'I'm now happiest man in world', Oscar Bruzon, delighted after winning maiden ISL title for East Bengal
East Bengal won the ISL 2025-26 title.
East Bengal FC clinched its first ISL title with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Inter Kashi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season’s final matchday at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata, on May 21, 2026.
After 22 years of waiting, this was East Bengal FC’s moment of glory. They are now the Champions of India and have gained a spot in the AFC competitions as well.
Goals from Youssef Ezzejjari and Mohammed Rashid proved to be enough for the visitors as the red and golds have finished at the top of the table with 26 points.
Youssef Ezzejjari have also won the ‘Golden Boot’ award after finishing the season with eleven goals behind his name. And Miguel Figueira has been awarded as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ (Golden Ball), for his extraordinary performance throughout the ISL 2025-26 season for East Bengal FC.
After winning the ISL trophy and completing his dream, East Bengal FC head coach, Oscar Bruzon have addressed the media.
Here is a detailed report of the post-match press conference between East Bengal FC and Inter Kashi FC.
Oscar applauded everyone associated with the club after the title win
Entering the single-leg round-robin finale tied with arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant at the top of the table, Óscar Bruzón’s men displayed incredible resilience to emerge victorious amid wild live-table fluctuations.
Oscar stated: “On behalf of the coaching staff, thank you to Emami and the club officials for their trust and support.”
“Thank you to the unbelievable group of players, fighters, having always faith in our daily work and they are the real protagonist of this success.”
“Thank you to every member of the coaching staff and backroom staff. They have two responsibilities, and they carry very well the weight of the badge, and they took the responsibility to be the best in their departments.”
“Thank you to our families because being abroad from home for so many years, having a dream that finally was fulfilled today is not easy, and it takes a lot of sacrifice from our side.”
“And to the fans, they are the reason as well why we got this title. I said the same thing in the pre-match press conference before the final, that when you take a team, you always ask for time for a process, for development, for implementing all your ideas. But from mid-season and from being runners-up in the two main finals of the cups this year, they believe in us, they convinced us, and this is why we put the extra effort on the pitch to bring the joy after twenty-two years of not lifting the National Trophy, he added.”
Gave some hint on his future with East Bengal
Just before the away match against Mumbai City FC, Oscar Bruzon had announced that he along with his assistant coach Adrian Rubio and fitness training coach Javier Sanchez will leave the club, after the termination of their contract on May 31, 2026. But after winning the maiden ISL title for the Red and Gold Brigade, Oscar hinted something else.
Bruzon explained: “Regarding my future, following your question, I say the same as I said throughout the season, I’m not gonna make any move until June.”
“It’s true, a few of you know that I’m receiving proposals. But if on first of June the club has a plan, I’ll be very happy to listen. And if the club don’t have a plan for June, this is not only for me but I believe it’s also for all the group of players and coaches. If the club comes with a plan, we will be very happy to come into talks.”
“And if there is no plan, there will be no talks. So it’s the only thing I can say about this right now, he also added.”
Elated after winning the ISL title
East Bengal FC head coach, Oscar Bruzon was elated after winning the ISL title and completing the dream of millions and millions fans of the Red and Gold Brigade around the world.
The Spaniard stated: “I am now the happiest man in the world. We are the happiest team in the world which is absolutely different. We are a group of people, all of us, we took responsibility of what we can offer to the team, to the club.”
“It was a very tough season for us. You are mentioning thirteen games but the reality is that eleven months of season. We have been working consistently to be prepared for a short league. And sometimes playing back-to-back games. So what we have done this year I think is fantastic.”
“And I repeat, it’s, it we were having the best management as well of the ISL of India this year. There were a lot of interruptions in the calendar but we never rested. We were working behind the scenes. We were preparing for this tough league.”
“Sometimes it’s even easier to win a league of twenty-six games. We’re the most regular team. So winning a league the way we won it, with the game of today, that is another comeback. I think that we can link this to the history, the legacy of East Bengal, a history of endurance, of resilience, of resistance, of overcoming, of perseverance, of not paying attention to any problem but on the solutions.”
“So I think that today is the perfect picture of what this club means. And we are very happy and very proud to have given everything on the pitch. Champions do not always have easy things. Today, the game was very, very tough. Praise to Inter Kashi for protecting the integrity of the competition because they were trying to do everything.”
“As you know, there were five title contenders today and we were having the advantage and I’m very happy that we could capitalize on that advantage, believing and all the players giving everything and finding solutions on the big problems that we were having today on the pitch for ninety minutes, he added.”
On the trust and belief of the people
Oscar Bruzon applauded the people associated with the East Bengal club who made them believe and trusted their process throughout the season.
The Spanish Gaffer said: “For this club and who are the people that believe and who are the people that make a team. And all of you know who are the people that just use the club for being on the spotlight for making personal advantage and to destroy this team for many years.”
“So if you can differentiate I will be happy. But it’s not my duty to talk who has done well in the last years and who has done bad. What is clear that this group of people united with our management, with our players, with our back-room staff and with our fans we have fulfilled our dream. And those who have pain probably some people, that today will have pain sorry to say that they can keep crying and I hope that they stay out of this club for a long time, he added.”
Analysis of the Final Game against Inter Kashi
Oscar stated: “It was a tough talk because we knew that we played today in a different conditions. In Kishore Bharati the grass is a bit long than the Saltlake stadium. We were having a lot of problems in the build-ups. I think that Inter Kashi in the first half they were much more cool and calm than us.”
“They were controlling all the proceedings and all the areas of the pitch. So desperately, we raised our tone of voice in the dressing room, making them understand that the performance or the delivery that we did in the first half was not enough to become champions.”
“Good that we took some tactical decisions that helped the team. We started with a 4-2-3-1 and we finished with a 3-4-3 and even putting players like David on the left wing to protect the openings of them. So I’m very happy that all the players understood the sacrifice and sometimes they don’t need to play in their positions. They need to put their conditions in favour of the team.”
“So thanks to God that today the plan also worked especially in the second half, he also added.”
Improvement of the team
Oscar Bruzon explained how the team have changed over the span of one year under his guidance and coaching ideas.
Bruzon explained: “We just need to analyze the road and the last year and a half and the promise that we had at the beginning to consolidate this project.”
“It’s true that from the beginning of the season we show good performances but we were not regular. I mean, we have missed the key moments. Rashid for example, here is today scoring one goal but remember that in the final of the Super Cup he missed a penalty in the penalty shootout.”
“So this is the way of overcoming. This is the way of being a winner. We are not defined by success. We are defined all of us by making mistakes, learn improve and deliver in the given day.”
“And we knew that all the pain that we suffered this season being probably the best team in all the competitions, Durand Cup, Super Cup and ISL. It would be very tough for us going home this season without a trophy.So I’m very happy that finally we won the most important trophy of the season.”
“So on the press conference today, I’m talking on behalf of the coaching staff, I’m just a guy that try to help all of them to be the best in their departments. So the appreciation that I have to my coaching staff in terms of winning the title is massive.”
“I think the trust between every one of us was one of the secrets of pushing the players. It never comes from one person, it comes from a joined effort of all of us. So I’m grateful to have all these people behind me. And with this, I will finish the press conference and I will lift the trophy with them, Thank you, he finished off with.”
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Dwaipayan Mandal holds dual degrees in Sports Management and Digital Marketing from IISWBM, Kolkata. A passionate football enthusiast, he follows the game across the globe, with East Bengal holding a special place in his heart. Beyond football, he enjoys cricket, golf, and tennis. With a keen interest in sports journalism and digital storytelling, Dwaipayan is committed to creating insightful content that connects with fans.