Top 5 Indian Footballers of All Time

Indian football is undoubtedly in a slump right now, primarily due to the worst policies that stakeholders have adopted. With the right policies, however, there is still more work to be done to make football in India great.

The Top 5 Indian Football Players of All Time will be revealed in detail in this article using the format below:

5. Chuni Goswami: This legendary forward player may be unknown to many of you, but he was simply remarkable.

Legendary Coach Syed Abdul Rahim may have recognized him in the 1950s; he was exceptional from the start.

His full name was Subimal Goswami, and in the 1960s, his fellow football players thought highly of him.

He led the Indian team to victory in the 1962 Asian Games, defeating the Asian Giants of the 1960s, South Korea. In the 1964 Asian Games, he captained the Indian team, which finished second.

He will stand out for his ability to score goals in the final moments of the game and penetrate various positions.

In short Goswami was brilliant player with dribbling, passing and Ball control ability.

International Matches played: 37 

Goal Scored: 12 

Domestic Career: For Mohun Bagan he played 296 matches and scored 326 Goals.

He was all round Sports person, as he switched to cricket post his football career in 70s he captained Bengal Team in Ranji Trophy match.

4. Peter Thangraj: One of India’s most famous goalkeepers is Peter Thangraj.He was most likely the final outstanding goalie India produced.

Thangraj legendary accomplishments as a goalie in two consecutive Olympics in 1956 and 1960 are unmatched.

He was named the 50s’ best goalkeeper of the year for his outstanding performance. He was likely the best goalie India has ever produced in the air.

His ability to save goals from long shots is his best quality as a goalie.

Peter Thangraj Achievements as Player :

He won Arjuna Award in 1967.

He was AFC Asia All Star winner in 1967.

He was adjudged Asia’s Best Goalkeeper in 1960.

He was adjudged Best Goalkeeper of the Millennium.

3. IM Vijayan: IM Vijayan’s name would undoubtedly appear on any list of the best football players produced in India.

Third on our list is Vijayan, who was a superb player despite coming from a lowly background.

Later, in his later career, he also worked in Malayalam films. His outstanding playing record can be shared using the format below:

Domestic Matches Played: 284

Goals Scored in Domestic Matches: 142

Matches Played for India: 72

Goal Scored for India: 29

2. Bhaichung Bhutia:  Another great player who succeeded IM Vijayan as a forward was Bhaichung Bhutia.

In the 2000s, he was an outstanding player who carried India’s football heritage alone. Later, Sunil Chhetri joined him.

Given India’s outstanding record in both domestic and international competitions, the following format can be used to share it:

Domestic Matches Played: 226

Goals Scored in Domestic Matches: 123

Matches Played for India: 88

Goals Scored for India: 30

He played last match for India, in the year 2012 where India lost against Mynammar by 0-4.

Bhaichung Bhutia, role can’t be comprehended, by the fact that he was simply brilliant its just social media presence wasn’t upto the mark during his peak days as footballer.

1. Sunil Chhetri: Sunil Chhetri is regarded as possibly the best player India has ever produced till date.

He is all time highest goal scorer for India .

He also held record for scoring most goals in ISL(Indian Super League).

His record for domestic and International teams can be shared in the below format :

Domestic Matches played for Sunil Chhetri:  171

Goal Scored by Sunil Chhetri: 72

International Matches played for Sunil Chhetri: 151

Goal Scored by Sunil Chhetri for India: 94

He played 173 matches in ISL where he scored 72 goals and he helped Bengaluru FC side towards winning ISL title in 2018-19 season.

He became first Indian player to play for Bengaluru FC franchise in 200 matches.

Additionally, he helped Bengaluru FC win the Durand Cup in 2022.

These football legends have all been outstanding in their own right and should be honored for their individual contributions to the success of Indian football.

Without significant infrastructure improvements, Indian football’s legacy will undoubtedly be forgotten.

The policy for Indian football should be designed to allow players to excel at every level and achieve greater heights.