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India Gazette
18-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
ISL 2024-25: Forwards who fired up the season
New Delhi [India] May 18 (ANI): Forwards are the heartbeat of any team's attack. They do more than just score goals--they change the tempo, break stalemates, and carry the weight of hope. This season, they once again delivered when it mattered most, rising to the occasion and leaving a lasting impact. The top forwards of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 proved their worth time and again, according to the official website of ISL. From Golden Boot winner Alaaeddine Ajaraie to legend Sunil Chhetri, Jamie Maclaren to Jesus Jimenez, these forwards delivered some of the most captivating moments of the 2024-25 season, marked by sheer brilliance. Alaaeddine Ajaraie burst onto the scene in his debut season with NorthEast United FC (NEUFC), making history by winning both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards. He set a new league record for the most braces in a single season and became the first player to score three consecutive braces. The Moroccan star also made ISL history as the first player to score over 20 goals (23) and to register more than 25 goal contributions (30) in one season. Sunil Chhetri continues to surpass expectations, leading the ISL's all-time top scorers list while delivering an impressive season with 14 goals--the second-highest tally of his career. Besides being the highest Indian goalscorer this season, he made 16 goal contributions in the season, matching his career best. Chhetri led by example, playing a crucial role in Bengaluru FC's (BFC) push to the playoffs and their journey to the ISL Cup final. The Australian forward, Jamie Maclaren, enjoyed a remarkable season, bagging 12 goals -- the highest by any Mariner (MBSG) this season. His consistent scoring has been vital for Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) as they completed an ISL double for the first time in the club's history. Maclaren's clutch finishing and predatory instincts in the box lit up the league, with his dynamic goal-scoring prowess in full swing. Jesus Jimenez made a great impact in a short time. The Spanish forward scored 11 goals in the 2024-25 season, the second-highest such tally by any Kerala Blasters FC (KBFC) player in their debut season for the club. Jimenez recorded a shot conversion rate of 25.6% (11 goals from 43 shots), the second-highest such rate among players with a minimum of 10 shots this term. Luka Majcen played a pivotal role in Punjab FC's (PFC) attacking third. The Slovenian forward bagged 10 goals this season, the highest by any PFC player in the 2024-25 season. Despite suffering a jaw injury in the opening phase, Majcen averaged 0.5 goals per game and maintained a 28.57% goal conversion rate. Nikolaos Karelis was a constant threat in Mumbai City FC's (MCFC) attacking line throughout the 2024-25 season. The Greek forward enjoyed a standout debut campaign, finishing as the Islanders' top scorer with 10 goals to his name. He also maintained a 25% goal contribution rate and averaged 0.53 goals per game. Diego Mauricio was once again an integral part of Odisha FC's (OFC) offensive unit. Mauricio scored nine goals and provided six assists, playing an all-around role throughout the season. The Brazilian created 19 chances, attempted 13 successful dribbles, and won 47 duels while also recording a 23.08% goal conversion rate. Jason Cummings adapted well to his playmaking role this season, excelling with seven goals and six assists, and has been a dynamic presence in Mohun Bagan Super Giant's attack, especially in the second half of the season. Cummings showcased his wealth of attacking talent with exceptional goal-scoring and creative prowess, remaining a nightmare for opposing defenders. He also created 25 chances this season and recorded 54 touches in the opponent's box. Iker Guarrotxena played an anchoring role in FC Goa's (FCG) attacking unit. Guarrotxena registered 10 goal contributions this season while also creating 14 chances. The Spaniard's ability to produce decisive goals under pressure made him FC Goa's key man in crucial situations. Noah Sadaoui was a livewire on Kerala Blasters FC's wings with his burst of pace, sheer quality, and skill set. Boasting an inherent playmaking ability, Sadaoui became the first player to register 200 progressive carries in the 2024-25 season. He also racked up seven goals and five assists in his 19 ISL appearances for the Blasters. (ANI)
India Gazette
15-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Head coaches defining the ISL 2024-25 season
New Delhi [India], May 15 (ANI): Head coaches are the cornerstone of any football team, the master strategists and cultural architects. From instilling a winning mentality and nurturing talent to devising tactical game plans and steering their squads toward glory, they are instrumental in defining a team's identity and success, as per the official website of ISL. The Indian Super League (ISL) has seen head coaches from around the globe leave their mark, guiding their teams with tactical acumen and leadership. From Jose Molina's record-breaking campaign with Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) to Jamshedpur FC's (JFC) resurgence under Khalid Jamil, the 2024-25 season has been shaped by the tactical brilliance and unwavering commitment of these figures on the touchline. Jose Molina led Mohun Bagan Super Giant to their first-ever ISL double this season. With several big names in the squad, the Spaniard easily managed the dressing room and guided the Mariners (MBSG) to break numerous league records. Molina's men accumulated 56 points in the 2024-25 Indian Super League season, becoming the first team to cross the 50-point mark in a single campaign. MBSG's defenders scored 14 goals, making them the first club to register 10+ goals by defenders in a single season. The team also scored 52 goals and kept 16 clean sheets, setting new benchmarks in the league. Gerard Zaragoza experienced an eventful campaign with Bengaluru FC (BFC), guiding the team to the playoffs and the ISL Cup final. Despite falling short of silverware, the Blues (BFC) showed steady progress under the Spanish head coach and consistently demonstrated their potential throughout the season. Under Zaragoza's leadership, Bengaluru FC conceded their first goal of the 2024-25 season after 494 minutes of play, becoming the first team to go over 400 minutes from the start of a season without conceding. The Blues' cohesion and lightning-fast transitions made them one of the most formidable sides this season. Khalid Jamil has proved his mettle time and again. The Indian head coach guided Jamshedpur FC to a top-six finish for the first time in three years and led them to the semi-finals--a remarkable achievement for a team that had spent recent seasons in the bottom half of the table. Under Jamil's guidance, Jamshedpur FC delivered impressive performances, relying on tactical awareness, particularly on home soil. The Men of Steel (JFC) showcased structure, discipline, and a resolute mentality under pressure. Their commitment to an old-school style of football, infused with renewed vigour, set them apart in the league and laid the foundation for something greater in the future. Manolo Marquez's men finished second to MBSG in the league standings, but FC Goa (FCG) were in the race for the League Shield throughout the season. Their consistent attacking dominance was evident as they scored in 23 consecutive league matches, becoming the first team to achieve this feat and setting a new benchmark in the league. FC Goa stood out for their versatility and emphasis on collective strength over individual brilliance. Under Marquez's guidance, several emerging talents like Brison Fernandes, Ayush Chhetri, and Hrithik Tiwari made their mark in the league, playing key roles for the Gaurs throughout the campaign. (ANI)
India Today
11-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
All Shine, No Spine: Why Indian Football is built for business, not growth
On a humid April evening in Kolkata, Mohun Bagan Super Giant clinched the 2024–25 Indian Super League (ISL) trophy amid fireworks and a roaring home crowd. It was the perfect narrative—India's oldest footballing institution now crowned as modern champions. But beyond the stadium lights and polished camera angles lies a deeper, messier truth about Indian football: it's built not for sporting development, but for decade since its inception, the ISL has created a league with top-class production, glitzy signings, and stable franchises. But at what cost? The domestic game has become a closed circuit—shiny on the outside but hollow within. The problem, say stakeholders, isn't a lack of money. It's the absence of a roadmap.A NIGHT TO REMEMBER FOR EVERY MARINER WHO BREATHES GREEN AND MAROON! @mohunbagansg becomes the first-ever team to successfully defend the #ISL #MBSGFCG #LetsFootball #MBSG | @JioHotstar @StarSportsIndia Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 8, 2025'There is no roadmap. There is no footballing structure. There is no grassroots. It's just a league that's been made to make money,'Ranjit BajajFormer owner of Minerva PunjabNo Climb, No CompetitionAt the heart of Indian football's stagnation lies its franchise-based model, a structure that effectively slams the door on promotion and relegation—the very lifeblood of competitive football across the globe. In most countries, performance dictates progress. In India, it's the size of the cheque that Clubs like Dempo FC, one of the most decorated football teams in Indian history, and even the current I-League champions, Churchill Brothers, who once rose to the top through merit, now find themselves locked out of the top tier, regardless of how well they perform. The Indian Super League, now the top tier of football in the country, offers no path upward for those outside its closed gates, only a pay-to-play Bajaj, whose Minerva Academy has long focused on grassroots and youth development, articulates the frustration shared by many: 'You're telling me that I have to spend Rs 100 crore, and even if I win everything, I still can't go to the ISL? Why would I waste that money?' It's not just rhetorical—it's the reality faced by clubs operating outside the ISL the promotion and demotion system gone, how does a team play top tier football (ISL), in India?Simple - buy your way into it. The case of Mohammedan Sporting Club illustrates this broken model. After years of rebuilding and on-field success, the iconic Kolkata club finally entered the ISL in the 2024–25 season. But they didn't earn their place—they bought it, paying a franchise fee of Rs 12 crore. When you factor in the inflated player salaries, infrastructure investments, and staff costs, the financial burden becomes daunting for clubs that are not corporate-owned. And still, there's no guarantee of sustainability or return.@MohammedanSC clinches the I-League title after a remarkable season, earning a well-deserved promotion to the @IndSuperLeague#MDSP #ILeague #TogetherWeRise #IndianFootball Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) April 13, 2024In Europe, the story unfolds very differently. Leeds United, upon promotion to the Premier League, reportedly earned over Rs 1,000 crore in broadcast revenue alone. Just qualifying for the UEFA Champions League guarantees clubs Rs 170 crore or more. This is not just prize money—it's fuel for reinvestment in talent, infrastructure, and long-term planning.'In Europe, even the last-placed Premier League team earns over Rs 1,000 crore through broadcast and bonuses. That's what gives clubs the incentive to invest in infrastructure, players, and long-term plans.'Pradhyum ReddyCEO of Dempo SCBack in India, that incentive is conspicuously absent. The ISL's revenue model leans heavily on sponsorships, centralised media rights, and matchday earnings. But with no reward for performance and no threat of relegation, most clubs have little reason to think long-term or invest meaningfully in grassroots is blunt about the consequences: 'Promotion and relegation are vital. Without them, there's no incentive to improve.'This absence of merit-based mobility turns Indian football into what Bajaj calls a gated community, where access is controlled not by ambition or achievement, but by balance sheets. His criticism cuts deep: 'If ISL clubs truly have more money, better coaches, and infrastructure, why haven't they produced even one decent player in 15 years?' He sees a system more interested in maintaining control than encouraging result is a top-tier league where risk is minimal, reward is predetermined, and the competitive spirit is muted. In a sport built on the thrill of the climb, Indian football offers no ladder—and without a ladder, there's no reason to Anwar Ali examplePerhaps nothing illustrates this better than the case of Anwar Ali, the 23-year-old centre-back who signed a five-year, Rs 24 crore deal with East Bengal FC, making him the highest-paid Indian footballer ever. That's Rs 4.8 crore a year—more than some players earn at Premier League who helped shape Anwar's early career, says the issue is not the player, but the distorted market he represents. 'It's basic demand and supply,' he explains. 'There are so few quality Indian players that clubs are forced to pay exorbitantly. But if the ISL clubs really had better academies, coaches, and resources, why haven't they produced a single top player in the last 15 years?' View this post on Instagram A post shared by East Bengal FC (@eastbengalfootballclub)advertisementInstead of creating 50 more Anwar Alis, the system has created an elite bubble, where a few players are overvalued and overprotected—while the pipeline from grassroots to top tier remains Indian players don't go abroadAcross Asia, top footballing nations like Japan, South Korea, and Iran consistently send their best players to Europe—even to second and third divisions—for exposure and growth. That cultural shift hasn't happened in India. And Bajaj says it's because players here get paid too well to take that risk.'India will qualify for the World Cup only when at least ten Indian players are playing in Europe—Champions League, Europa League, or even the Conference League,' he says. 'But will they go abroad? No. Because they're earning 100 times more here. Why leave?' The Indian Football team has always lacked girth against big sides. (Photo: X/ Indian Football Team) advertisementFor most Indian footballers—many of whom come from modest backgrounds—a Rs 4 crore ISL contract is more than just a career boost. It's a life-changing opportunity. In such a scenario, chasing the European dream becomes unrealistic, even unfair.'They're not wrong to stay back,' Bajaj admits. 'They're supporting families. But it's the system that's wrong. If there had been investment in youth and development, these players would have emerged ready and ambitious to go abroad. That's not happening.'Relying on a 40-year-old Sunil Chhetri to solve India's striker woes highlights a deeper issue—without investing in youth development, the national team will remain stuck, forced to lean on aging stars instead of nurturing new talent for the over purposeWatch any ISL match and you'll notice what Indian football gets right: stunning production, camera angles, lighting, social media content. But then the game starts—and reality sets in.'When I watch the ISL and then watch the Premier League, the lighting, stadiums, and overall experience feel the same. But the football? Not even close,' Bajaj he believes, is because the ISL was never designed with football at its core. It was built for sponsorships, branding, and television—where on-pitch quality was just another ingredient.'If you're signing long-term contracts and pumping in so much money, why not invest in youth development too?' he asks. 'In 15 years, it's your league that will benefit.'Instead, ISL clubs act more like corporate entities—buying players from small academies rather than nurturing their own.'I'm the one selling players to them, and I should probably just shut up,' Bajaj jokes. 'But the truth is, I don't want to sell players to Mohun Bagan or East Bengal. I want to sell players to Barcelona.'Control, not growthAs long as promotion and relegation are absent, Indian football will remain a gated club. The fight to introduce merit-based advancement has now entered the courtroom, with All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) pushing back.'The people running FSDL aren't footballers. They don't understand the game,' Bajaj says. 'And even now, they're in court trying to stop promotion and relegation.'The reason, he believes, is simple: control.'Clubs and administrators are afraid of unpredictability. They want stability, not sporting chaos. But without that chaos—without giving smaller clubs a ladder to climb—you can never create a real football ecosystem.'So what now?There's no denying that the ISL has brought visibility, structure, and investment into Indian football. But its current trajectory risks becoming a glass ceiling. Without true competition, export-oriented player growth, and grassroots development, India will keep spinning its wheels.'There's so much money being pumped in. But where's the vision?' Bajaj asks, almost the goal is to build a footballing nation, not just a football business, then it's time to bring merit back into the conversation. For now, Indian football may look the part—but until it lets go of its control-first mindset, it'll continue to fall short of its true potential.
Mint
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
FIFA slaps Mohun Bagan Super Giant with national transfer ban; what led global football body to come harsh at ISL champs
Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who were crowned Indian Super League (ISL) champions last month, have been handed a national transfer ban on registration of new players due to a 'technical error'. The development came on Monday and is linked to the transfer of Australian striker Jason Cummings. However, an MBSG official claimed it to be a minor issue which will be sorted within a week's time. The development came into light following an official communication from the Director of FIFA Judicial Bodies when a discrepancy in FIFA's Clearing House system flagged off a delay or incomplete settlement of the training compensation. According to a PTI report, the issue stemmed from a transfer of Cummins from Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners in 2023 and the training compensation fee - an amount owed to the player's former development clubs. "It is not connected to any financial irregularities and the problem is administrative in nature. We have reached out to FIFA, and will get this sorted in a week," a MBSG official said. 'We have completed the payments at the time of signing,' he added. The source said the club has made multiple attempts to clear the amount after the player's transfer, but due to the "technical error," the payment could not be processed, leading to a temporary ban on registration of new players at the national level. Last year, Mumbai City FC also faced a similar problem. Mohun Bagan Super Giant completed the ISL double in the 2024-25 season. They won both the League Winners' Shield and the ISL Cup. They defeated Bengaluru FC 2-1 after extra time in the ISL final, making them the second team after Mumbai City FC to achieve this feat. First Published: 5 May 2025, 06:37 PM IST
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Sahal Abdul Samad eyes return to Indian national team with Super Cup success
When Mohun Bagan Super Giant's Sahal Abdul Samad deftly scored the opening goal against Kerala Blasters FC in their Super Cup 2025 quarterfinal fixture, the midfielder's face had a sense of relief. His arms went up as he stared into the sky and exhaled deeply before breaking into a smile. It was his first goal in almost eight months for his club. 'Finding the back of the net always brings happiness to a player. Especially, in a tough match, it's obviously an amazing feeling,' noted Sahal. While MBSG secured a historic Indian Super League double (League Shield and Cup), Sahal had his own setbacks to overcome. Sporadic injuries took their toll on the 28-year-old and allowed him to play for only 816 minutes, which is the second-lowest for him after the 2019-2020 season (not including debut season). However, rather than drowning in despondency, Sahal chose to take it on the chin and look ahead. READ | Mohun Bagan SG eyes maiden Super Cup final 'Injuries are always part of football, and I always see it that way,' Sahal told Sportstar during an exclusive chat. 'The physios, the team medicals, they all supported me through this tough time. It was a lesson for me to be patient and keep working harder, and to do the necessary things outside of football,' he added. Ever since he made his first appearance for KBFC back in 2018, Sahal has been deemed as one of the most remarkable talents the country has produced. He quickly became a mainstay for the Blasters, making 92 appearances for the club while also playing a major part in the 2021-22 campaign, where it reached the final before losing to Hyderabad FC on penalties. His performances earned him a big-money move to Mohun Bagan in 2023, where he won the ISL League Shield twice and the ISL Cup and Durand Cup both once. Speaking about the transition between the clubs, Sahal said that he was content with the decision that he took, while also explaining the differences that he experienced. 'Like every team, when I was playing there (KBFC), we were all fighting for the trophy. You know how close we were. But, when I came here (MBSG), there was a feeling that this is a champion team,' Sahal noted. 'The players around, the mentality, the management, it is all different here. I am happy about the step I took, which is a difficult step. But thankfully, I could handle it well,' he added. With MBSG fielding essentially a reserve side for the ongoing Super Cup, Sahal, one of the few seniors in the side, said that he is trying his best to set an example. 'At first, it was a little bit difficult during training because we didn't know the junior players that well. But then, from the second and third day, they were all doing very well. And the best thing to motivate them is for us to work harder than they do,' Sahal explained.. 'So, then, they will be eager to fight back. That is one thing I always tell them. Fight for everything. Give everything in your training, and success will come around,' he added. National team and the future ahead Since his national team call-up in 2019, Sahal has earned 39 caps, scoring three goals and assisting two in that period, while also lifting the Intercontinental Cup (2023) and two SAFF Championships (2021, 2023). However, commenting on the national team's recent below-par performances, Sahal said that one of the main reasons could be the limited time the players get to gel with each other. 'I think it's the lack of time we have together. The training period is comparatively less. And then, it's all about mentality. Playing matches with different countries, top level players, all that makes a difference. ALSO READ | Chhangte: I believe something good will happen this year for Indian national team However, Sahal had words of praise for the current national team head coach, Manolo Marquez, and appreciated the boss's demand to play attractive football. 'We all know what he (Manolo) is capable of. Even when he was with Hyderabad, he won the trophy. He wants to keep playing beautiful football and fight for the ball. That's a huge plus point for our national team,' said Sahal. Now, with India's AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier match against Hong Kong coming up in June and the camp likely to begin late in May, Sahal will hope to make his return to the squad after missing out on the last four matches. The Super Cup, in which he awaits Manolo's FC Goa in the semifinal on Wednesday, could be just the platform Sahal needs to prove that he is back to his best and reclaim his spot in the national setup.
