Top 10 players in the history of the Indian Super League

BY A STAFF REPORTER: In the eight-year history of the Indian Super League, we have witnessed many players who have remained close to our hearts. Some are still missed by their clubs’ fans. The list perhaps doesn’t have an end. But, in this article, we’ll be mentioning the top 10 players who have rocked the Indian Super League with their trickery and skills. 

1. 1.Stiven Mendoza: Currently 29, Stiven Mendoza came to India when he was just 22. He was the main man behind Chennaiyin FC’s debut ISL title. In the finale, the scores got level in the 90th minute when Laxmikant Kattimani was held guilty for their own goal. In the very next minute, Mendoza sealed the deal for the Marina Machans. He played 25 matches for Chennaiyin and scored 17 goals and assisted thrice. 

2. Bartholomew Ogbeche: Bartholomew Ogbeche is currently the top scorer of the competition with 53 goals in 77 matches. He has played for four clubs in India – NorthEast United, Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City and Hyderabad FC. To date, he remains the highest scorer for Kerala Blasters with 15 goals under his belt. A few days back, for the first time, he extended his stay at any Indian club (Hyderabad FC).

3. Ferran Corominas: Ferran Corominas is the only player to win consecutive Golden Boot awards in 2017/18 and 2018/19. During his playing days in India, he was a constant threat to opposition defenders. In the 57 matches he played for FC Goa, he netted 48 goals. Infact, until last season, he was the top scorer of the competition until Bartholomew Ogbeche and Sunil Chhetri surpassed him. 

4. Sunil Chhetri: Sunil Chhetri is the second-highest goalscorer of the ISL. He is only two goals shy of Bartholomew Ogbeche with 51 goals in 114 matches. In 2017/18, when Bengaluru FC saw their inception to the ISL, Chhetri turned out to be the highest Indian goalscorer with 10 goals. At 37, he still remains the main man upfront for both Bengaluru FC and the Indian national team.

5. Roy Krishna: Roy Krishna remains one of the deadliest forwards to have ever played in the ISL. He is currently the fourth-highest goalscorer of the competition, with 36 goals in 60 matches. The 34-year-old joined ATK in 2019/20. In the following season, after ATK and Mohun Bagan joined hands, Krishna continued at the club. In the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, he remained the joint top scorer – first with Nerijus Valskis and then with Igor Angulo, but never won the Golden Boot due to statistical reasons.

6. Elano Blumer: The former Brazilian midfielder joined Chennaiyin FC in 2014. The next season however, the now 40-year-old joined the club on loan from Santos. Elano Blumer made 26 appearances in the Indian Super League and had 12 goals and six assists to his name. He played an integral role in Chennaiyin FC’s 2015 ISL triumph.

7. Jeje Lalpekhlua: After his spectacular celebration, Jeje Lalpekhlua was tagged as “Mizo Sniper.” Chennaiyin FC won the ISL two times (2015 and 2017/18). Undoubtedly, Lalpekhlua played an important role in those feats. Among the Indian scorers in the history of the ISL, Lalpekhlua finds himself just behind Sunil Chhetri, with 24 goals in 76 matches. The 31-year-old also has eight assists. He missed the 2019/20 season due to injury and was back in 2020/21 with new entrants SC East Bengal. The injury turned out to be a huge factor in his career. The striker just played seven matches for the Red & Gold and scored once. He wasn’t retained for the following season and wasn’t signed by any club in 2021.

8. Borja Fernandez: Borja Fernandez is one of the two candidates on this list who has two Indian Super League trophies in his bag. In 2014, he was an important component of the ATK midfield. The former Real Madrid man even captained the side in 2016, when they were crowned champions for the second time. The defensive midfielder played 47 matches in the ISL. In the process, he scored twice and assisted five times.

9. Sandesh Jhingan: Jhingan has been playing in the Indian Super League since 2014 when he was a 21-year-old. He was a rock at the back for Kerala Blasters, for whom he played till the 2019/20 season. In 2020, Jhingan joined ATK Mohun Bagan and the following year went on to sign for HNK Sibenik in Croatia. He enjoyed only three minutes of action and remained out due to an injury. The January transfer window of 2022 saw Jhingan return to ATK Mohun Bagan.

10. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu: The goalkeeper started his trade in the Indian Super League in 2017/18 when Bengaluru FC saw themselves introduced to the league. In the very first season, Sandhu’s side ended as table-toppers, but unfortunately lost the final against Chennaiyin FC. Along with three other keepers, Sandhu earned the most number of clean-sheets (7) in the competition. Currently, he's facing competition in the Indian Super League, with young keepers rising to glory. But, when it comes to leadership from the back, Bengaluru FC can heavily rely on the 30-year-old.