# Kick Off

The newsletter tries to serve you an overview of all things football in the week gone by and, occasionally, things we can look ahead to in the sport we love so much.

Page: <https://rssamplifier.com/htkickoff-substack-com>  
Feed: <https://rssamplifier.com/htkickoff-substack-com.md>

---

## [Wake-up call for Mohun Bagan?](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/wake-up-call-for-mohun-bagan)

_2026-08-28 · Dhiman Sarkar_

They can recover from the hiding in the Durand Cup final but will have little time if the season starts on October 10

## [Backdoor entries](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/backdoor-entries)

_2026-08-21 · Dhiman Sarkar_

It started with Mohun Bagan in 1997. But if the trickle becomes a torrent, there could be unintended consequences

## [Three wishes before Independence Day](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/three-wishes-before-independence)

_2026-08-14 · Dhiman Sarkar_

Things to do and not to do between now and August 15, 2027

## [What Jamshedpur FC’s exit tells us](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/what-jamshedpur-fcs-exit-tells-us)

_2026-08-07 · Dhiman Sarkar_

That even the death of a successful Indian club is mourned by only a few

## [Zidane v Italy: what’s not to like?](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/zidane-v-italy-whats-not-to-like)

_2026-07-31 · Dhiman Sarkar_

Over 20 years after the red card, it will be his first home game as France coach

## [Cup memories, beyond the pitch](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/cup-memories-beyond-the-pitch)

_2026-07-24 · Dhiman Sarkar_

It began and ended ingloriously. In between, there were Vozinha’s tears, Cabral’s embrace, Iran’s thank you notes and more

## [And now, for a final flourish](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/and-now-for-a-final-flourish)

_2026-07-17 · Dhiman Sarkar_

A world and European double for Spain or a first since 1962 for Argentina?

## [Bellingham and the license to thrill](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/bellingham-and-the-license-to-thrill)

_2026-07-10 · Dhiman Sarkar_

There is little the England all-rounder cannot do. No wonder he wants to be James Bond

## [Scorn in the USA](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/scorn-in-the-usa)

_2026-07-03 · Dhiman Sarkar_

The way Uruguay and Iran’s campaign ended scarred a World Cup where the football has been excellent

## [Why Gijon will be on our minds](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/why-gijon-will-be-on-our-minds)

_2026-06-26 · Dhiman Sarkar_

Austria and Algeria meet, 44 years after a World Cup disgrace

## [AI News Summaries & Audio (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/PpSF72eASle1)

_2026-06-26 · **Sponsored**_

Tap an article for an AI summary and an audio briefing.

## [The other Lionel](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/the-other-lionel)

_2026-06-18 · Dhiman Sarkar_

From disarray to delight, Argentina’s journey owes a lot to Scaloni and his staff

## [Not qualified to play the World Cup](https://htkickoff.substack.com/p/not-qualified-to-play-the-world-cup)

_2026-06-12 · Dhiman Sarkar_

Some of the best players of their generation have never played in one. It is no different this time.