Football in Kolkata

Football is one of the most popular sports in Kolkata, West Bengal.[1][2] East Bengal, Mohun Bagan SG and Mohammedan are the heart of Kolkata football. The rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, originating from the Calcutta Football League as the Kolkata derby, is one of the fiercest in the world and considered among the flagship events in the Indian footballing calendar.[3] Kolkata is known to be the Mecca of Indian football,[4][5] with the two most supported teams in the country being based within the city – Mohun Bagan SG and East Bengal.[6][7] The city is also home to the biggest stadium in India, the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which as of 2015 has a capacity of 85,000. The record attendance of 131,781[8] came in a match between the said two teams in the semifinal of the 1997 Federation Cup.

Mohun Bagan taking on Bayern Munich at the Salt Lake Stadium in 2008.

Notable footballers who have visited Kolkata

Because it is often called India's football capital, many international footballing personalities have visited Kolkata. In 1977, Mohun Bagan played a friendly match against the famous North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos, which featured Pelé. The match, which took place at Eden Gardens, had an attendance of 80,000. The match ended 2–2. Others who have visited Kolkata are Argentinean footballing legend Diego Maradona and current star Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi made his captaincy debut for his national side in Kolkata's Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 2nd September, 2011 against Venezuela. German legends, including Franz Beckenbauer and Oliver Kahn, have also visited. The best goalkeeper in football history, Russian Lev Yashin, visited in 1955 and 1973. English World Cup–winning legend Bobby Moore was the chief guest during the 1984 Nehru Cup. Emeka Ezuego, the Nigerian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. Majid Bishkar, the Iranian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting from 1980 to 1986. Cameroon footballing legend Roger Milla played for Diamond Club in some exhibition matches in the Centenary Celebration of Mohun Bagan. Uruguay football captain Diego Forlan visited Kolkata in 2010. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge visited in 2010. Julian Caminho visited Kolkata twice—first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011. MacDonald Mukansi played for East Bengal in 2007.

Others who have also visited are Terry Paine, Carlos Alberto Torres, Enzo Francescoli, Valencia Ramos, Jorge Burruchaga, Ricardo Gareca, László Kiss, Nicky Butt, Włodzimierz Smolarek, Andrzej Buncol, Eusébio, Ronald Koeman, Paul Breitner, and Swansea City's Neil Taylor.

In July 2023, Argentine World Cup and World Cup Golden Gloves winner Emiliano Martinez also visited the city of Joy, courtesy to Satadru Dutta's initiative. He was grandly welcomed by the citizens and Mohun Bagan and East Bengal Club.

Footballers from West Bengal

The state of West Bengal has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as:

  • Chuni Goswami, first Padma Shri awardee, awarded best striker of Asia in 1962.
  • Gostho Pal, footballer, who was member of the Mohun Bagan team that won the IFA shield against a British team in the pre-independence period.
  • Krishanu Dey, footballer, known as the "Indian Maradona".
  • Mohammed Salim, first player from the Indian subcontinent to play overseas, in the year 1936 for the Scottish Club Celtic FC.
  • Pradip Kumar Banerjee, named Indian Footballer of the 20th Century by FIFA, and awardee of the FIFA Order of Merit.
  • Shailen Manna, footballer, the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953.
  • Subrata Paul, member of Indian team, first Indian goalkeeper to play professionally for a foreign club in 1st division (Danish Superliga).
  • Sudip Chatterjee , footballer, considered among the finest in Indian football, declared AIFF player of the decade in 1994.

International football

Arjuna award winners

West Bengal football team

The West Bengal football team is representing the state of West Bengal in the Santosh Trophy.

They have appeared in the Santosh Trophy finals 43 times, and have won the trophy 32 times, (the most by any team). Prior to 1972, the team competed only as Bengal.

See also

References

  1. "Football - the passion play in Kolkata". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  2. Hor, Sandip (2010). "Indian Link — The City of Wonders". indianlink.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  3. Pillai, Manu S (8 June 2018). "How football kicked off in India | As with the English language, when the British transported the sport to India, they didn't expect the 'natives' to beat them at it". lifestyle.livemint.com. Delhi, India: Livemint Delhi. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. "Durand Cup: 'জান জান মহামেডান', ফুটবল মক্কা চাইছে রেশমি কাবাবের সৌরভ". ekolkata24.com (in Bengali). 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  5. Majumdar, Boria, Bandyopadhyay, Kausik (1 February 2006). Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation. New Delhi: Penguin India. ISBN 9780670058747. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Mohun Bagan VS SC East Bengal". FIFA. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  7. Banerjie, Indranil (15 May 1985). "Money, violence and politics enter Calcutta football". India Today. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  8. "The Deadly Derby Awaits – Please Fasten Your Seat Belts". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2018.

Further reading

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