Bartholomew Ogbeche scored a brace for Hyderabad FC on February 19, 2022, to surpass Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri for the most goals in Indian Super League history. 

The Nigerian produced another scintillating performance to help the Nizams secure a crucial 3-2 win against FC Goa in Indian Super League 2021-22 at the GMC Athletic Stadium. Overall, Ogbeche has netted 63 times in 96 matches in the ISL.

Earlier, Chhetri's 87th-minute goal against Hyderabad FC in a 1-2 defeat witnessed the Indian captain topping the list for most goals in Indian Super League for a short time before Ogbeche took the lead once again. 

The Bengaluru captain has bagged 53 goals in 130 matches while former FC Goa forward Ferran Corominas had scored 48 goals in 57 matches.

Two-time ISL Golden Boot winner Corominas arrived in the Indian Super League in 2017 amidst massive fanfare. The clinical striker had plied his trade in Spain’s La Liga, including a long tenure with Espanyol where he played alongside the former Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino.

After brief stints with Girona, Elche and Mallorca, Corominas joined FC Goa and scored 18 goals in his debut season for the Gaurs. Coro, as he is fondly known by supporters, continued his rich run of form in the subsequent season, scoring 16 goals and winning the ISL Golden Boot for the second time running.

He scored plenty of goals in the 2019-20 ISL season as well, but his tally of 14 strikes was bettered by Roy Krishna, Nerijus Valskis and Bartholomew Ogbeche in that campaign.

Meanwhile, Chhetri, who has played for Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC in the ISL, scored seven goals in his debut ISL season with the Islanders. In his first season with Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League, Chhetri netted 14 times as his team narrowly missed out on the title.

During Bengaluru’s title winning-run in 2018-19, the Indian stalwart scored nine goals.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru FC's new talisman Roy Krishna is fourth on the list with 41 goals from 77 matches, while the former NorthEast United winger Marcelinho Leite Pereira completes the top five list with 34 goals in 87 games.

Most goals in Indian Super League

Player	Matches	Goals
Bartholomew Ogbeche	96	63
Sunil Chhetri	131	53
Ferran Corominas	57	48
Roy Krishna	78	41
Marcelinho	87	34

Featured photo: ISL Media

The ISL Golden Boot has traditionally been given to the highest goal-scorer in a particular Indian Super League season. In the seven years of ISL history, only one player - FC Goa’s Ferran Corominas - has won the award twice. 

As we conclude the ISL 2021-22 season, we take a look at the list of all the ISL Golden Boot winners:

ISL 2021-22 Golden Boot winner - Bartholomew Ogbeche

Hyderabad FC forward Bartholomew Ogbeche won the Golden Boot award for the ISL 2021-22 season with 18 goals from 20 games. Ogbeche's incredible form helped Hyderabad FC clinch their maiden Indian Super League title by beating Kerala Blasters FC in the final. The 37-year-old Nigerian netted eight more goals than Igor Angulo of FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC's Greg Stewart, who scored 10 goals each in the tournament.

You are looking at our #HeroISL 2021-22 Golden Boot Winner, Bart Ogbeche, for scoring 1️⃣8️⃣⚽s! #HFCKBFC #HeroISLFinal #FinalForTheFans #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/P9YVhLK5kR

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 20, 2022

ISL 2020-21 Golden Boot winner - Igor Angulo

FC Goa forward Igor Angulo pipped ATK Mohun Bagan talisman Roy Krishna in his maiden ISL season to bag the Golden Boot award in ISL 7. Angulo scored 14 goals from 21 games just like Krishna but Angulo's better goal-per-minute ratio helped him win the award.

Presenting you 2020/21 @IndSuperLeague Golden Boot winner! #RiseAgain #HeroISL pic.twitter.com/Kukna24lQ9

�?FC Goa (@FCGoaOfficial) March 13, 2021

Meanwhile, Krishna missed the Golden Boot award by a whisker for the second consecutive year as he had scored a joint league-high of 15 goals but Nerijus Valskis had more assists. The criteria was, however, changed in ISL 2020-21 season as the goals per minute ratio was applied to break a tie.

ISL 2019-20 Golden Boot winner - Nerijus Valskis

Chennaiyin FC, who had finished fourth in the ISL table in the 2019-20 season league stages, will be grateful to the prolific Nerijus Valskis for their run to the final. The Lithuanian forward, who will play for Jamshedpur FC this season, had scored 15 goals to finish as the joint-highest goal-scorer in the 2019-20 ISL season. 

However, with ATK Mohun Bagan’s Roy Krishna and Kerala Blasters�?Bartholomew Ogbeche each with 15 goals to their name as well, the ISL rules had to dig deeper and identify the player with most assists to give away the ISL Golden Boot.

1�?�?Goals �?br />6�?Assists �?br />Runner-up in the #HeroISL �?a href="http://twitter.com/NValskis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@NValskis not only won the Golden Boot award but gave us all a season to remember pic.twitter.com/3qq5bL5cUG

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) May 5, 2020

Interestingly, both Valskis and Krishna had netted 15 goals and provided six assists, which further narrowed down the final selection to the player playing fewer minutes. Valskis, who eventually walked away with the ISL Golden Boot award, had played 20 matches - one fewer than Krishna.

Ogbeche finished third with 15 goals and a solitary assist to his name in 18 games.

ISL 2018-19 Golden Boot winner - Ferran Corominas

Ferran Corominas, who is ISL’s all-time top scorer with 48 goals, claimed his second ISL Golden Boot in the 2018-19 season after scoring 16 goals in 20 games. The Spanish forward was significantly ahead of his competitors - Mumbai City FC’s Moudou Sougou and Bartholomew Ogbeche, then playing for NorthEast United. Both had notched 12 goals each in 18 games.

ISL 2017-18 Golden Boot winner - Ferran Corominas

Ferran Corominas is the only player in ISL’s history to have won two ISL Golden Boot awards and the first one came in his debut season. The Spaniard had joined FC Goa in 2017 after a brief stint in Cyprus, and it didn’t take long for him to assert his authority in India. In his debut season with the club, Coro outscored eventual-champions Bengaluru FC’s striking duo of Miku (15) and Suni Chhetri (14) by scoring 18 goals in 20 games. 

Ferran Corominas fired 18 goals for @FCGoaOfficial - the most by any player to win the Swift Golden Boot Award convincingly this season! #LetsFootball #HeroISL @MSArenaOfficial pic.twitter.com/EW6kvbGk4s

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 19, 2018

A 34-year-old ISL debutant, Corominas had scored his maiden goal against Chennaiyin FC before going on to bag consecutive hat-tricks against Bengaluru FC (a 4-3 win) and Kerala Blasters (a 5-2 win) that season. His return of 18 goals in the campaign is, in fact, the most goals a player scored in a single ISL season.

ISL 2016 Golden Boot winner - Marcelinho

Marcelinho, who will be playing for his fourth club in ISL 2020-21, had scored 10 goals and assisted five times to win the ISL Golden Boot in 2016. Representing the now-defunct Delhi Dynamos, his effort had taken the team to the semi-finals after finishing third in the points table.

ISL only had eight teams in 2016 and Marcelinho’s closest competitor was Iain Hume of ATK. The Canadian international had scored seven goals in 14 games that season.

ISL 2015 Golden Boot winner - Stiven Mendoza

Chennaiyin FC forward Stiven Mendoza scored 13 goals in 16 appearances to run away with the ISL Golden Boot award in 2015. Iain Hume was the closest competitor with 11 goals. 

Mendoza’s ability of taking on defenders and beating them with pace was a sheer treat for the Super Machans. It was at the back of his efforts that Chennaiyin FC finished third in the points table before going all the way to the final to face FC Goa. 

Mendoza stepped up on the biggest stage to score the winner in the added minutes of the injury time to take home the title as well as the ISL Golden Boot award.

ISL 2014 Golden Boot winner - Elano

Elano was one of the marquee players to have played in the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League. The former Manchester City midfielder had arrived with much fanfare and he lived up to the hype as well. 

First season. First Golden Boot.

Second season. First ISL trophy. #MersElano made his time at CFC unforgettable #AattamReloaded pic.twitter.com/ZvDrF7ZpvR

�?Chennaiyin FC (@ChennaiyinFC) June 14, 2020

Signing a three-month contract with Chennaiyin FC, Elano had announced his arrival with a sensational free-kick on his ISL debut against FC Goa. The carnage continued throughout the season as the Brazilian ended his tenure with eight goals in 11 games to finish as the top scorer of the 2014 edition, thus making him the first ISL Golden Boot winner.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @FCGoaOfficial

Nigerian striker Bartholomew Ogbeche and retired Canadian star Ian Hume share the record for most hat-tricks in Indian Super League.

Hume, who represented Kerala Blasters, Atlético de Kolkata and Pune City, hit his first hat-trick in a 4-1 win against Mumbai City FC in the 2015 edition. His second triple strike came just 26 days later in Atlético de Kolkata’s 4-1 triumph over Pune City.

Ian Hume’s third and final hat-trick came in the 2017-18 season as he inspired Kerala Blasters to a 3-1 win against Delhi Dynamos.

Hume’s feat of most hat-tricks in Indian Super League (3) would later be matched by Bartholomew Ogbeche with his hat-trick in the ISL 2021-22 season.

Bartholomew Ogbeche, the all-time leading goalscorer in the Indian Super League, recorded his three hat-tricks with three different clubs. In the 2018-19 season, the 37-year-old Nigerian forward initiated NorthEast United’s counter-attack in their 4-3 win over Chennaiyin FC with his triple strike.

His next hat-tricks came in Kerala Blasters�?3-6 loss to Chennaiyin FC (ISL 2019-20) and Hyderabad FC’s 4-0 win against SC East Bengal (ISL 2021-22).

Indian national football team captain Sunil Chhetri is the only homegrown player to have scored a hat-trick in the Indian Super League. Chhetri is among the six players with two hat-tricks in the tournament.

Andre Moritz, the first player to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League, leads the list of 13 players with a solitary triple strike in the ISL.

Most hat-tricks in Indian Super League

Player	Hat-tricks	Last hat-trick date
Ian Hume	3	January 10, 2018
Bartholomew Ogbeche		January 24, 2022
Stiven Mendoza	2	November 21, 2015
Dudu Omagbemi		November 26, 2016
Coro		December 9, 2017
Marcelinho		December 30, 2017
Sunil Chhetri		March 11, 2018
Modou Sougou		February 22, 2019
Andre Moritz	1	October 18, 2014
Thongkhosiem Haokip		November 17, 2015
Reinaldo		November 29, 2015
Diego Forlán		November 19, 2016
Seiminlen Doungel		January 19, 2018
Roy Krishna		February 8, 2020
Manuel Onwu		February 23, 2020
Bipin Singh		February 24, 2021
Greg Stewart		December 14, 2021
Deshorn Brown		December 27, 2021
Kiyan Nassiri		January 29, 2022
Jorge Ortiz		February 9, 2022
Airam Cabrera		March 6, 2022

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: Twitter / Indian Super League

Former FC Goa attacker Ferran Corominas and Hyderabad FC striker Bartholomew Ogbeche share the record for most goals by a player in one Indian Super League season.

The Nigerian forward Ogbeche netted his record-equalling 18th goal of the season in the 3-1 win over ATK Mohun Bagan in the semi-final first leg of ISL 2021-22. Interestingly, he is the record holder for the most hat-tricks in the Indian Super League.

Corominas, who was Indian Super League’s leading goal scorer for a considerable amount of time, got on the scoresheet in the very first game of the 2017-18 campaign against Chennaiyin FC, scoring once in a 3-2 win. The Spaniard netted 18 times in 20 appearances during the season as Goa reached the semi-final before being eliminated.

Goa won four of their first five matches that season and Coro scored eight goals during those outings, including two hat-tricks against Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters. After a midseason slump that saw Goa go on a five-match winless run, Coro returned to his best, scoring five goals in his team’s last three league stage games.

Coro came close to matching his tally from the 2017-18 season as he registered 16 goals in 20 appearances.

The 2019-20 ISL season was the most competitive among goal-scorers with as many as three players - Bartholomew Ogbeche, Roy Krishna and Nerijus Valskis - finishing with 15 goals. The Golden Boot, however, was awarded to Valskis since the Lithuanian had more assists to his name.

A couple of seasons before the aforementioned trio battled for the Golden Boot, former Bengaluru FC forward Miku had scored the same number of goals (15) in the 2017-18 ISL campaign. Riding on his return, the Blues reached the final and despite Miku’s 92nd-minute strike in the match, the Blues lost 2-3 to Chennaiyin FC.

Most goals by a player in one Indian Super League season

Player	Goals	Season	Team
Ferran Corominas	18	2017-18	FC Goa
Bartholomew Ogbeche	18	2021-22	Hyderabad FC
Ferran Corominas	16	2018-19	FC Goa
Bartholomew Ogbeche	15	2019-20	Kerala Blasters
Nerijus Valskis	15	2019-20	Chennaiyin FC
Roy Krishna	15	2019-20	ATK Mohun Bagan
Miku	15	2017-18	Bengaluru FC

 

Featured photo: ISL Media

While it may not appear completely apt to call a player the King of ISL after just three seasons in the Indian Super League, Ferrán Corominas, better known as Coro, has many reasons why the debate will always rest in his favour.

The Spanish forward, who now plays for Segunda Division B side Atletico Baleares, is the all-time top scorer in ISL with 48 goals in just 57 matches and holds the record as the only player to reach double figures for three seasons in a row. His rate of scoring per game is the best among ISL players (among those who have netted at least 20 goals).

These efforts shaped him into a cult figure at FC Goa and an icon in the league’s folklore for winning the ISL Golden Boot in successive seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19).

The from Coro's time with @FCGoaOfficial in #HeroISL pic.twitter.com/tJ150TxVau

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) September 30, 2020

Coro’s legacy isn’t just limited to his personal achievements, as he has played a significant role in the revolution at FC Goa - a team that plays attacking possession-based football and scores goals as well.

We go down memory lane to relive the three memorable campaigns of Coro, the King of ISL.

2017-18: Record goals in a single ISL season

Following a disappointing 2016 season, FC Goa replaced Zico with Sergio Lobera with a clear intent to overhaul the existing setup. At the age of 34 and brimming with experience from his time at Spanish clubs like Espanyol, Girona FC, Elche, and Mallorca, Coro was brought on board from Cyprus side Doxa Katokopias FC.

In his first five games, the Spaniard registered eight goals and three assists - including back-to-back hat-tricks against Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters, the latter within seven minutes. Neither the club faithful nor Lobera could have envisaged such an immediate impact by the attacker.

While he led the Gaurs to a third-place finish, Coro finished his first season at the club with 18 goals, five assists, and the Golden Boot award. Coro’s 18 strikes remains the record for the most number of goals scored in a single ISL season. 

2018-19: Two-time Golden Boot winner

The 2018-19 campaign is the most productive in Corominas�?career in ISL. Apart from registering 16 goals -- and seven assists -- to win the Golden Boot, he also bagged the Hero of the League award and steered FC Goa to a Super Cup victory. To date, he is the only football player to have won the ISL Golden Boot twice, and that too in succession.

Before the start of the season, Coro saw his contract extended with a new salary package. And in typical style, he recreated his solid start from his debut campaign with six goals and four assists in his first four games.

After his first career red card suspension in the Indian Super League, the Spaniard’s goal contribution levels took a dip. Nonetheless, he was the focal point of FC Goa aggregating the group stages�?most goals (36 goals) for the third time in five seasons.

In the Super Cup, Coro found the net five times and anchored them to their first-ever piece of silverware after a 2-1 win over Chennaiyin FC.

2019-20: Guiding FC Goa to AFC

In his final season at FC Goa, which coincided with Sergio Lobera’s final year as head coach, Coro etched his name in the record books for being the first player to score in the opening fixture of three consecutive seasons. 

Needless to say, it was just the beginning of another spectacular campaign as a club icon.

FERRAN '(S)CORO'MINAS, @FCGoaOfficial's constant goal threat!

The Spanish forward has scored the most number of goals in the #HeroISL so far! #GOABEN #LetsFootball #TrueLove pic.twitter.com/Dyd030KIPN

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 28, 2019

Despite sitting out for three games with injury, Corominas never showed signs of giving up as he racked up 14 goals and four assists in 15 appearances. He ended up as the club’s top-scorer for the third straight season.

His efforts led FC Goa to lift the ISL League Winners Shield and become the first Indian club to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stages.

After the end of his third season, the contract renewal talk with FC Goa broke down as Coro went on record to say that the tabled offer “didn’t value him for his performances.�?This news shocked fans, who held hopes for the ‘King of ISL�?to continue his stay at the club for ISL 2020-21.

But, with the club’s appointment of Juan Ferrando as head coach and Igor Angulo as a replacement, the partnership between Ferrán Corominas and FC Goa ended.

Three seasons, 48 goals and 16 assists in tow, Ferrán Corominas�?reign as the King of ISL seems untouchable for at least for a couple of years.

Feature Image Courtesy: 2021 Indian Super League

The Indian Super League (ISL) semi-final offers the top-four teams from the group stage an opportunity to showcase their title credentials.

Among the 12 ISL semi-finals that have been played so far, nothing comes close to the mouth-watering encounter between table-toppers FC Goa and fourth-placed Chennaiyin FC in the sixth edition.

Going into the Indian Super League (ISL) 2019-20 season semi-final clash, the Gaurs held the lead in the FC Goa vs Chennaiyin head-to-head record. They had eight wins in 12 matches and started as favourites in the contest as they were on a four-match winning streak against the Marina Machans. 

The build-up to the 2019-20 ISL semi-final was simply spectacular, from Chennaiyin FC’s perspective. 

Six games into the campaign, the John Gregory-led Chennaiyin FC were languishing second from bottom but the arrival of English coach Owen Coyle not only brought about a new style of play but also kickstarted a renaissance that saw them finish fourth and carried forward to the playoffs.

FC Goa, on the flip side, had a bumpy ride in the first seven matchdays of ISL 6 but after their 2-1 victory over ATK during matchday eight, the Gaurs maintained their ascendancy to the summit of the ISL points table. 

Spain’s Ferrán Corominas (14 goals) and French-Moroccan attacking midfielder Hugo Boumous (11 goals) combined to score 25 of the team’s 46 goals as FC Goa topped the league stage. 

Interestingly, the Gaurs claimed the first-ever ISL League Winners Shield and also became the first Indian football club to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage.

In the first of the Chennaiyin FC vs FC Goa two-legged semi-final, the Gaurs were hammered 4-1 in Chennai on February 29 and no one expected FC Goa to make any kind of a comeback.

“It’s not us who have to turn things around, it's Goa,�?Chennaiyin FC coach Owen Coyle said ahead of the match. “We have to stay focused on playing our game. We won’t change our style.

“We have shown that we are a goal threat and Goa know that. They know up close that we can create and score goals. Goa has some wonderful players and we have huge respect for them and how they play. It’s set to be a fantastic game. We come here with confidence in our advantage.�?/span>

That confidence was shaken in just 22 minutes of the second leg as FC Goa struck twice to make it 3-4 on aggregate and keep the hopes of a miraculous comeback alive.

FC Goa applied massive pressure on the visitor’s defence as their efforts finally bore fruit when Chennaiyin’s Lucian Goian miscued a header that went straight into his own net in the 10th minute. Moments later, Mourtada Fall headed home a Brandon Fernandes free-kick in the 21st minute, and this goal kept the home crowd beaming.

After the stunning first-half performance from Sergio Lobera’s men, the Gaurs looked all favourites to erase their 4-1 deficit from the first leg and qualify for the summit clash.

21' Fall heads in to score the second goal @BrandonFern10's delivery from a free-kick is met with a towering header from the centre-back.

FCG 2-0 CFC (agg 3-4)#FCGCFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/AFp52LIGsC

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 7, 2020

However, the hosts conceded two goals within 14 minutes of the second half courtesy Chennaiyin’s Lallianzuala Chhangte and Nerijus Valskis to bring the aggregate to 6-3. The equation meant the Gaurs required as many as four goals to have any hopes of playing their third ISL final.

Game 'Chhanger' @lzchhangte7 cancels out @FCGoaOfficial's away goal advantage from the first leg! #FCGCFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/OTsaaW8q1P

�?Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 7, 2020

Meanwhile, Edu Bedia made it 3-2 as the fixture entered the last 10 minutes of regulation time and the goal marked FC Goa’s 50th goal of the season. Mourtada Fall’s 83rd-minute strike took the teams�?score to 4-2, however, FC Goa still required two more goals in the final seven minutes to sneak into the final and script a miraculous comeback. That, though, didn’t happen.

Even though FC Goa won the tie, Chennaiyin FC booked their place in the final with an aggregate of 6-5 in the 2019-20 ISL semi-final.

An ISL semi-final of character

“We know it was a tough game,�?Matourda Fall said later. “We had to play 100 per cent to win this game. I thank the team as we worked together. In the first half, we were leading 2-0 but we conceded also. 

“We tried our best to give everything, to play for the t-shirt, to play for the team, to play for the fans to be in the final. It was difficult today but this is football.�?/span>

Meanwhile, FC Goa interim coach Clifford Miranda praised his team’s efforts. “We came back strongly in the first half, took the lead, missed chances, scored chances,�?he said.

“We came out in the second half, and if Jackichand Singh’s shot had gone in, it would have been 3-0 and we would have been right there. It is part of football. 

“We fought really well. We came back and hit the crossbar, their goalkeeper saved, they made goal-line saves. I’m extremely proud of these boys, the way they played and the way they showed character,�?Miranda added.

Chennaiyin went on to play ATK -- who beat defending champions Bengaluru FC in their ISL semi-final -- in the final on March 14 and lost 3-1.

Feature image courtesy: 2020 Indian Super League. 

ATK Mohun Bagan will look to regain their winning form in Indian Super League when they host a high-flying FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium on Wednesday.

The Kolkata giants had started the ISL 2020-21 season in the best possible way, winning all their opening three matches before things started changing against Jamshedpur FC, who stunned the Mariners 2-1.

FC Goa, on the other hand, had a slow start to their campaign with two draws and a loss before they bounced back with two wins on the trot. However, ATKMB will be a different challenge altogether.

The ATK Mohun Bagan vs FC Goa head-to-head is dominated by the green and maroon brigade, who have won five of the 14 encounters and lost only thrice. On the other hand, the Gaurs have started dominating proceedings since the arrival of their former coach Sergio Lobera in the 2017-18 ISL season with their biggest victory against ATKMB being 5-1 on February 28, 2018.

Antonio Habas' men registered their biggest win over the Gaurs on November 22, 2015, when the Kolkata side had run a 4-0 riot. Otherwise, the teams have mostly seen matches undecided with as many as six matches ending without a result.

With Roy Krishna on one side and Igor Angulo on the other, goals will be guaranteed in Wednesday’s fixture. This marquee clash has already witnessed 32 goals in the 14 previous encounters. 

FC Goa have been the more dominant side in their last five clashes with ATKMB as they won two and drew one. The Gaurs have also started this season in a more prolific manner, with seven goals in five matches as opposed to Krishna-led ATKMB's six goals. Despite losing the likes of Ferran Corominas, Hugo Boumous and others, FC Goa have managed 25 shots on target so far, against ATKMB's 22.

However, ATK Mohun Bagan have clearly been the better side while defending. While Goa's free-flowing all-offensive approach has seen them concede five goals in the process, ATKMB have let in just three goals. ATKMB's goalscorers have also shown more clinical finishing with a conversion rate of 10.16% as opposed to Goa's 9.58%.

With Mumbai City FC being held to a 1-1 draw by Jamshedpur FC on Monday, ATKMB could go on top of the ISL points table with a win against FC Goa on Wednesday.

Feature Image Courtesy: Instagram/ ATK Mohun Bagan

The Indian Super League has seen some best names from the world of football. Alessandro del Piero, Dimitar Berbatov, Alessandro Nesta, Wes Brown, Diego Forlan are some of the legends who played in ISL. However, none of these has gone on to become one of the best to ever play in the league as some of the other football players have. So, who is the best player in ISL?

Coro

Spaniard Ferrán Corominas Telechea, better known as Coro, is one of the greatest, if not the greatest foreign player to ever play in the ISL. The forward is the Indian Super League’s all-time leading goal-scorer with 48 goals in just 57 games. Coro also holds the record for most goals in a single ISL campaign, scoring 18 in his debut season in 2017-18. 

He won his second ISL Golden Boot the following season, bagging 16 goals and leading FC Goa to the final, where they were beaten by Bengaluru FC in a nail-biting contest. The Spanish forward finished just a goal shy of winning his third Golden Boot on the trot in season 6 with 14 goals. His numbers alone make him one of ISL’s best players and arguably perhaps even the best player in ISL history.

Sunil Chhetri

He is not only one of ISL’s best players, but one of India’s finest too. India's and Bengaluru FC's all-time leading goal-scorer Sunil Chhetri has enjoyed a distinguished career in the ISL. He began his career in the league with Mumbai City FC and spent two seasons with the Islanders, scoring seven goals for the side and leading them to their maiden appearance in the ISL playoffs. 

Following the inclusion of Bengaluru FC in the ISL in 2017, Sunil Chhetri has only furthered his legacy in the league, leading Bengaluru FC to a top-four finish in each of the past three campaigns and guiding them to their maiden title in just their second season in the league in 2018-19. The Indian football team captain is currently the second-highest goal-scorer in ISL history with 39 goals in 74 matches. 

Iain Hume

A player that shaped the legacy of the ISL in its formative years, Iain Hume was consistently brilliant in the first three seasons of the league. The Englishman led Kerala Blasters to the final in the league’s maiden season, where they were upstaged by ATK in the final. The following season, he joined ATK and was deployed in a more advanced position, which paid dividends as he enjoyed his two most prolific campaigns in the ISL, scoring 18 goals over the course of those two seasons. 

In his second campaign, the Englishman led by example and scored twice in the semi-finals, which helped ATK knock title-favourites Mumbai City FC out of the tournament. ATK went on to win their second title in three seasons, beating Kerala Blasters on penalties in the final. Hume returned to Kerala Blasters for a season and then spent a year with Pune City FC, scoring just six goals over those two seasons. The Englishman may not have had a fairytale ending to his incredible ISL career but he will always be revered among the best ISL players.

Marcelinho

Brazilian forward Marcelo Leite Pereira, better known as Marcelinho, brought Samba magic to ISL in his debut campaign in 2016 and has since continued to dazzle with his extraordinary skills and prolific scoring ability. The Rio de Janeiro native made his ISL debut in 2016 and made an instant impact, scoring 10 goals in 15 games and winning the ISL Golden Boot. 

Marcelinho then moved to Pune City and was sensational for the side, scoring 14 goals in just 31 games. The Brazilian spent ISL 2019-20 at Hyderabad FC and struck seven goals in 17 matches, which saw him surpass Iain Hume as the third-highest goal-scorer in ISL history, only behind Coro and Sunil Chhetri. Marcelinho will be leading Odisha FC in ISL 2020-21.

Tiri

Perhaps the best centre-back to play in the ISL, José Luis Espinosa Arroyo, or simply Tiri, has been a steady rock at the heart of every defence that he’s played since making his debut in the league in 2015. Tiri was an integral part of the Indian Super League club ATK that won the title in 2016. He then joined Jamshedpur FC where he made 48 appearances and established himself as one of the foremost defenders in the league. 

Tiri will represent the newly-formed ATK Mohun Bagan in ISL 2020-21, as he chases a second ISL title that will further his legacy as one of the best players in the league’s history.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Arun Sankar

Indian Super League semi-finals have kicked off with a bang. Chennaiyin FC have made the most of their home leg, but Bengaluru will go into the second leg with a slim one-goal lead.

In Europe, although Liverpool have lost their first league game of the season against Watford, it is not going to dent their title hopes by any means, but their back to back losses in both Champions League and Premier League will give Diego Simeone some hope to defend their narrow 1-0 advantage when they visit Anfield this week.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, will also have to bring their A-game to the table to upset Manchester City at Etihad who enjoyed a huge 2-1 win at Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg. In short, the week is going to be full of intense football and it might be a headache to select the Nostragamus fantasy team. Don't bang your head on the wall because we have just what you need.

Player: Ferran Corominas

Team: FC Goa

Match: FC Goa vs Chennaiyin FC

Ferran Corominas, fondly known as Coro, has emerged as one of the most lethal centre-forwards in the recent instalment of ISL. The former Espanol frontman has enjoyed an amazing run in front of goal with 14 goals in 15 matches along with four assists. His partnership with Hugo Boumous has bloomed through the season and is surely the most destructive weapon Clifford Miranda has in his disposal. 

FC Goa have already completed a double against Chennaiyin in the league stages and Coro has scored in both the matches. Goa were convincingly drubbed by the Chennai-based franchise in the first game which ended in a 4-1 scoreline. So if Goa want to qualify for the final, Coro will have to fire at least a couple of goals. 

Player: Roy Krishna

Team: ATK

Match: ATK vs Bengaluru FC

If ISL is an examination, Roy Krishna is certainly the question the defenders and the coaches have not found an answer to this season. The 32-year-old Fijian has been in a wreaking form this season with 14 goals and five assists. With Ogbeche and Kerala Blasters out of the way, only Ferran Corominas is left to match his marksmanship. 

But against Bengaluru FC, Krishna is yet to find the net. On his day, the Fijian is as devastating as it gets but somehow Carles Cuadrat has found a way to keep him quiet. If Krishna finds a way to find the net, the two-time champions will find their job half done.

Player: Erling Haaland

Team: Borussia Dortmund

Match: PSG vs Borussia Dortmund

Erling Haaland is making scoring goals look like a walk in the park. He has already scored 10 goals in seven Champions League games, a stat that is making most strikers feel depressed. Borussia Dortmund will face Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the tie and they will go to Parc des Princes with a 2-1 goal advantage. But PSG have the away goal to their merit. So, Erling Haaland will have to score at least another goal to secure their spot in the quarterfinals. 

Player: Ciro Immobile

Team: Lazio

Match: Atalanta vs Lazio

If Lazio are dreaming of winning the league, it is because of Ciro Immobile. The 30-year-old Italian has rediscovered his form and is leading the goal-scoring charts with 27 goals in 26 Serie A games. It has been two decades since Lazio's last championship in 1999-2000. Lazio sit first in the Serie A table and if Immobile continues to find the net as consistently as he has been for most of the season, it is just a matter of time for them to become champions. 

Immobile has been in supreme touch the last time he faced Atalanta earlier this season. Lazio drew the match with 3 goals each and Ciro was directly associated in all three, scoring two and assisting one. It can be hoped that the fixture will reap more goals for the Italian frontman.

Player: Bruno Fernandes

Team: Manchester United

Match: Manchester United vs Manchester City

The inclusion of Bruno Fernandes has certainly brought a gust of fresh wind in the Red Devil's dressing room. His presence has made the side look more aggressive in the final third and his intricate passing has also bewildered many defenders. The Portuguese has already scored thrice and has also lodged a couple of assists. 

Manchester United will host defending champions Manchester City in one of the biggest derbies in the footballing world. Manchester City have been a force to reckon with and although their hopes of retaining the title for the third season are almost finished, Guardiola's men are still 15 points ahead of Manchester United with a game in hand. If Bruno Fernandes can help his side conquer their city rivals, it would make him a hero, something his manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the fans would love to see.

If you love football, consider this week to be an enthralling one, to say the least. Atletico Madrid taking on Liverpool, Dortmund locking horns against PSG, Tottenham hosting German powerhouse Leipzig, Bayern Munich pays a visit to Stamford Bridge while Barcelona travel to Naples and this is just Champions League. To make things better (or worse, depending on your team) ISL is in full steam ahead and no, you cannot miss a single match. 

Picking the players for Nostragamus is going to be very difficult this week and therefore, we are here to help you out with the team of the week

Player: Ferran Corominas

Team: FC Goa

Match: Jamshedpur Vs FC Goa

Table-toppers FC Goa will be looking forward to extending their gap from ATK to 6 points and just like every week, it is their Spanish goal-machine Ferran Corominas who would be in the centre of the plans. 

Coro just cannot stop scoring goals at the moment and his 13 goals and four assists in just 14 games will run chills down the spine of any defence. His technical prowess and his ability to always create something from nothing is the biggest asset for the interim manager Clifford Miranda. 

Player: Roy Krishna

Team: ATK

Match: Bengaluru FC vs ATK

The battle-royale of this season's ISL trophy hunt. This is going to be one of the most crucial matches in the run for the championship. Bengaluru FC, powered by captain Sunil Chhetri, would consider themselves favourites, but in the midst, cannot forget about one name; Roy Krishna. The 32-year-old Fijian has taken the league by storm this year. He is perched at the top of the scorer's list with 14 goals and judging by his ability to score from virtually any situation, it doesn't seem like he is slowing down any time soon. 

But scoring against Bengaluru is going to be a different and difficult ordeal as they have conceded just 11 goals in the league till now. ATK would need to come out of their shocking loss against Chennaiyin FC if they want to cruise ahead and give Goa a run for their money. Can Krishna step up his game and bring his team all three points? We bet he can!

Player: Bartholomew Ogbeche 

Team: Kerala Blasters

Match: Odisha FC vs Kerala Blasters

If there is one player who has looked a complete misfit amongst the utter mediocrity of the Kerala Blasters franchise, Bartholomew Ogbeche is the name. The former Paris Saint Germain forward looks lethal every time he receives the ball in front of the goal. 

His 13 goals are probably the reason Kerala are not fighting to finish last this season. Although the outcome of the match would not change the table, a brace can see Ogbeche off to the top goal scorer spot, above Roy Krishna. 

Player: Kylian Mbappe

Team: Paris Saint-Germain

Match: Borussia Dortmund vs Paris Saint Germain

Five matches, five goals, three assists and countless defenders ending up with nightmares. That is probably the gist of Kylian Mbappe's run of form in the Champions League. With the absence of superstar Neymar and the advent of new-boy Icardi, Mbappe has taken up the responsibilities of finding the net.

The swashbuckling goal machine would be up against another young kid who is in a similar form, Erling Braut Haaland. While PSG would like to get out of Signal Iduna Park unscathed, their hopes of inflicting any major injury lie with their 21-year-old French World-cup winner, Kylian Mbappe. Can his pace find the answers against the experience of Mats Hummels? Only time can tell!

Player: Sadio Mane

Team: Liverpool

Match: Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool 

Let's just face it, no matter who you are, facing, Liverpool are not someone you want to face at this moment. Diego Simeone and his Atletico side look like a shadow of their past. As they get ready to take on Liverpool, one name would haunt them the most. And no, it's not Mohamed Salah. It is Sadio Mane. 

The Senegalese forward has been feasting on teams. His goal against Norwich in the second half shows how incredibly gifted this man is. He has already scored 12 and assisted six this Premier League season. Simeone would have to come up with one of his plans that used to work against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi if he wants to play Liverpool's formidable trio this week.