The greatest legends in Indian football

by FC Admin March 25, 2022

Although not well known, Indian football had several good players. We have gathered in this article the great Indian stars.

India, a country in which cricket is a religion, is somewhat difficult to see football grow as a popular sport. But, that didn’t stop the people from admiring the game. The fan base of this sport is growing every day.

As a consequence, the sector of football betting from India continues to gain popularity all over the country as well. Year after year companies evolve and adapt to changes with clear rules and promoting responsible gaming. Bookmakers register hundreds of new users who are attracted by the immense offer of betting on the Indian market.

Without further ado, let’s get started with our list of the “legends” of Indian football.

Greatest legends of Indian football

IM Vijayan – Center forward

Born on April 25, 1969, in Kerala, he is also known as the “Black Pearl”. He played for teams like Mohun Bagan, JCT, Kerala Police and Cochin FC. Baichung Bhutia once described him as the most complete player he has ever seen.

After his retirement, he still tried to pursue a career in film, working on a Malaysian film called Santham. He is known for scoring the fastest goal in SAF history, in 1999. He was presented with the Arjuna Award in 2002.

Baichung Bhutia – Striker

Probably the most well-known Indian footballer of his generation, he was born on 15 December 1976 in Sikkim. He holds the record of being the first Indian to play football professionally in England.

He had a short stint at Bury FC. Furthermore, he also played for Mohan Bagan, JCT and East Bengal Club. He had a great offensive partnership with IM Vijayan. He was named India athlete of the year in 1995 and 2008. Furthermore, in 2008, he was also honored with the Padmashree award.

Chuni Goswami – Center forward

Born on 15 January 1938, he played for Mohun Bagan and represented India in the 1950s and 1960s. He captained the national team that won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta.

An interesting fact about him is that he also had a good career as a cricketer. He played 46 competitive games for the Bengals in a domestic league. He was presented with the Arjuna award in 1963 and the Padma Shri in 1983. A great athlete for sure!

Jarnail Singh Dhillon – Defender

Born in the year 1963, he spent his career with clubs like Khalsa Sporting Club and Mohun Bagan. He scored the winning goal for India in the Asian Games final in Jakarta. For his contributions, he was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1964. Also, he is the only Indian to be captain of the All Star Asia National Team.

15 Famous Players Who Played in India You Didn’t Remember

Here are 15 famous players who played in India and you might not remember:

Elano

The player passed through Chennayin between 2014 and 2015 and played 39 games with 20 goals scored.

Lucio

The five-time world champion played for FC Goa, a team that was coached by Zico, between 2015 and 2017 and played 19 games.

Chicão The Corinthians

This idol retired from Delhi Dynamos in 2016. He played 12 games and scored one goal.

Marco Materazzi

The world champion defender for Italy ended his career at Chennayin in 2015 after playing seven games. Soon after, he became the team’s coach.

Alessandro Nesta

Another world champion for Italy who retired from Chennayin in 2015 was Nesta, who played just three games.

Roberto Carlos

The former full-back retired after playing three games for Delhi Dynamos in 2016 and soon after became the team’s coach.

Richarlyson

The São Paulo idol was part of the squad of FC Goa, who was coached by Zico, in 2016. He played 12 games and scored one goal.

Léo Moura

Another one that was in the squad of FC Goa, but in 2015, it was Léo Moura, who played 16 games and scored two goals.

André Santos

The former side of Flamengo and Corinthians was in the squad of FC Goa along with Léo Moura. He played 12 games and scored four goals.

Reinaldo

The former striker from São Paulo, Flamengo and Botafogo was at FC Goa in 2015 and 2016. He played 17 games and scored seven goals.

Roberto Pirés

The Arsenal idol retired at FC Goa in 2014, when he played eight games and scored one goal.

Dimitar Berbatov

The striker who marked his time at Manchester United and Tottenham retired at Kerala in 2018. He played nine games and scored one goal.

Robbie Keane

Idol of Tottenham and with a stint at Liverpool, the striker retired in 2018 at Atlético Kolkata. He played 11 games and scored eight goals.

Stiven Mendoza

The Colombian who played for Corinthians and Bahia in Brazil also played in India. The athlete spent time with Chennayin twice, between 2014 and 2015, played 25 games and scored 17 goals.

Wes Brown

Former Manchester United defender and full-back, Brown was one more to close his career in India. The player retired in Kerala in 2018. There were 15 games played and one goal scored.

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