always take the risk, to keep throwing attackers on and increasing the pressure to try and find that breakthrough.

Maybe that is something Carrick picked up from Ferguson. His United team has certainly got into a good habit when it comes to producing key moments late in games.

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The Minnesota Vikings have about 20 internal free agents due to hit the open market in less than one month, but according to Fox Sports, only one will be sought after at a Top 100 clip: linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.

Pace Jr. was the lone Minnesota name to earn real recognition, and his uncertain role makes the offseason stakes sharper.

That website published an annual list of the league’s top free agents, and as a restricted free-agent honorable mention — not even included in the true Top 100 — Pace Jr. got a wee bit of respect.

Minnesota’s Internal Free-Agent Class Is Thin

The Vikings’ internal free-agent list is its blandest in years.

Pace Jr. Pulls Down Small Mention on Top FA List

FOX Sports‘ Greg Auman carved out a special section for restricted free agents, noting, “The top 100 were all unrestricted free agents, but we want to throw a bone to the restricted free agents, who are tendered by their original teams, allowing other teams to make an offer sheet that the original team can choose to match or sometimes get draft-pick compensation from the new team.”

“That rarely happens, but here are the top 10 RFA talents worth keeping an eye on.”

His list of 10 RFAs:

1. Brandon Aubrey, K, Cowboys
2. Ja’Quan McMillian, CB, Broncos
3. John Metchie, WR, Jets
4. Emanuel Wilson, RB, Packers
5. Jack Gibbens, LB, Patriots
6. Jake Tonges, TE, 49ers
7. Ivan Pace, LB, Vikings
8. Sean Tucker, RB, Buccaneers]
9. Jake Browning, QB, Bengals
10. Chad Ryland, K, Cardinals

And then that was it for Vikings’ free agents in 2026 — a somewhat anonymous group.

The Rest of the Non-Mentioned FAs

Aside from Pace Jr., the Vikings have several men about to test the open market, but the world won’t crumble if they leave.

Here’s the full list, including Pace Jr.:

• Ben Sims (TE)
• Bo Richter (EDGE)
• Brett Rypien (QB)
• Carson Wentz (QB)
• C.J. Ham (FB)
• Eric Wilson (LB)
• Fabian Moreau (CB)
• Harrison Smith (S)
• Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
• Jalen Nailor (WR)
• Jalen Redmond (IDL)
• Jeff Okudah (CB)
• John Wolford (QB)
• Justin Skule (LT)
• Matt Nelson (LT)
• Ryan Wright (P)
• Taki Taimani (DT)
• Tavierre Thomas (CB)
• Ty Chandler (RB)
• Zavier Scott (WR)

Many fans would like to see Nailor and Wilson back as priorities. Smith won’t flirt with free agency; he’ll either retire or return for Year No. 15. And Redmond might’ve been the best overall player on defense, but he’s an exclusive right free agent and virtually guaranteed to be back with a sweet pay raise.

The rest of the list features replaceable players or men who will probably return, like punter Ryan Wright.

Where Pace Jr. Might Land

VikingsTerritory dove deep last week, examining where Pace Jr. might land in 2026. You can read that article here.

As a spoiler, here’s the shortlist of destinations:

• Washington Commanders
• New England Patriots
• Jacksonville Jaguars
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Dallas Cowboys

The Commanders lead the way because their new defensive coordinator is Daronte Jones, who served as Minnesota’s defensive passing game coordinator throughout the first part of the Kevin O’Connell era. The Patriots, too, might make sense, as a man named Mike Smith coordinates New England’s outside linebackers, the same job he held in Minnesota during the start of Pace Jr.’s career.

It’s also worth noting that Pace Jr. is from Cincinnati. Perhaps the Bengals will fire up the hometown contract for him.

Why Pace Jr.’s Future Is Uncertain

Pace Jr.’s diminished role in Minnesota was evident even before the offseason hit.

When the aforementioned Wilson emerged, the Vikings quickly reduced Pace Jr.’s playing time, an immediate shift that saw him go from starter to situational linebacker in a matter of weeks, with Wilson taking the majority of snaps. Missed tackles in September accelerated this change, and Wilson’s consistent performance solidified it.

This timing was unfortunate for Pace Jr., who was coming off a productive 2023 rookie season and sophomore effort in 2024, earning a 77.1 PFF grade as a rookie and starting 27 games since the start of that year — considerable production for an undrafted free agent. However, his grade plummeted to 42.3 in 2025, stalling his progress during the very offseason when a contract extension might have been possible.

Restricted free agency gives Minnesota control, but control doesn’t mean the Vikings want him back. They may simply prefer to invest their resources elsewhere, especially after demonstrating they can perform effectively without Pace Jr. as a key defensive player.

Pace Jr. likely believes he can find a more direct path to a starting position elsewhere, and he seems prepared to explore those options. Minnesota could still retain him if Wilson’s strong play proves unsustainable. Ultimately, the coming weeks will reveal whether Pace Jr.’s benching was a temporary adjustment or a sign of a more permanent one.

NFL free agency is 26 days away.

Strengthening waste management at venues

The initiative will be rolled out across five host stadiums in India during over 30 matches, working closely with stadium authorities, housekeeping teams, recyclers, and local partners. Clearly marked waste segregation points, material recovery systems, and fan awareness drives will be introduced to help ensure efficient collection of recyclables and compostable waste. Ek Saath – The Earth Foundation and Greenmyna will support the execution, focusing on practical solutions that can handle large match-day crowds.

A key part of #MaidaanSaaf is recognising the work of “safai saathis”, sanitation and housekeeping staff who manage waste during high-footfall events. The programme aims to provide better segregation infrastructure and structured processes to support their work. Fans will be encouraged to contribute through simple steps such as using designated bins and keeping shared spaces litter-free, helping create a more responsible stadium culture during the tournament.

Sustainable cups and on-ground activations

As part of the campaign, sustainable beverage cups will be introduced at select venues. Designed as collectible merchandise, the cups aim to promote mindful consumption while reducing waste. Organisers say such visible initiatives help reinforce responsible habits among spectators without affecting the overall match-day experience.

Building on earlier tournament initiatives

#MaidaanSaaf returns after earlier activations at ICC events, including the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. During the 2023 tournament, Coca-Cola India supported the creation of recycled PET country flags and ICC Unity flags made from reused material, highlighting the company’s broader focus on improving collection and recycling systems through partnerships and community-based efforts.