Top five players to watch out for in Kalinga Super Cup 2024

Defending champions Odisha FC have many players in their squad who are eager to leave a mark.

The successor of the Federation Cup, Kalinga Super Cup 2024 is all set to take the curtains off on 9th January 2024 in Bhubaneshwar. This will be the 4th edition of the contest after it was rebranded from Federation Cup to Kalinga Super Cup and the 42nd season of India’s knockout football tournament. Odisha FC are the defending Champions of the contest after they clinched their maiden title last season.

This year’s edition will witness the absence of national team players due to the onset of the AFC Asian Cup. The linchpins from overseas will be teaming up with the young blood to foster their campaigns in the tournament. The tournament will be contested among 16 teams out of which, 12 are from the Indian Super League while the remainder of the participants hail from the I-League.

As we inch forward to the knockout football tournament, let’s have a look at the top five players to watch out for in the Kalinga Super Cup 2024.

Isak Ralte (Odisha FC)

Odisha FC’s midfield “pocket rocket,” is amongst the most promising youngsters in Indian football. The 23-year-old player has been clinical with his midfield duties throughout the season so far. The trequartista fits perfectly into Sergio Lobera’s system. In the Indian Super League (ISL) , he has registered two goals and two assists each in the first leg of the 2023-24 season. In the AFC Cup, he has been able to find the back of the net twice in five games so far.

Featuring in the nomination for Best U-23 Player so far in ISL, Isak will be in charge of fueling the attacking build-ups while Ahmed Jahouh takes up the duty of holding the midfield. Being prolific on the wings too, he proves to be one of the most versatile players on the field and a future asset for Indian football.

Ahmed Jahouh (Odisha FC)

One of the key men in Lobera’s system, he has been the heart of the matter in the manager’s framework. The Moroccan defensive midfielder builds up the play from the deep and with clinical players up front like Roy Krishna, Diego Mauricio, and Isak Ralte, it’s not to our surprise that the Juggernauts are up with an unbeaten streak for 11 games consecutively.

A player capable of taking up defensive and attacking duties both with clinical execution, Jahouh has proved to be one of the most complete midfielders in the Indian Super League since his arrival in the Indian top flight. In the Kalinga Super Cup, Jahouh will be playing a pivotal role in Odisha FC’s campaign and the midfield dynamo is expected to carry out with his dynamic form throughout.

Roy Krishna (Odisha FC)

The Fijian linchpin has always been a fan-favorite player in the Indian Super League. Since his triumph with the erstwhile ATK FC and ATK Mohun Bagan, Krishna has been capable of dominating the opposition lines to a mammoth extent. After having a not-so-impressive season with the Bengaluru FC, the forward signed a contract with the Juggernauts.

With seven goals in 12 appearances so far in the ISL 2023-24 season, Krishna will be seen partnering up with Diego Mauricio to add to the opposition’s defensive woes. An experienced player like Roy Krishna who possesses a lethal goal-poaching ability can make the ship sail with full steam ahead for the Juggernauts in the Kalinga Super Cup.

Noah Sadaoui (FC Goa)

Noah Sadaoui, who thrives on his freedom of movement, has been a dynamic member of FC Goa’s front line under Manolo Marquez. Even though he has only scored four goals this season, Sadaoui knows he has much more potential.

Sadaoui is a highly aggressive player who consistently puts the opposition’s goalkeepers to test. The Moroccan is expected to pose some real threat to the defenders with his ability to edge past them at a brisk pace, Gaurs with the likes of Carl McHugh and Paulo Retre in the midfield to set up the play for Noah and his attacking partner Carlos Rodriguez, surely have got the artillery to march to their second Super Cup title.

Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC)

So far in the 2023–24 ISL, Dimitrios Diamantakos has been leading from the front for the Tuskers, almost contributing a goal in each of the team’s games. With seven goals in ten games, he’s leading his team to victory while also challenging for the ISL Golden Boot.

His main objective will be to take advantage of the opportunities and appear at the appropriate times to continue with his goal-scoring heroics in the Super Cup too. The current ISL table toppers, without an inch of doubt, will be seen competing alongside FC Goa to clinch the title.

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