ISL All Time Best Foreigners XI; Ferran Corominas, Hugo Boumous, Tiri & more

Take a look at Khel Now’s ISL all-time best foreigners XI.

The Indian Super League (ISL) has been the platform for bringing quality foreign players into the Indian football system over the last decade. With the ISL clubs having the financial strength to make major signings, some notable foreign players have participated in the competition in its history.

This includes FIFA World Cup winners like Alessandro Del Piero and Roberto Carlos, who played in the early years of the competition. The Indian Super League has gradually tweaked its foreign players’ rules in the last decade.

Initially, a club could field six foreign players in the same team. That was reduced to five foreigners in 2017-18, before they decided to bring it down to four foreign players who can be in the starting XI from the 2021-22 season.

Irrespective of the rules, the foreign players have often been the most influential aspect of their team and have inspired teams to a lot of success in the last decade. Here we shall look at the all-time best ISL XI comprising only foreign players.

ISL All Time Best Foreigners XI

Goalkeeper – David James

Kerala Blasters were able to bring in David James for the final season of his professional career in 2014. He was 44 at the time when the Blasters began their Indian Super League tenure in the league’s first-ever campaign. The ex-Liverpool goalkeeper actually had a pretty good season as a player in the ISL, impressing in the 2014 campaign.

He made 12 appearances for Kerala Blasters, keeping five clean sheets and only conceding 10 goals. Despite his age, the Englishman showed admirable reflexes in making sharp saves and acting as a leader for his side.

He became a player-manager for Kerala Blasters in the campaign as well, helping them reach the final, where they lost to Atletico de Kolkata.

Right-Back – Mailson Alves

Mailson Alves was roped in by Chennaiyin FC for the second Indian Super League season, and he proved himself to be a sturdy defensive option for the Marina Machans.

He helped Chennaiyin keep five clean sheets in the 2015 campaign, guiding them to their first-ever Indian Super League title. Alves had a short stint at NorthEast United in 2016 before returning to Chennaiyin FC for the 2017-18 campaign.

The Brazilian helped his side keep six clean sheets in 19 games in that campaign, helping them bag their second Indian Super League title.

Alves was a sturdy, proactive defender in the ISL who made 52 appearances, helping his team keep 15 clean sheets and boasting impressive numbers like 82 interceptions, 314 duels won and 223 possession recoveries.

Centre-Back – Juanan

A former player for Real Madrid’s B team, Juanan was a real coup for Bengaluru FC as they brought him to the club in 2016. He was a mainstay in the team for five years, playing a key role in their dominance in their early years in the Indian Super League.

The Spaniard played a key role in Bengaluru FC’s Indian Super League success in 2018-19, helping them keep six clean sheets in 20 games.

He helped them compete strongly in the ISL before leaving the club for a short stint at Hyderabad FC. In his only campaign with the Nawabs, Juanan also won the Indian Super League title with them in 2021-22 before departing Indian football.

The composed, smart defender made 92 appearances in the ISL – helping his teams to 26 clean sheets, winning 319 duels and making 276 possession recoveries.

Centre-Back – Mourtada Fall

Mourtada Fall has become one of the most recognisable defenders in the Indian Super League because of the kind of impact he’s made since being brought to the division in 2018.

He enjoyed success with FC Goa after joining them, helping them win the 2019-20 ISL League winners’ shield, helping them keep four clean sheets in that campaign.

He went on to join Mumbai City FC in 2020, winning the ISL double in his first season by helping them keep nine clean sheets in that campaign.

Fall has been a menacing figure for forwards because of his imposing figure, physical stature and ability to make key challenges at the right moments.

The Odisha FC centre-back has made 140 appearances in the ISL so far, helping his team keep 37 clean sheets – winning 665 duels, making 699 clearances and scoring an impressive 25 goals!

Left-Back – Tiri

Jose Luis Espinosa Arroyo – better known as Tiri – has been a mainstay figure in the ISL since first playing in the competition in 2015.

He arrived to Atletico de Kolkata as part of their partnership with Atletico Madrid, whose reserves he used to play for. The Spaniard has remained a steely, aggressive defender for the last decade, playing for five different teams in the ISL.

He enjoyed most of his success with ATK and Mumbai City, winning the ISL titles with both of them. The Spaniard also helped the Islanders keep nine clean sheets in the 2024-25 season, going strong at the age of 33.

Tiri has made 154 ISL appearances so far, helping his team keep 47 clean sheets, winning 642 duels and making 749 clearances as well.

Centre-Midfield – Ahmed Jahouh

Ahmed Jahouh arrived in the Indian Super League through FC Goa in 2017 and immediately made himself an indispensable player for the Gaurs. He enjoyed quite a bit of success with Goa, helping them win the 2019-20 ISL League Shield title.

Jahouh was signed by Mumbai City in 2020 and helped them win the ISL double by providing five assists in the 20 games.

The Moroccan midfielder was a superb midfield anchor-man for his teams, helping them dominate possession with his impressive passing range and set-piece prowess.

He made 150 appearances in the Indian Super League, scoring nine goals and providing 29 assists as well as averaging 71 passes per game with an 80% accuracy, proving how well he controlled matches.

Centre-Midfield – Hugo Boumous

Hugo Boumous is arguably the most creative midfielder that has been brought to Indian Football in the Indian Super League, as he started his career with FC Goa.

The 29-year-old midfielder has basically enjoyed success in every club he’s been in, with most of it coming with Mumbai City in the 2020-21 season, in which he inspired them to win the ISL double.

Boumous has tormented players with his creativity in nailing final passes for teammates, his clever off-the-ball movement and goal-scoring prowess.

He scored five goals and provided seven assists in the 2024-25 ISL campaign with Odisha FC, proving his quality in getting goal contributions. In just 124 appearances, Boumous has scored 35 goals and provided 39 assists in the Indian Super League, averaging over 0.5 goal contributions per game.

Attacking-Midfield – Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart is probably the best British player to have played in the Indian Super League, at least in terms of the sheer impact he’s made with every team he’s played for.

The Scottish midfielder has won the ISL League Winners’ Shield three times in his career, with Jamshedpur FC, Mumbai City and Mohun Bagan. He’s also won the ISL Cup and been very consistent with his goal contributions in the competition.

Stewart had eight goal contributions (three goals, five assists) in the 2024-25 ISL campaign. In his four ISL seasons, he’s scored 24 goals and provided 26 assists in just 70 appearances, being extremely consistent with his threat in front of the goal.

He also won the Indian Super League Golden Ball award in the 2021-22 season and constantly outwitted opponents with his heroics in the final third.

Right-Wing – Roy Krishna

Roy Krishna is arguably the best player to have ever come out of Fiji, and he lit up the Indian Super League after being signed by ATK in 2019. He had an impressive first campaign in the ISL, scoring 15 goals and providing six assists in 21 games to help his side win the ISL title.

The Fijian forward had memorable stints with Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC, before spending the last two seasons at Odisha FC.

Krishna has been an impressive goal machine in the ISl, scoring 58 goals and providing 26 assists in just 116 appearances. He’s one of the most prolific foreign players in ISL history and someone who made a major impact at a late stage of his career.

Left-Wing – Bartholomew Ogbeche

Before his move to Indian Football, Bartholomew Ogbeche actually earned a lot of success in his career. The Nigerian forward started his career at PSG, making over 50 appearances for them. He also played for the likes of Alaves, Real Valladolid and Middlesbrough in his career.

Ogbeche was signed by NorthEast United in 2018 and helped them reach the Indian Super League playoffs for the first time in his debut campaign, scoring 12 goals in the 2017-18 campaign.

He went on to enjoy success with Mumbai City and Hyderabad FC, winning the ISL double with the Islanders and also leading the Nawabs to ISL title success.

Ogbeche ended up scoring 63 goals and providing 9 assists in 98 ISL games. He was the league’s all-time top scorer up until Sunil Chhetri broke the record in 2024, but remains the highest-scoring foreign player in ISL history.

Centre-Forward – Ferran Corominas

Ferran Corominas is arguably the best signing in FC Goa’s history, as they brought in a genuine goal machine by roping him in 2017.

Coro has played in major Spanish sides like Espanyol, Mallorca, and Girona in his career before arriving in Indian football at the fag end of his career. Despite his age, Coro’s insane eye for goal and finishing skills helped him win the 2019-20 Winners Shield title with FC Goa.

He won the Indian Super League Golden Boot in two straight seasons, mostly because of his razor-sharp goal-scoring skills. He ended up scoring 48 goals and providing 16 assists in 57 ISL games, and remains one of the most prolific foreign players in the league’s history.

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