Santosh Trophy 2025-26: Top five goal scorers of the season

A look at the highest goal scorers of the Santosh Trophy 2025-26

The 79th edition of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship 2025-26 has once again highlighted its significance in the Indian football calendar. Being the country’s top tier Inter-State competition, the event remains an essential feature in domestic football, allowing players to garner recognition by playing for their respective state and institutional teams.

In the era of increasing spotlight on club football through the Indian Super League and the I-League, the Santosh Trophy manages to keep its relevance owing to its tough competition and regional passion.

At the conclusion of the group matches, Punjab FT topped Group A, Uttarakhand finished first in Group B, Railways emerged as group leaders in Group C, Manipur FA secured the top position in Group D, Meghalaya FA topped Group E, and Odisha FA finished first in Group F. In Group G, Tamil Nadu FC, Services FC, and Rajasthan FC qualified for the Final Round based on their respective standings.

The Final Round featured eight qualified teams, divided into two groups. Final Round Group A comprised West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Assam, while Final Round Group B included Kerala FC, Railways, Meghalaya FA, and Punjab FT.

Throughout the tournament, a handful of players have set themselves apart by regularly scoring goals. Let’s take a look at the leading scorers of the 2025- 26 Santosh Trophy who have been the most influential in terms of goals during the tournament so far.

5. Alexander Romario Jesuraj – Tamil Nadu FC – 5 goals

Alexander Jesuraj (Tamil Nadu FC) emerged as one of the leading goal scorers of the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy, finishing the tournament with five goals to his name. The forward was particularly effective during the group stage, where he consistently contributed in front of goal. Jesuraj scored twice against Andhra Pradesh and twice against Andaman & Nicobar, helping Tamil Nadu secure comfortable victories in both fixtures. He also added one goal against Nagaland, completing his tally.

4. Mukesh Kumar – Rajasthan – 6 goals

Mukesh Kumar (Rajasthan) was one of the leading goal scorers in the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy, finishing the tournament with six goals for Rajasthan FC. Kumar was a key figure in Rajasthan’s attacking play throughout the campaign, opening the scoring in the Final Round with two goals against Uttarakhand in a 3–2 victory, including a head-up finish in the 24th minute and another in the 49th minute that helped seal the win. He also converted a penalty against Nagaland in a 2–2 draw, demonstrating his composure from the spot in tight circumstances

3. Nirmal Singh Bisht – Uttarakhand – 6 goals

Nirmal Singh Bisht (Uttarakhand) was one of the leading goal scorers in the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy, finishing the tournament with six goals for Uttarakhand. He opened the scoring in a 1–1 draw against Assam, finding the net early in the eighth minute to give his side the lead before the hosts equalised later in the match. He also scored in Uttarakhand’s 2–1 win over Nagaland, netting in the 57th minute to help secure all three points for his team in that fixture.

2. Devadath S – Tamil Nadu FC – 6 goals

Devadath S (Tamil Nadu FC) finished the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy as one of the tournament’s leading goal scorers, registering six goals. Representing Tamil Nadu FC, Devadath contributed consistently across both the group stage and the Final Round. His goals included strikes against Nagaland during the group phase, as well as a decisive early goal against Assam in the Final Round, where he scored in the third minute of a 1–0 victory.

1. Himanshu Jangra – Punjab FT – 9 goals

Himanshu Jangra (Punjab FT) finished the 2025–26 Santosh Trophy as one of the leading goal scorers, registering nine goals for Punjab FT. He opened his account by scoring the competition’s fastest goal in their 6–0 group-stage win over Himachal Pradesh, where he also added a second goal in the same match. He later scored in a 3–3 draw against Meghalaya FA, finding the net from a corner in the 71st minute to help Punjab secure a share of the points. In addition, he scored in a 1–0 win over Jammu & Kashmir, providing the decisive goal that confirmed Punjab’s qualification progress.

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