ISL 2024-25: Top five teams with highest average age

These teams have older players in their squad in ISL.

The 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season has gone off to a thrilling start with quite a few memorable matches already being played in the first two weeks. There have been a few early surprises, with Punjab FC beginning the campaign with three consecutive wins.

Defending ISL shield champion Mohun Bagan have had a bit of a stuttering start, while Mumbai City FC are yet to win a game. The ISL organizers are trying to campaign for more limelight to be given to the younger Indian players this season, be it with their promotional campaigns or advertisements. But there are some ISL teams who don’t really believe in having the youngest squad in the league.

While having a lot of energetic, vibrant young players can definitely help a team play a high-press, blistering attacking style with ease, that doesn’t mean the teams with older players are going to be pushovers. Here we look at the top five ISL teams with the highest average age for their squads.

5. Mumbai City FC

Mumbai City FC have not had the best starts to the new campaign and struggled in some tough away ties. But the Islanders still have a pretty squad, despite its relatively high average age. Petr Kratky lost players like Rahul Bheke and Lalengmawia Ralte this summer, which definitely impacted his squad.

The Islanders have roped in quality players like Brandon Fernandes, Jeremy Manzorro and Nikolaos Karelis to improve their attacking ability, but that has impacted their squad age. The Islanders’ average squad age is 28.0 years. They have eight players above the age of 30 and 34-year-old Thaer Krouma’s presence also increases their squad’s average age.

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4. FC Goa

Manolo Marquez is feeling the pressure of having to manage both FC Goa and the Indian Football team simulteanously, reflecting on Goa’s underwhelming start. There isn’t really a lack of experienced players in the Gaurs’ squad, which has veteran defenders Odei Onaindia, Sandesh Jhingan as well as commendable foreign talents like Armando Sadiku, Borja Herrera and Carl McHugh.

Unlike in the past, FC Goa can’t really boast about having a vibrant youngster heavily squad this time around. Their squad’s average age is 28.5 years, which is mostly due to having nine 30+ year-old players. While they have quite a few promising youngsters, but the starting players like Laxmikant Kattimani (35), Sadiku (33) and Onaindia (34) increases the average age drastically.

3. Jamshedpur FC

Khalid  Jamil is working his magic on the Jamshedpur FC side and has soared them into winning their first two games against FC Goa and Mumbai City. The Men of Steel have been transformed into an efficient machine who are not just defensively strong but know how to be clinical in converting chances ruthlessly in the opposition half.

Jamil has been non-apologetic about his recruitment or the fact that his squad is one of the oldest in the league. Indeed, Jamshedpur FC’s average squad age is 28.5 years, as they have eight players over the age of 30 in their squad. That includes regular starters like Javi Hernandez (35), Asutosh Mehta (33), Stephen Eze (30) and Albino Gomes (30), with the majority of these players starting the season superbly. Jamil just needs to utilize these older players and the other key starters smartly to avoid injuries and ensure that the Men of Steel’s momentum doesn’t wither away after a point.

2. Odisha FC

Sergio Lobera has actually a solid bunch of promising young Indian players at his disposal at Odisha FC this season. This includes the likes of Thoiba Singh, Isak Vanlalruetfela, Givson Singh and Narender Gahlot. Despite that, the Juggernauts have the second oldest squad in the ISL this season. Indeed, Odisha FC’s average squad age has spiked up to 28.6 years this time around. That is because of how old their foreign contingent is.

Apart from the 29-year-old Hugo Boumous, all the Odisha FC foreign players are above the age of 30, along with goalkeeper Amrinder Singh (31). The likes of Roy Krishna (37), Mourtada Fall (36) and Ahmed Jahouh (36) has really sky-rocketed the average age of the squad. Lobera will hope that his experienced bunch can get his side out of the mess they’ve gotten themselves into in the first few games, with back-to-back opening losses.

1. Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC have had a blistering start to the 2024-25 season by winning both their matches in compelling fashion under Gerard Zaragoza. The Spanish gaffer is getting them playing in the efficient manner they did in their title-winning seasons in the past and utilizing his squad very well. The Blues are definitely not short of experience in their squad as they have some valuable leaders like Sunil Chhetri (40) and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (32), as well as some veterans in terms of their foreign talents.

Bengaluru FC’s craving for experienced players sees them with 12 players in their squad over the age of 30. All their foreign players are over the age of 30 and despite having promising youngsters like Vinith Venkatesh, Sivasakthi or Shivaldo Singh, the large number of older players has taken Bengaluru FC’s average age to 29.4 years. They have the highest average age among all ISL squads, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping them from outwitting opponents on the pitch.

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