Football in Kolkata

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

Football is one of the most popular sports in Kolkata, West Bengal.^[1] East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan are the heart of Kolkata football. The rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is one of the fiercest in the world and is considered a flagship event in the Indian footballing calendar. Kolkata is known to be the hub of Indian football with the two most supported teams in the country being based within the city – Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Both teams used to play against each other in the Kolkata derby.^[2] 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 131,000^[3] came in a match between the said two teams in the semifinal of the 1997 Federation Cup.

Footballers who have visited Kolkata[edit]

Because it is 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 legends Diego Maradona and current Argentinean footballing star Leo Messi. German legends, including Franz Beckenbauer and Oliver Kahn, have also visited. The best goalkeeper in football history, Russian footballer 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.

Footballers from West Bengal[edit]

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. 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 F.C..
Pradip Kumar Banerjee, named Indian Footballer of the 20th Century by FIFA.
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, footballer playing for the Indian team, first Indian goalkeeper to play professionally for a foreign club in 1st division.
Sudip Chatterjee , footballer, considered among the finest in Indian football, declared AIFF player of the decade in 1994.

International Football[edit]

Robin Dutt, former manager of Bundesliga club, Werder Bremen.
Neil Taylor, Welsh footballer of half-Bengali origin.

Arjuna award winners[edit]

West Bengal football team[edit]

The West Bengal football team is an Indian football team representing West Bengal in the Santosh Trophy.

They have appeared in the Santosh Trophy finals 43 times, and have won the trophy 31 times, (the most by any team). Prior to 1972, the team competed as 'Bengal'.

References[edit]

↑ "Football - the passion play in Kolkata". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
↑ "Mohun Bagan VS East Bengal". FIFA. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
↑ "The Deadly Derby Awaits - Please Fasten Your Seat Belts". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2 June 2018.

Template:Football in Kolkata

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[Football_Passion_Kolkata-1] "Football - the passion play in Kolkata". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

[2] "Mohun Bagan VS East Bengal". FIFA. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

[3] "The Deadly Derby Awaits - Please Fasten Your Seat Belts". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2 June 2018.

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