Top 10 goalkeepers in Calcutta Football League history

Calcutta Football League has produced several top goalkeepers in Indian football.

In India, football has always been more than simply a game. Although goal scorers and masters of the midfield frequently garner the most attention, the unsung heroes in goal make a crucial difference in a team’s ability to succeed.

India has produced some amazing goalkeepers over the years who have changed the game. In their professions, they demonstrated extraordinary abilities, unrelenting dedication, and a never-say-die mentality.

Generations of Indian football players and supporters have been inspired by these titans of goalkeeping, leaving an enduring legacy. Over the years, Indian football has seen some of the finest goalkeepers enter the field. Some have made their mark by moving up the domestic ladder, while others have been under the crossbar for their team and the country.

Here we take a look at the top ten custodians who have donned their club outfits in the Calcutta Football League 2024 season.

10) Peter Thangaraj

Peter Thangaraj was the longest-serving Indian goalkeeper, having played for the national team from 1955 to 1967. He is widely regarded as the best goalkeeper India has ever had. In the 1960s, the player from Secunderabad was considered the best ‘keeper in Asia and was selected for the Asian All-Stars in the same year.

He had a commanding aerial skill and was famed for stunning reflex-action saves. Thangaraj was one of the cornerstones of the Indian team in the 1950s and 1960s, along with P.K. Banerjee and Chunni Goswami. He started his club career with Mohammedan Sporting. Later he went to Mohun Bagan and also played a substantial chunk of his career donning the East Bengal colours in the Calcutta Football League.

9) Sandip Nandy

The name Sandip Nandy conjures up images of expertise and fortitude. Nandy, whose career has lasted over 20 years, has become a notable asset in Indian football. He has played for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in the Calcutta Football League. He has also featured in the Indian Super League while donning the Kerala Blasters’ outfit during his career.

His leadership abilities and superb shot-stopping abilities have made him a priceless member of any team he has played for. Sandip Nandy’s ability to organize his defense and command his region has been the difference between success and failure for the teams he has played. He participated in the 46th Santosh Trophy with the West Bengal team and is presently the goalkeeping coach for the India U-19 National squad.

8) Shibaji Banerjee

He began his career with Kalighat in 1969, moved ships to play for Howrah Union in 1972, and was signed by The Red and Golds the following summer following a valiant performance against East Bengal in a Calcutta Football League game. Due to the lack of first-team opportunities in the all-star lineup, he relocated to Howrah Union to play for Amal Dutta.

He had a catastrophic transfer to Mohun Bagan the following season, but he returned to The Mariners’ base in 1976 following a brief stint with Aryans. During his eight years with the team, Shibaji won four Calcutta Football League (CFL), six IFA Shields, four Federation Cups, and five Durand Cups while wearing the green and maroon uniform.

But the save that made headlines was the one he made from the feet of the Football King. When the team played the New York Cosmos in 1977, Banerjee had the guts to dive in front of Pele and block the ball in the first half. Later in the game, when the match finished in a tie, he blocked another free-kick.

7) Tarun Bose

Tarun Bose, the former goalkeeper for India, is still considered to be among the greatest the nation has ever produced. Indian football in particular has never been a very popular sport in the country. Nevertheless, during their peak, several football players, such as PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Derrick Perreira, Subrata Bhattacharya, and others, were well-known figures in society. Bose was among them as well, but he failed to see the excitement.

As an incredible custodian, Bose was a standout member of the legendary East Bengal squad in 1975, when they defeated Mohun Bagan 5-0 to make history in the IFA Shield final and go on to represent their country in the Pre-Olympics in Rangoon in 1972. In 2013, Bose served as the goalie coach for both the India U-16 team and United Sports Club in Kolkata. Eelco Schattorie, the club’s Dutch coach, was enthused by Bose’s coaching method. He also played in the Calcutta Football League.

6) Debjit Majumder

Veteran custodian, Debjit Majumder rose to fame in his parent club, Mohun Bagan. In the I-League, he preserved eight clean sheets in the 2017 season. In 2016, he helped the erstwhile Atletico de Kolkata to clinch the Indian Super League after playing a pivotal role in the finals during the penalty shootout.

Debjit Majumder was named the “Goalkeeper of the League” for the second time in three years because of his efforts. The last time he had received this honor was in 2014–15 when he led the Kolkata Giants to their first I-League championship in thirteen years.

Later, he joined their arch-rivals, East Bengal, and donned the Red and Golds’ outfit until making a comeback in the Indian Super League. After three years, he will be making a return to the Red and Golds’ dugout once again after completing a spoiled tenure at the Marina Machans. The 36-year-old veteran custodian has had a notable record in the Calcutta Football League and he will be looking to add a few final feathers before hanging up his boots.

5) Subrata Paul

Over the past fifteen years, Subrata Paul, a goalie with a wealth of experience, has been a dependable player in the Indian football league. Subrata has 67 caps for the Indian national team, winning the SAFF Championship once and the Nehru Cup twice. He won the IFA Shield at the club level in 2013. When the Indian side won the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which was held in Hyderabad, Subrata was the team’s goalkeeper.

In the I-League, Subrata Paul has represented major teams like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He has also put himself to the test in the Indian Super League by playing for NorthEast United and Jamshedpur. During the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, he performed under pressure against two of the biggest Asian teams, Australia and the Korea Republic, earning him the moniker “Spiderman.” In 2016, the goalie also took up the esteemed Arjuna Award. Paul also performed brilliantly in the Calcutta Football League.

4) Shilton Paul

The seasoned goalie, who signed with the Kolkata giants in 2006, was a member of the team for a record 14 years until departing in 2020. After Satyajit Chatterjee and Subrata Bhattacharya, two club icons, he has made the third-most appearances for the Green and Maroons. In the Indian Super League, Paul has previously played for Kerala Blasters in 2015, ATK in 2016, and Chennaiyin FC in 2014. In the league’s third season, he was a member of the ISL-winning ATK team.

Shilton Paul won ten trophies in all with Mohun Bagan, including two I-League championships during the 2014–15 and 2019–20 seasons, three Federation Cups in 2006, 2008, and 2016 seasons, three Calcutta Football League championships in 2008, 2009, and 2018 seasons, and one Sikkim Governor’s Gold Cup in 2017. He was an integral part of Mohun Bagan’s triumph as captain of the team that won the I-League championship in the 2014–15 season. Shilton Paul played in a crucial role for his teams in the Calcutta Football League.

3) Atanu Bhattacharya

Another important goalkeeper in the long history of Indian football is Atanu Bhattacharya, who is most remembered for his exploits in the 1984 Asian Cup. He was an East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting player, and he subsequently coached goalkeeping for the Reds and Golds. It was during his time at East Bengal that he mentored Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the current first-choice goalkeeper for the national side.

In the 1984 Asian Cup qualifying phase, Bhattacharya was crucial to India’s success, as the Blue Tigers won three games and only lost one, against South Korea. India did not go past the group stage in the final round, but Bhattacharya received recognition for his efforts in the qualifications.

2) Bhaskar Ganguly

Bhaskar Ganguly was a standout player for both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and was considered one of the all-time greats when, 17 seasons later, he decided to hang up his boots. He was renowned for his lightning-fast reactions and extraordinary bravery. He led India for the 1982 Asian Games, which were proudly hosted in New Delhi, after donning the national colors for some years.

A youthful Bhaskar Ganguly was taken on by Mohun Bagan in 1975 through the Veterans Club coaching system. He faced East Bengal in the IFA Shield final Mohun Bagan lost 5-0 to their arch-rivals. The next season, Bhaskar Ganguly switched sides, signing with East Bengal. In just seven years, he rose from the ashes to become the National team’s captain, donning the red and golden uniform like the phoenix.

1) Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the current “numero uno” for the national squad, is without a doubt the finest goalkeeper in India at the moment. The goalie, who plays for Bengaluru in the Indian Super League, has become the first option of national team coaches in recent years.

The massive goalie spent five years as a member of the Kolkata club East Bengal, where he began his career. Later, he signed with Stabaek in Norway following a loan stint with the Pailan Arrows. Only three full games could Sandhu make throughout his three years with the Norwegian club. His greatest moment as a member of the team occurred in 2016 when he participated in the first leg of the first qualifying round to become the only Indian player to have participated in the Europa League.

Sandhu has frequently saved teams in dire circumstances thanks to his agility, reflexes, and timely saves. He received the Arjuna Award in 2019, making history as the fourth goalie to do so after the three legendary players, Peter Thangaraj, Brahmananda Shankhwalkar, and Subrata Paul.

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