Barcelona fan who honed his skills in Madrid — Soham Varshneya now calling the shots in Bengaluru FC’s midfield

For young Bengaluru FC midfielder Soham Varshneya, the journey to turning pro has been quite easy.

He wanted to do it, so he did it.

«I was four years old when I saw my cousin and sister playing football, and of course I got interested in it too. Luckily, my parents supported me all the time. Even when I was young, they would wake me up at night to watch Champions League matches,» Soham recalls. Sports stars in an exclusive chat.

Those long, lively nights helped Soham pledge his allegiance to Spanish giants FC Barcelona and, of course, to a certain left-footed, short-framed Argentine.

“He (Lionel Messi) is part of the reason I’m left-footed,” he said.

However, Soham didn’t just stop at admiration. “As a Barcelona fan, my family and I knew around the age of seven or eight that one day I had to play in Spain, no matter what.”

And again, he did it.

Culer among the madristas

Before Soham actually went to Spain, however, he faced a somewhat ironic conundrum. Despite being offered academy opportunities in both Barcelona and Madrid, the 21-year-old cautiously admitted that the latter city’s program suited him better.

«I did think about how I would go to Madrid as a Barcelona fan. I ended up going to one of Real Madrid’s parades when they won the Champions League, which was not fun,» Soham admitted with a smile.

But what the city lacked in brotherhood, it made up for in experience. Soham enrolled at the DS Academy (currently Siello Academy) and represented Pozuelo de Alarcón, CDA Navalcarnero and Racing Madrid during his two-year stint in South West Europe.

«I always thought everything in Spain was just about keeping the ball. Funnily enough, at the first club I played it wasn’t that way at all. It was a lot of playing long balls and then seeing what we could do,» he said.

«And at times I would sometimes play two different systems at the same time, one in the academy and one for the club. This helped me find different ways to watch a match,» Soham noted.

Bengaluru blues

With Spain ticked off the list, Soham’s focus returned to his boyhood club and city, Bengaluru.

Born and bred in blue, choosing BFC to pursue a career was a no-brainer for Soham, calling the club his ‘first and obvious choice’.

His skills improved naturally as he progressed through a well-oiled academy system, turning heads with his effortless attitude on the ball in the lower leagues and tournaments.

“When I played in tournaments like RFDL, I was up against the best youngsters in the league, and we were all reserve players who were hungry to get into the senior team,” he said.

His performances won him the BFC ‘B’ Player of the Season award last year and, more importantly, earned him a call-up to the senior team, which was then managed by Gerard Zaragoza.

And while his ISL debut lasted just six minutes, he has become a common sight on the pitch this time around, with two assists in seven appearances.

«I would say the main difference I felt was the physicality. It wasn’t a shock to me. But when you feel it at first, you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a little different.’ You get less time on the ball compared to when you are in the youth system. So you have to adapt a little faster and make quick decisions. But I think you get used to it after a few weeks,” Soham said.

But some of his biggest lessons, he noted, came from the grass and instead from the locker room. When asked for details, Soham said one piece of advice given by the evergreen Sunil Chhetri has stuck with him.

«He (Chhetri) said: ‘Every time we have to defend, listen to what the coach says. But when you are near the penalty area, do what you think is right.’ With Sunil bhai, you always want to listen to what he has to say,” explains Soham.

But not all of Soham’s sources of inspiration come from football. During his time in Spain, every now and then, when he found the back of the net, you’d notice him doing a dance move — a celebration influenced by four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.

“He (Curry) enjoys playing the game and that is something I want to bring to my game as well,” Soham said.

«I like to enjoy the game. And for me, scoring a goal is the greatest joy you can get. So I think this is definitely worth celebrating and hopefully I can release it in the ISL soon,» he added.

With top minutes under his belt, Soham now wants a taste of the national team, although he admits “every aspect” of his game can be improved. But looking at his track record of getting things done, it may not be long before Soham finds himself in the spotlight.

Published on May 15, 2026