Where and how to watch Santosh trophy 2024 final between West Bengal & Kerala?

The Santosh trophy final will be played at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.

A month and a half, and 87 matches later, it all comes down to 90, or possibly 120 minutes or more at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad, where West Bengal take on Kerala in the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final.

The two states that have rightfully earned the tags of Indian football hubs are no strangers to the pinnacle of the national championships, West Bengal gearing up for a record 47th final, while Kerala are on the verge of playing their 16th summit clash in the Santosh Trophy.

Both sides have shown form befitting of their stature in the tournament, winning nine of their 10 matches, while drawing one each.

Historically, Bengal have dominated at this stage, winning the Santosh Trophy 32 times, while Kerala are seven-time champions. In recent times, however, Kerala have had the edge over their eastern rivals, winning the 2017-18 and the 2021-22 titles by defeating West Bengal in the final.

History, however, has no part to play in the final on New Years’ Eve, believes Bengal head coach Sanjoy Sen. “Perhaps reaching the (Santosh Trophy) final is an achievement for other states, but that is not the case for us. It means nothing to Bengal – Zero!” he exclaimed. “Unless we win the trophy, it all counts for nothing.

“Yes, we have won the tournament 32 times in the past, but the Santosh Trophy is a much bigger tournament now in terms of the number of states that participate in it. I do not intend to downplay past achievements, but I feel that it is more difficult to win it now,” said Sen.

Sen’s counterpart Biby Thomas Muttath echoed similar expectations from his home state. “The Santosh Trophy is like a World Cup for us, back in Kerala. The minimum expectation is for us to reach the final, but of course, everyone wants anything less than a win,” he said.

The two sides have flaunted their garrison of attacking prowess in the 10 matches so far, Kerala having scored 35 goals, while Bengal netted 27. The former have had several options for their goals, Naseeb Rahman (8), Muhammad Ajsal (9), and Sajeesh E (5) leading the charts for the southern state.

But then, Kerala players are no strangers to their Bengal counterparts. There are half a dozen players in the current Kerala squad, including the semi-final hat-trick hero Muhammad Roshal PP, who ply their trade in the Kolkata CFL and are known faces in the Maidan circle.     

Bengal, however, have been primarily reliant on their front two to finish off their goalscoring opportunities – Robi Hansda (11), and Naro Hari Shrestha (7). Head coach Sen, however, showed some concern over his side’s over-reliance on the forwards.

He said, “It is of course good for the strikers, but as long as we win, I don’t care who scores. It helps to have several scorers in the team, as we would not have to depend on Robi (Hansda) or Naro Hari (Shrestha). But I am happy to see these boys scoring regularly at this level.”

West Bengal vs Kerala Santosh Trophy final: Telecast details

The final will kick off at 7.30 pm IST and will be streamed on SSEN and telecast live on DD Sports.

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