ISL: Five superstars who failed to impress in Indian football

ISL has seen some prolific stars play in the league since its inception.

Over the last few decades in Indian football, a number of notable foreign footballers have been roped in by major teams to help their chances of winning accolades. It was especially after the inception of the Indian Super League (ISL) that the cash-rich investors of the different teams decided to splurge money to glitter up Indian football with some world-class footballers.

However, not every major footballer who played in India was able to actually perform to their best in Indian football. While some renowned foreign footballers have made an impressive impact in Indian football, there have been many instances where the highly-talented footballer was just not able to elevate the overall quality of his side’s performances. Here, we look at the five top footballers who failed to make a positive impression in Indian football.

5. Tim Cahill

Tim Cahill surprised many after being confirmed as the marquee foreigner signing for Jamshedpur FC in the 2018-19 ISL campaign. The Australian forward, who played for Everton in the Premier League, decided to take a major change in his career by joining up with the Men of Steel for that ISL campaign. Cahill was not only brought to make an impact on the pitch but also be a motivational factor for the Indian players and teach them important things about being an attacking player.

However, the Australian forward didn’t really have the most impactful period in the ISL. He only spent one single season with Jamshedpur FC and was able to make 11 appearances for them in the 2018-19 season. Over that period, Cahill only managed two goals and wasn’t able to get any assists at all. He struggled under the conditions and the style of play in the ISL, failing to tap into his inner goal machine and ended up having an underwhelming stint for the Men of Steel.

4. Nicolas Anelka

Even though Nicolas Anelka might have been a journeyman footballer in his career, his goal-scoring ability and quality cannot be undermined at all. The French forward, who was part of France’s 1998 FIFA World Cup winning squad, played for multiple major European clubs like Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea, winning the Premier League title with both London teams.

At the final stages of his career, Anelka was roped in by Mumbai City FC to be their marquee striker for the first-ever ISL campaign. However, the French forward not really able to be at his ruthless best in the ISL and had a difficult time in the ISL. Anelka scored just two goals in seven appearances in the 2014 ISL campaign for the Highlanders, who ended up finishing in seventh place before the Frenchman exited the club.

3. Alessandro Del Piero

One of the greatest forwards in the history of Italian football, Alessandro Del Piero enjoyed a prolific playing career where he enjoyed a legendary stint with Juventus – winning the Serie A title six times and the UEFA Champions League as well. However, two years after departing the Old Lady, Del Piero found his way to play in the ISL after being picked up as the marquee player for Delhi Dynamos.

Del Piero was already 39 when he joined the Dynamos, but fans had big expectations that a legendary striker like him could provide many memorable moments for the Delhi Dynamos fans. In the end, the Italian forward was an inefficient and uninspiring player for the ISL side for the majority of his appearances in the competition. He scored just one goal, a memorable free-kick, in 10 appearances for Delhi Dynamos and retired soon after leaving them.

Also Read: Ranking top 10 most high-profile foreign footballers to have played in ISL

2. David Trezeguet

David Trezeguet enjoyed a prolific playing career where he won the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship titles with France, scoring 34 goals for them. Moreover, he also enjoyed a prolific stint with Juventus from 2000-2010, scoring 138 Serie A goals, but things started going relatively downward for the French forward soon after he left Juventus in 2010.

After short stints at clubs like River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys, Trezeguet decided to give Indian football a try in 2014. He was snapped up by FC Pune City to be their standout foreign striker, but the French forward wasn’t really able to match expectations at the club. In what would be the final stages of his career, Trezeguet scored just two goals in nine appearances for Pune City as they failed to really impress in the first-ever ISL campaign.

1. Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov will be widely remembered for his memorable stint as the striker for Manchester United, whom he helped win multiple Premier League titles during his stay with the club from 2008-2012.

The Bulgarian forward played for the likes of Fulham and AS Monaco after leaving the Red Devils, and he actually ended up in the Indian Super League for the 2017-18 season. Berbatov was roped in by Kerala Blasters for that campaign, as he was tasked to lead their frontline and potentially help the Tuskers win their first-ever ISL campaign.

However, things didn’t go according to plan for Berbatov at all. He ended up scoring only one goal in nine appearances for Kerala Blasters, before leaving the club after disagreeing with head coach David James. He ended up having a very forgettable stint with Kerala Blasters, and retired from football soon after leaving them.

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