ISL & I-League: Indian Football’s Rise & Match Reviews

ISL and I-League has become the pillars of football in India. However, the two have a long history that has led them to their current status. 

For those who regularly follow sports news, subscribing to newsletters like Dafanews login features, ISL, and I-League are two names that appear frequently. Let’s dive deeper into ISL and I-League and how the two have contributed to the football scene in India. 

The Rise of Football in India

The origin of football in India dates back to the late 1800s. Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari became a pioneer in India’s football landscape as soon as he became a football administrator. His contribution led to the birth of several clubs across Kolkata and Bengal, including Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting Club, and East Bengal, which still active today. 

However, it wasn’t until 1948 that India starting making its presence known to the world. The Indian teams won two Asian Games gold medals in 1951 and 1962. Then, they won another bronze medal in 1970. India qualified for FIFA World Cup in Brazil for the first time in 1950. Yet, due to internal disagreements, AIFF refused to send a team. 

The first significant step India took happened in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup when the national team led by Sunil Chhetri won. This achievement took India to the 2011 Asian Cup, their first continental competition after 27 years of hiatus. 

Indian Super League (ISL)

The Indian Super League was established in 2014 and quickly became the pillar of Indian football. ATK is currently the most popular team in the ISL, with one title in its inaugural season in 2014 and more in 2016 and the 2019-2020 campaign. 

One of the notable names in building ISL careers was Spaniard Antonio Lopez Habas, who led the team during the 2014 and 2019-2020 wins. He’s the only head coach with multiple ISL titles on the same team. 

Following the ATK, Chennaiyin FC has two wins under its name, where they won the top honors in 2015 and 2017-2018. Mumbai City FC is tied in score with Chennaiyin FC, with two championship titles, which they won in the 2020-21 and 2023-24 seasons.

Notable Goalscorers

Fikru Teferra is a name that will always appear in ISL stats and records, as he was the first-ever goalscorer in the league’s history. The Ethiopian striker played for ATK and faced Mumbai City FC in the inaugural ISL match in October 2014 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. According to the Olympics, the goal happened in the 27th minute, and ATK won the game with a 3-0 score.

Meanwhile, the first Indian goal scorer in the ISL was Balwant Singh, who played under Chennaiyin FC. He made a goal when the team went against FC Goa in 2014, and the match ended with a 2-1 victory for Chennaiyin FC. 

More notable goalscorers: 

• Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC): Currently the highest ISL goalscorer with 64 goals in 158 matches. 
• David William (ATK Mohun Bagan): The fastest goalscorer with just 12 seconds. 
• Komal Thatal (ATK): The youngest goalscorer recorded. 
• Kiyan Nassiri (Mohun Bagan): The youngest hat-trick scorer and the first substitute to score a hat-trick. 

The Biggest Winning Margin

FC Goa has the biggest winning margin in ISL, scoring 7-0 against Mumbai City at the Fatorda in 2015. Thongkhosiem Haokip and Dudu Omagbemi each scored a hat-trick in this match, while Brazilian Reinaldo contributed a goal.

Highest Goal Scoring Match

The match between East Bengal and Odisha FC in ISL 2020-2021 remained the highest-goal-scoring match in ISL. East Bengal led into halftime 2-1, but Odisha FC turned the situation in their favor. By the second half, Odisha FC led by 6-3. East Bengal made two late goals and turned the score 6-5, but they failed to steal the victory. 

Jerry Mawihmingthanga and Paul Ramfangzauva were the two key players for Odisha FC. Meanwhile, Aaron Amadi-Holloway scored two for East Bengal. 

I-League

The I-League has existed since 1996 but was initially called the National Football League. It wasn’t until 2007 that the NFL relaunched and rebranded as the I-League when Dempo emerged as champions during the inaugural season. Even today, Dempo SC remains the most successful club in the I-League, with three wins (2007-08, 2009-10, 2011-12). 

Besides Dempo SC, four clubs have two titles under their name. These include: 

• Churchill Brothers FC Goa (2008-09, 2012-13)
• Mohun Bagan AC (2014-15, 2019-20) 
• Bengaluru FC (2013-14, 2015-16)
• Gokulam Kerala FC (2020-21, 2021-22)

Starting the 2022-23 season, all I-League champions will be promoted to the ISL, while the bottom two teams will be moved to I-League 2. 

Notable Goalscorers

Throughout NFL/I-League history, the only player to reach 200 goals is Ranti Martins. His time in Dempo contributed the most to the number, but he also scored when he played with East Bengal, United Sports Club, and Rangdajied United. 

Following Ranti Martins are Odafa Okolie with 179 goals and Yusif Yakubu with 146 goals. Although Ranti has won the Golden Boot six times, Yakubu and Odafa have remained the season’s top scorers on four and two occasions, respectively. 

Sunil Chhetri is the second-highest Indian goalscorer of all time under I-League, while Bhaichung Bhutia holds the first place, with only a seven-goal gap between the two. Most of Chhetri’s goals came from playing for Mohun Bagan, United Sports Club, East Bengal, JCT, Churchill Brothers, Dempo, and his current club, Bengaluru FC. 

The Biggest Winning Margin

The most significant winning margin the I-League recorded was Dempo’s 14-0 against Air India in 2011. This match was one of Ranti Martins’ notable moments, during which he scored seven goals, which became the most goals scored in one match in I-League history. 

Highest Goal Scoring Team

In the 2024-25 season, Shillong Lajong FC holds the title as the team with the highest goal count. With a hopping 34 goals recorded, the team provided an average of 2.43 goals per game. Churchill Brothers FC Goa is just behind Shillong Lajong FC with 28 goals (2.00 goals per game). Inter Kashi FC is in third place, with an average of 1.79 goals per game and 25 goals scored throughout the season. 

FAQ

Is ISL FIFA Approved?

Yes, FIFA recognized ISL as India’s top-tier domestic league in 2019. 

How Many Foreigners Can Play In ISL?

ISL can sign up to six foreign players (one from the Asian quota), but only four can play. 

What Is The Ranking of ISL in The World? 

ISL is currently ranked 26th in the world.