Ritesh Gandhi at 14:12, 20 March 2026

2026-03-20T14:12:26Z

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{{Short description|Indian professional footballer}}
{{for|the 2005 missing-persons case of the Indian child of the same name|Disappearance of Rahul Raju}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Rahul Raju
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2003|11|20|df=y}}<ref name="sofascore_profile">{{cite web|url=https://www.sofascore.com/player/rahul-raju/1432028|title=Sofascore profile|publisher=Sofascore}}</ref>
| height = 1.74 m<ref name="sofascore_profile"/>
| currentclub = [[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]]
| clubnumber = 20
| position = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]], [[Midfielder#Winger|Winger]], [[Midfielder]]
| youthclubs1 = United Kochin FC
| youthyears1 = 2019–2020
| youthclubs2 = SB FA Poovar
| youthyears2 = 2020–2021
| years1 = 2021–2022
| clubs1 = [[Bengaluru FC Reserves and Academy|Bengaluru B]]
| caps1 = 7
| goals1 = 7
| years2 = 2022–2023
| clubs2 = [[Bengaluru FC|Bengaluru]]
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → [[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]] (loan)
| caps3 = 19
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2023–
| clubs4 = [[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]]
| caps4 = 15
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2023–2024
| clubs5 = →[[Churchill Brothers FC Goa|Churchill Brothers]] (loan)
| caps5 = 2
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2025–
| nationalteam1 = [[India national under-23 football team|India U23]]
| nationalcaps1 = 0
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 23:33, 20 March 2026 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
| birth_place = [[Kulathoor, Thiruvananthapuram|Kulathoor]], [[Kerala]], India
}}

'''Rahul Raju''' (born 20 November 2003) is an Indian professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]] for [[I-League]] club [[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]].

==Club career==
===Youth===
Born in the football frenzy state of Kerala, Rahul Raju started his career at an early age with the local clubs United Kochin FC and, later, SB FA Poovar of [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. He then caught the attention of [[Bengaluru FC]] scouts and was roped in by the club for their [[Bengaluru FC Reserves and Academy|reserves side]] in 2021.<ref name="IFTWC_raju_to_Gokulam">{{Cite web |date=2022-08-28 |title=Gokulam Kerala FC Signs Rahul Raju On Loan From Bengaluru FC {{!}} IFTWC - Indian Football Team For World Cup |url=https://iftwc.com/gokulam-kerala-fc-signs-rahul-raju-on-loan/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="SK_Raju_to_Gokulam">{{Cite web |last=Chakraborty |first=Swapnomoy |date=2022-08-29 |title=I-League: Rahul Raju completes loan move to Gokulam Kerala FC |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/news-gkfc-rahul-raju-joins-gokulam-kerala |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=sportskeeda.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Bengaluru FC===
Rahul Raju began his senior career at the fourth-tier football of India with [[Bengaluru FC Reserves and Academy|Bengaluru FC B]]<ref name="IFTWC_raju_to_Gokulam"/><ref name="SK_Raju_to_Gokulam"/> at the [[2021–22 Bangalore Super Division|2021–22]] season of BDFA Super Division. He scored five goals for the club and had one assist to his name.<ref name="bfcb_goal_1">{{Cite twitter|number=1451434119242543105|user=bengalurufc|title=Striker Rahul Raju was on target for the Blue Colts, who went down 3-2 to Bangalore Eagles at the SUFC ground, in Ulsoor.}}</ref><ref name="bfcb_goal_2">{{Cite twitter|number=1468176955296018434|user=bengalurufc|title=45' GOAAAAL! Rahul Raju finds the back of the net on the brink of half-time after Lalthangliana's shot came off the post for the striker to tap home. 0-1.}}</ref><ref name="bfcb_goal_3">{{Cite twitter|number=1470312510091788290|user=bengalurufc|title=15' GOAL! Rahul Raju's shot has too much on it and the Independents 'keeper spills it to give the Blue Colts the lead. 1-0.}}</ref><ref name="bfcb_goal_4">{{Cite twitter|number=1470365189442719745|user=bengalurufc|title=Rahul Raju broke the deadlock for the Blue Colts at the BFS today, and had a hand in two more goals as they ran out 4-0 winners over Bangalore Independents.}}</ref><ref name="bfcb_goal_5">{{Cite twitter|number=1508461209250516999|user=bengalurufc|title=Rahul Raju got on the scoresheet for the Blue Colts as they ran away with a victory against SESA FA.}}</ref><ref name="bfcb_assist_1">{{Cite twitter|number=1468186480078032899|user=bengalurufc|title=65' GOLAZO! Rahul Raju drags the 'keeper off his line and finds Jagdeep Singh who floats it into an empty net to make it two nil to the Blue Colts!}}</ref>

The reserves side of Bengaluru FC participated in the maiden season of [[Reliance Foundation Development League]] in 2022 and it was a tournament to remember for the then-eighteen-year-old as he went on to secure the golden boot in the tournament with seven goals in seven games for the club who became the league premiers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-11 |title=First-ever RFDL title up for grabs as Kerala, Bengaluru lock horns in clash of titans |url=https://www.90min.com/posts/first-ever-rfdl-title-up-for-grabs-as-kerala-bengaluru-lock-horns-in-clash-of-titans |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=90min.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-12 |title=Bengaluru FC hold Kerala Blasters to emerge inaugural RFDL champions |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/bengaluru-fc-hold-kerala-blasters-to-emerge-inaugural-rfdl-champions/articleshow/91523676.cms |access-date=2023-03-14 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bengaluru FC hold Kerala Blasters FC to a draw to win inaugural RFDL title |url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/bengaluru-fc-hold-kerala-blasters-fc-to-a-draw-to-win-inaugural-rfdl-title-35083857 |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=OneFootball |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=On the mark: A look at the top five goalscorers in Reliance Foundation Development League |url=https://www.indiansuperleague.com/development-league/features/on-the-mark-a-look-at-the-top-five-goalscorers-in-reliance-foundation-development-league |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Indian Super League |language=en}}</ref>

===Gokulam Kerala FC===
After tasting success with Bengaluru FC B, Rahul Raju was loaned out for a season, back to his home state of Kerala but this time to the northern part of the state where the [[I-League]] club [[Gokulam Kerala FC]] is based.<ref name="IFTWC_raju_to_Gokulam"/><ref name="SK_Raju_to_Gokulam"/> Rahul Raju started for the club fifteen times and found back of the net once in the [[2022–23 I-League]] season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shetty |first=Chittu |date=2022-12-04 |title=Mumbai Kenkre hold defending champions Gokulam Kerala to a draw |url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2022/mumbai-kenkre-hold-defending-champions-gokulam-kerala-to-a-draw/ |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=Football Counter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-25 |title=I-League: Gokulam Kerala thrash 10-man Aizawl FC 3-0, climb to third |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/i-league/i-league-gokulam-kerala-thrash-10-man-aizawl-fc-3-0-climb-to-third/articleshow/98237804.cms |access-date=2023-03-14 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=I-League: Gokulam Kerala down Aizawl FC |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2023/02/25/i-league-gokulam-kerala-down-aizawl-fc.html |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=onmanorama.com}}</ref>

==International career==
In May 2025, [[India national under-23 football team|India under-23]] head coach [[Naushad Moosa]] listed Rahul Raju in the 29-members probable squad for two friendlies that will be held in Tajikistan in June 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Naushad Moosa names 29-member probable squad for India U23s |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/naushad-moosa-names-29-member-probable-squad-for-india-u23s |publisher=[[All India Football Federation]] |access-date=22 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522171716/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/naushad-moosa-names-29-member-probable-squad-for-india-u23s |archive-date=22 May 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
=== Club ===
{{updated|12 February 2025}}<ref>{{Soccerway|rahul-raju/880973}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|League Cup
!colspan="2"|Domestic Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan="1" |[[Bengaluru FC Reserves and Academy|Bengaluru B]]
|[[2022 Reliance Foundation Development League|2022]]
| rowspan="1" |[[Reliance Foundation Development League|RF Development League]]
|7||7||0||0|| colspan="2" |—|| colspan="2" |—||7||7
|-
| rowspan="1" |[[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]] (loan)
|[[2022–23 I-League|2022–23]]
| rowspan="3" |[[I-League]]
|19||1||3{{efn|name=SuperCup|Appearance(s) in [[Super Cup (India)|Super Cup]]}}||0|| colspan="2" |—|| colspan="2" |—||22||1
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Gokulam Kerala FC|Gokulam Kerala]]
|[[2023–24 I-League|2023–24]]
|0||0||0||0|| 4{{efn|name=DurandCup|Appearance(s) in [[Durand Cup]]}}||0|| colspan="2" |—||4||0
|-
|[[2024–25 I-League|2024–25]]
|12||1||0||0||0||0|| colspan="2" |—||12||1
|-
! colspan="2" |Gokulam Kerala total
!31!!2!!3!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!38!!2
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!38!!9!!3!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!45!!9
|}
{{notelist}}

==Honours==
'''Bengaluru FC B'''
* [[Reliance Foundation Development League]]: [[2022 Reliance Foundation Development League|2022]]

'''Individual'''
* [[2022 Reliance Foundation Development League]]: Golden Boot

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bengalurufc.com/player/rahul-raju Bengaluru FC Profile]
*{{Sofascore|rahul-raju/1432028}}
*{{Soccerway|rahul-raju/880973}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rahul Raju}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2003 births]]
[[Category:People from Thiruvananthapuram district]]
[[Category:Indian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Bangalore Football League players]]
[[Category:Bengaluru FC players]]
[[Category:I-League players]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Gokulam Kerala FC players]]

Rahul Raju - Revision history

Ritesh Gandhi at 14:12, 20 March 2026