ISL 2025-26: Miguel Figueira, Sandesh Jhingan lead charge in ISL Team of the Season

East Bengal emerged as the champions of the ISL 2025-26 season.

After a long wait, the Indian Super League (ISL) finally kicked off in February 2026 and brought fans back to the stadiums to support their favorite clubs once again.

Despite being shortened to a 13-game league campaign, ISL still delivered plenty of entertainment, with the title race going right down to the final matchday.

Mohammedan SC were the unfortunate side to get relegated from the ISL, as they struggled to compete with other clubs due to the problems related to player transfers, which left them with only a handful of experienced players and no foreign recruits.

Despite these limitations, Mehrajuddin Wadoo and his players put up a respectable fight but eventually fell short in their battle to remain in the league.

As for the title race, five ISL clubs remained in contention for the trophy until the final matchday. However, it was East Bengal FC who emerged as champions, winning their maiden ISL title and ending a 22-year wait for a national trophy. Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant finished second, losing out on the title to their fierce Kolkata rivals on goal difference.

Most clubs reduced the number of foreign players in their squads in an attempt to cut costs and avoid financial losses.

As a result, several young and experienced Indian players stepped up and made the most of the opportunities this season, alongside a few standout foreign performers.

Here are 11 players who impressed this season and earned a place in the Khel Now’s ISL Team of the Season.

Formation (4-5-1)

GK: Hrithik Tiwari

What a remarkable year it has been for Hrithik Tiwari at FC Goa. After breaking into the Gaurs’ first team midway through last season, Hrithik has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league, even earning a call-up to the India national football team as the third-choice goalkeeper.

This season, he continued his impressive form for FC Goa with another outstanding campaign. He finished the ISL 2025-26 season with the best save percentage, the fewest goals conceded, and five clean sheets. These performances very well deservingly earned him the Golden Glove award for the season.

LB: Akash Mishra

Akash Mishra returned with grit and determination, once again proving why he is regarded as one of the best full-backs in the league. Mumbai City FC registered seven clean sheets this season, with Akash playing an integral role in those matches.

He was ranked among the league leaders in interceptions while averaging nearly four clearances and two successful tackles per game.

Akash was equally effective going forward, contributing two assists in 13 matches for his side and also earned a national team call up for the Unity Cup 2026.

CB: Sandesh Jhingan

Another ISL season, another campaign of Sandesh Jhingan proving his quality at the heart of the defense. The Indian center-back was crucial to FC Goa’s impressive defensive record, with the club conceding just 11 goals all season despite playing with only two foreign players.

As always, Jhingan was ranked among the league’s best in clearances and blocked shots, making 65 clearances and blocking 13 shots — the second-highest tally in the league.

He also won the second-most aerial duels while maintaining an 87% passing accuracy from the back.

CB: Stephen Eze

Having reunited with Owen Coyle this season, Stephen Eze once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the best defenders in the league. Jamshedpur FC finished with the second-best defensive record in the league, conceding just 10 goals, and much of that success was down to Eze’s brilliance at the back.

As expected, Eze ended the season as the defender with the most aerial duels won, thanks to his dominance in the air.

He was also ranked among the top 10 in successful tackles, blocked shots, interceptions, total duels won, and clearances. His towering presence during set-pieces also helped him score twice for the Red Miners this season.

RB: Lhungdim

Apart from Punjab FC’s 3-2 defeat against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Lhungdim has been one of the most consistent full-backs in the ISL this season. His defensive solidity on the right side of defense, alongside Bijoy, played a key role in Punjab FC’s push for the ISL title.

Lhungdim averaged around five recoveries per game while also recording three clearances per 90 minutes. He was ranked among the league’s top 10 for tackles, clearances, and interceptions, while also winning 70 duels, the highest in the league.

He additionally contributed with an assist earlier in the season. It came as quite a surprise to many that Khalid Jamil did not include Lhungdim among the probables for the Unity Cup 2026.

CM: Apuia

Apuia, who is known for his calm and composed presence in midfield, has taken his game to another level this season under Sergio Lobera, a coach who prefers midfielders capable of retaining possession and dictating the tempo of the game from deep areas.

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant midfielder completed the second-most passes in the league with an impressive passing accuracy of 90%, while also ranking among the league’s best midfielders for duels won and interceptions.

Apuia additionally averaged around six ball recoveries per game and ranked among the top defensive midfielders in the ISL for accurate final-third passes.

CM: Ricky Shabong

What a season it has been for Ricky Shabong in the ISL this year. After breaking into the Punjab FC first team last season, the former Mohun Bagan Super Giant youngster has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the league, earning his maiden senior national team call-up in the process.

Although not physically imposing, Ricky is a constant menace in midfield, relentlessly pressing and hunting for the ball. He finished the season as the midfielder with the most tackles and interceptions in the league.

He also averaged around five recoveries and five successful duels won per game, highlighting his relentless work rate and determination to regain possession in the middle of the park.

LM: Dejan Drazic

Playing for an FC Goa side that had just two foreign players, Dejan Drazic carried added responsibility on his shoulders. With the Indian forwards of the Gaurs struggling to find the back of the net consistently this season, Drazic single-handedly led the FC Goa attack for large parts of the campaign.

Out of the 15 goals scored by Manolo Marquez’s side in the ISL this season, Drazic was directly involved in nine, scoring six goals and providing three assists.

That means he contributed to nearly 60% of FC Goa’s goals during the campaign. Whether through counterattacks or set pieces, he remained the primary attacking threat for the Gaurs throughout the season.

CAM: Miguel Figueira

There is hardly any need to elaborate about the quality of performances delivered by the ISL 2025-26 Golden Ball winner, Miguel Figueira. The Brazilian midfielder arrived at East Bengal FC at the start of the season and has already etched his name into the club’s history.

With two goals, five assists, 12 big chances created, four key passes per 90 minutes, and the best shots-per-90 average in the league, Miguel’s numbers speak for themselves.

He served as East Bengal’s primary creative outlet in the final third and excelled in that role, creating opportunities through set-pieces, central build-up play, crosses from wide areas, and long balls.

Miguel was the complete package in Oscar Bruzon’s side that clinched the ISL 2025-26 title and was undoubtedly the deserving winner of the Golden Ball award.

RM: Ryan Williams

In his first ISL season playing as an Indian player, Ryan Williams once again delivered an outstanding campaign for Bengaluru FC, linking up effortlessly with players such as Braian Sanchez, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Sunil Chhetri in attack.

Despite a slow start to the season, Ryan truly found his rhythm after making his debut for the Indian national team.

Ryan Williams ended the campaign with four goals and one assist, finishing as the joint-highest Indian goalscorer of the ISL 2025-26 season. He was deployed across the frontline throughout the season, operating both as a false nine and as a winger on different occasions.

Regardless of his position, his attacking threat remained constant through his intelligent runs into the box and dangerous deliveries from wide areas.

ST: Youssef Ezzejjari

For the last couple of seasons, East Bengal FC had been searching for a striker who could be clinical in front of goal and score crucial goals capable of leading the club to silverware. That is exactly what Youssef Ezzejjari has delivered for the Red and Gold Brigade this season.

The striker scored 11 goals in 13 games during the campaign, including four braces. Although he began the season as a regular starter, his role gradually evolved into that of a super substitute towards the latter stages of the season.

When East Bengal were trailing against Inter Kashi and beginning to lose control of the ISL title race, it was Ezzejjari who stepped up to level the score and spark a comeback.

Ezzejjari eventually secured the ISL 2025-26 Golden Boot, finishing one goal ahead of Jamie Maclaren. Remarkably, all of his goals came from inside the penalty area, underlining just how deadly he is when it comes to converting chances inside the opposition box.

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