ISL 2025-26: East Bengal FC Predicted XI for upcoming season

East Bengal is ready to challenge for the ISL title with a strong side

East Bengal have had a decent 2025-26 season so far. The Red and Gold Brigade finished runners-up in the recently concluded IFA Shield and Super Cup, losing to Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa on penalties. To add to this, they also reached the semifinals of the Durand Cup, where they were defeated by Diamond Harbour FC.

With only a few days left before the first match of the season of the Indian Super League (ISL) , the Red and Gold Brigade fans are eagerly waiting for some action-packed football. The Kolkata club is yet to qualify for the playoffs in the ISL, with their best finish being the 9th spot. With local rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant consistently picking up titles, the Red and Gold Brigade are keen to change their fortunes.

Oscar Bruzon’s side took some bold decisions after coming up short in the 2025-26 Super Cup final, parting ways with both Hamid Ahadad and Hiroshi Ibusuki. As a result, ahead of the new season, East Bengal have opted to revitalize their frontline with the signing of Spanish forward Youssef Ezzejjari, a striker who has a decent amount of experience playing Asian football.

The Red and Gold Brigade have also added Jerry Mawihmingthanga from Odisha FC to their ranks in the January transfer window. The winger joins the club, adding depth to the attack on a short-term deal until the end of the 2025-26 season.

However, East Bengal FC have been quite active in the transfer market after the end of last season. The club released two players but kept key contributors like Saul Crespo, who adds stability and control in midfield, and Miguel Figueira bringing creativity and crucial assists. Mohammed Rashid anchors the middle with his experience, while Kevin Sibille strengthens the defence. The new signing, Youssef Ezzejjari is expected to lead the attack with his goal-scoring ability, giving East Bengal a balanced foreign core as they get ready for the season kickoff.

Still, there are some injury concerns for the Red and Gold Brigade, especially Captain Naorem Mahesh, who has suffered a knee injury during a practice session, which led to swelling. He is expected to be out for 4–5 weeks, which is a huge setback for East Bengal as he is one of the most effective players of the side in recent times.

Kevin Sibille, one of the main pillars of the Red and Gold Brigade defence line this season so far, is also expected to miss out on the first 5-6 matches due to a Grade-2 hamstring injury, and he has returned to Spain for recovery. Despite these injury issues and the late arrival of their new foreign striker, Youssef Ezzejjari, East Bengal have assembled a squad capable of mounting a significant title charge.

The Red and Gold Brigade might well be one of the favourites to win the league this year, considering their recent form under Oscar Bruzon. The team will likely adopt a 4-2-3-1 system which will be effective in terms of attacking as well as maintaining a strong defence line. Let’s see how East Bengal FC can shape up with their new signings:

EastBengal FC Predicted Lineup (Formation: 4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper – Prabhsukhan Singh Gill

Last year, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill emerged as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the league. His heroic performance saved the Red and Gold Brigade on several occasions. After winning the Golden Glove in his debut season with the Kerala Blasters in 2021-2022 season he was signed by East Bengal on a three-year deal in 2023-24 season with a record transfer fee of rupees 1.2 crores which is still the highest for any Indian goalkeeper.

He has kept 7 clean sheets during the 2023-24 season and 6 during the last season in his 21 appearances for EastBengal. He has been one of the most reliable goalkeepers for the team in recent tournaments as well, specially in Derby matches against the arch rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant and the club has high expectations for him going into the ISL. He is likely to be the starting goalkeeper, and his performances will be crucial for the Red and Gold Brigade’s defensive solidity.

Right Back – Mohammad Rakip

One of the most improved players for East Bengal from last season is Manipuri wing-back, Mohammad Rakip. He came to the Red and Gold Brigade during 2022-23 season from Mumbai City FC and this season it will be his 4th season with the Kolkata club. He is one of the most reliable and dependable players of the Oscar Bruzon setup. He has appeared in 40 matches so far for the squad, proving his worth as a wing-back. His adeptness in both attacking and defending helped the team change their strategy during unexpected games.

He should be just as vital this year, defending and also helping out on offence, and providing the width on the right flank that the team will need. If he misses out the first match of the ISL due to a head injury that he sustained in the friendly match against Mohammedan SC, Provat Lakra may replace him in the playing eleven. Otherwise he will always be the first choice right-back for Oscar Bruzon.

Centre Back – Lalchungnunga

Lalchungnunga came to the Red and Gold Brigade on a loan deal from the I-League club Sreenidi Deccan in the 2022-23 season and due to his solid performance in the defence line, EastBengal renewed his contract and this year it will be his fourth season with the Kolkata club. He had played 100 matches so far the club across different tournaments and have also etched his name in the scoring sheet for three times.

Due to his versatility, he can master any of the defensive positions, which in turn makes him an asset to the squad. And in the absence of Kevin Sibille due to a Grade-2 hamstring injury and a shoulder injury, Lalchungnunga is expected to be the starting centre-back in this season atleast for the first few matches, and his solid defensive skills, combined with his ability to contribute going forward, make him a valuable asset for the Red and Gold Brigade. Oscar Bruzon have tried Jeakson Singh in this position too in the friendly match against the Mohammedan SC but considering the experience of Lalchungnunga in the defence line, Oscar will definitely go with Lalchungnunga in the starting eleven.

Centre Back – Anwar Ali

On July 8, Anwar ended his contract with Mohun Bagan. Following a contentious dispute with the AIFF Players Status Committee (PSC) and his old team, Mohun Bagan, Anwar eventually obtained his No Objection Certificate (NOC) and signed a five-year contract with East Bengal before the 2024-25 ISL season. Since then his presence has been an important part for the backline of the team.

His partnership with Kevin Sibille has already given Oscar Bruzon quite relief in building the backline strategy. His leadership skills in the defensive unit and his goal scoring abilities is an added advantage for the Red and Gold Brigade. While his performance last season was not up to his usual high standards, the club and its fans hope Anwar will be inspired to put up a more constant performance and will bolster the backline.

Left-Back – Jay Gupta

 Jay Gupta signed for the Kolkata Giants East Bengal from FC Goa this season with a hefty transfer fee which was around approximately ₹1.60 crore. He is considered to be the rising star of Indian Football. In the ISL till now, Gupta has made 42 appearances, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists for FC Goa over two seasons. The left-back, who was born in Pune, trained for two years with FC Pune City as a centre-back before moving to Portugal. In addition to spending time at Ebre Escola in Spain, he received significant exposure at clubs such as GDS Cascais and Estoril Praia B. He went back to India in August 2023 to sign with FC Goa.In June 2024, Gupta made his senior debut for India in Kolkata against Kuwait. He later made another appearance against Qatar under Igor Stimac. His versatility as a left-back or left-sided centre-back makes him highly regarded by the national team officials.

For Oscar Bruzon and the Red and Gold Brigade supporters, Gupta’s inclusion not only plugs a crucial gap in the backline but also brings international pedigree and positional flexibility. And in the absence of Kevin Sibille he will play a vital role in leading the defence line along with the likes of Anwar, Rakip and Lalchungnunga.

Defensive Midfield – Mohammed Rashid

East Bengal have signed the Palestine international midfielder Mohammed Rashid to strengthen their midfield before the 2025-26 season and he has appeared in several matches for EastBengal in the Durand Cup, IFA Shield and Super Cup proving his worth as a defensive-midfielder. He has also scored goals for the team and mainly anchors the middle with his experience. The 30-year-old midfielder has been playing at the professional level since 2017 and has garnered tons of valuable experience playing all around Asia in his career.

The 30-year-old before coming to East Bengal, made more than 100 appearances at the club level and having bagged 49 appearances for the Palestine national football team as well. Rashid was brought on board to add more steel and strength to the East Bengal midfield line and help create a more compact shape for Oscar Bruzon’s side going forward. He can also provide more cover to the defenders, bring more aggression into the midfield battle, and allow more freedom to the attacking players like Mahesh, Bipin and potentially even Miguel Ferreira to venture further forward to create more chances and amplify East Bengal’s attacking strength. However, a reliable defensive midfielder like Rashid can definitely cover for any overlapping fullbacks by filling in for their position in their absence, and he can also encourage the wingers as well as any attacking midfielders to burst forward in numbers.

Central Midfield (Deep Lying) – Saul Crespo

Saul Crespo is considered to be the Midfield General of the Red and Gold Brigade side. East Bengal have signed Crespo during the 2023-24 season from Odisha FC and since then he has been the most vital and integral of the club’s attacking force and midfield zone. He was also a part of the squad that won the Super cup Final in 2024, after 12 long years. The club released two players but kept Saul Crespo, a key contributor who adds stability and control in midfield. Mainly plays a deep-lying central midfielder and have already scored numerous goals for the Kolkata club.

He knows the Indian Football conditions really well and he is one of the well-known foreigners like Roy Krishna and Tiri in context of the ISL. He enables smoother progression from defence to attack, adds more goal contributions from midfield, and helps East Bengal to control the games better. He can carry the ball forward but most importantly feed the attacking players with decisive forward passes to ensure that the transitions work more smoothly. He’ll be deployed by Oscar Bruzon to make some innovative cross-field passes or defence-splitting through balls to help create more chances in the breaks. If Crespo can perfect his ball progression ability, then East Bengal will automatically experience a major bump to their counter-attacking moves and create more goal-scoring opportunities in each game. His impressive chemistry with teammates like Rashid, Miguel, Mahesh, Bipin and Vishnu can create beautiful attacking moves and can display an attractive passing football in the new season which will definitely impress the fans.

Central Attacking Midfield – Miguel Figueira

Miguel Figueira is a versatile midfielder known for his creativity and defensive composure, reunites with Coach Oscar Bruzon, under whose guidance he enjoyed a successful stint at Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings, winning three consecutive Bangladesh Premier League titles (2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24) and two consecutive Independence Cups (2022-23 and 2023-24). The tall midfielder represented Brazilian Serie B club Goiás EC before joining Bashundhara. During his Bashundhara stint, Miguel registered 37 goals and 26 assists in 64 matches.

He is the main playmaker of the team linking midfield to attack with his passing and movement. He has already been involved in creating goal scoring opportunities for the club in the Durand Cup, the IFA Shield and in the Super Cup as well. His debut goal for the club came against Dempo SC in the recently concluded Super Cup tournament. Miguel Figueira has been able to reunite with Oscar Bruzon at East Bengal and will be playing a key role in his team going forward. Figueira will probably look to be more proactive in flinging in crosses or clever passes into the box, knowing the decisive presence of Youssef Ezzejjari and David Lalhlansanga is near the box. If David and Youssef can become a clinical outlet for East Bengal, they can definitely get the best out of Miguel’s creative qualities and help the midfielder grab many assists.

EastBengal FC Predicted Lineup for ISL 2025-26

Right Winger – Jerry Mawihmingthanga

Jerry likely to add spark on the right wing of East Bengal FC. The Red and Gold Brigade are set to start with their new signing Jerry Mawihmingthanga on the right side of the ground in the upcoming matches. He is expected to bring pace and direct attacking threat from the flank. The winger will likely to make an immediate impact as he slots straight into the predicted lineup giving the Red and Gold Brigade a fresh start. In the absence of Mahesh Singh Naorem he will be a key player for Oscar Bruzon in building up partnerships with Miguel, Youssef Ezzejjari and David to create goal scoring chances for East Bengal. The winger is also blessed with plenty of creativity and the desire to swing in inviting crosses into the middle

Also, PV Vishnu is a good option for coach Oscar Bruzon. Vishnu’s performance against the Highlanders, Blasters and the Mariners last season was really impressive. PV Vishnu was given his opportunity as both Naorem Mahesh Singh and Nandhakumar Sekar were suspended, and he ended up capitalizing on his chance to make a bright impression.

Left Winger – Bipin Singh

Bipin is a dynamic and experienced winger who brings a winning mentality to the squad. After winning two Indian Super League (ISL) Shields and two ISL Cups during his seven years spell with Mumbai City FC, Bipin signed a free transfer to join the Red & Gold Brigade before the 2025-26 season. Bipin Singh is an experienced ISL player who has participated in 141 games to date, with 12 assists and 27 goals. He made 21 appearances and scored one goal during the 2024–25 ISL season.Before joining ATK in 2017, the Manipur-born winger began his senior career with Shillong Lajong FC in 2012. In 2018, he signed with Mumbai City FC.Bipin, who has made the most appearances for Mumbai City FC (158) and is their all-time second-highest scorer with 28 goals and 17 assists, is renowned for his pace, attacking variety, and precision finishing. He is remarkable in that he scored in both the 2021 and 2024 ISL championships.

In a 1-1 draw with Oman on March 25, 2021, Bipin made his debut for the Indian national team. He was a member of the Blue Tigers team that won the 2023 Tri-Nation Series. Bipin has already shown his skills as a winger for EastBengal in the recently concluded tournaments like the Durand Cup, IFA Shield and the Super Cup. He had scored goals for the team and played a major part in creating chances. So he will be a vital player for the side in the upcoming season considering his experience in this league and it also depends how well Oscar Bruzon can utilize his pace, creativity and attacking runs going forward.

Centre Forward – Youssef Ezzejjari

East Bengal is expected to hand a starting role to their new signing Youssef Ezzejjari, who is likely to feature as the team’s main striker from the front. The Spanish forward is set to lead the attack, marking his anticipated debut in the Red and Gold jersey.

Having recently joined East Bengal, he will be trusted to deliver some good numbers over this season. Also with him Indian striking powerhouse David Lalhlansanga will be there to mark his foot also.

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