Five youngest goalscorers for Indian national football team

These fearless youngsters broke onto the scene with their early exploits for the Blue Tigers.

Over the years, the Indian national football team has witnessed the emergence of several young talents through their ranks. For a newly included youngster in the team, nothing can be more memorable and satisfying than his first goal for the country.

Many see it as a rite of passage in belonging to the senior national set-up. Let’s see how some Blue Cubs became Tigers. In this piece, we will look at the five youngest goalscorers in Indian senior men’s football history.

5. Pradip Kumar Banerjee

PK Banerjee, one of the recipients of the first Arjuna Awards announced in 1961, was both the youngest and oldest goalscorer for the Indian National Football Team at one point in his career.

At 19 years and 177 days, he scored two goals against Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) at the 1955 Colombo Cup – a quadrangular competition – in Dhaka making him the youngest Indian goalscorer at that point of time.

In the tournament, Banerjee scored braces against both Sri Lanka and Burma before scoring in the final against Pakistan to help the Blue Tigers to a 2-1 win in the final and a record fourth Colombo Cup title.

Although the Indian national football team team has provided a platform for many youngsters over the years, if anything, this list proves that the age at which you score for the national team cannot determine the rest of your career.

4. Bhaichung Bhutia

In the 11th edition of the Nehru Cup held in Kolkata, Indian icon Bhaichung Bhutia made his first appearance for the Blue Tigers.

The Sikkimese Sniper’s goal was the only goal in the game and resulted in victory for India over Uzbekistan. At the age of 18 years and 90 days, Bhaichung Bhutia became the youngest goalscorer for the Indian national football team at that point in time.

In the next match, also the last of the group phase, India lost 3-0 to Russia and ended fourth in the group.

3. Lallianzuala Chhangte

On December 27th, 2015 when Lallianzula Chhangte scored at Trivandrum in a group A SAFF Championships clash against Nepal, many were quick to call him the youngest goalscorer in the history of Indian senior men’s football history. In reality, he was still older than fellow Mizo star Jerry Zirsanga.

After Nepal took an early lead, goals by Rowllin Borges and Sunil Chhetri put Stephen Constantine’s Blues in the lead. In the 81st minute Chhangte ran down the right, used a couple of stepovers to shift the ball to his left and curl it into the far top corner. In the 90th minute, Chhangte scored a header off Rowllin’s accurate cross and registered a brace.

The Mumbai City FC won the ISL Golden Ball and the defending ISL Hero of the League overtook Bhaichung Bhutia and became the Blue Tigers’ second youngest goalscorer till his spot was taken by Narender Gahlot.

2. Narender Gahlot

In India’s last Intercontinental Cup league game against Syria at EKA stadium, Ahmedabad on July 16, 2019, Narender Gahlot scored a strong header off Anirudh Thapa’s corner. The goal made him India’s second youngest goalscorer at 18 years and 83 days.

Although Gahlot scored in the 51st minute, Firas Al-Khatib’s 78th-minute penalty meant that the game ended in a draw. He also won his first Player of the Match award in the aftermath of this match.

He currently plies his trade for Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL).

1. Jerry Zirsanga

At 16 years and 311 days, Mizo midfielder Jerry Zirsanga is India’s youngest goal scorer till date.

Trailing 2-1 to hosts Kuwait in a friendly, Stephen Constantine decided something had to be done, and substituted Tata Academy product Jerry Zirsanga in place of Jatin Singh Bisht. History was made in the 66th minute. After breaking free on the right flank, the teenager used his pace to good effect and finished with a composed shot.

Zirsanga’s goal leveled the score for the Men in Blue. In the 75th minute Abhishek Yadav added another to secure a 3-2 victory against Al-Azraq.

Despite his technical ability and pace, Zirsanga failed to make it big in the national set-up. At 28 he quit football. Indian football’s youngest goalscorer’s descent into obscurity is an opportunity to reflect on the football infrastructure in the country. His downfall has been chalked down to under-utilisation by coaches and a poor youth development system, by some.

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