Top 10 strikers in Indian Super League history

All of these superstars have left their mark in the competition with their scoring feats.

For more than a century, strikers have remained the most crucial players in the game of football. Putting the ball in the back of the net is still the hardest thing to do in the sport. Ever since the inception of the Indian Super League (ISL), it has gifted us with some top strikers.

From Ferran Corominas to Bartholomew Ogbeche and the evergreen Sunil Chhetri, the ISL have been to some of the finest strikers in the country. In this article, we take a look at the top 10 strikers to grace the ISL.

10. Igor Angulo

Angulo adjusted to the Indian Super League like a duck to water. Joining the league at the age of 36, he brushed aside doubts surrounding his age pretty quickly. He scored 14 goals for FC Goa in 21 games before signing for then Champions Mumbai City FC. He represented the Islanders in their historic AFC Champions League campaign.

His diminutive stature gave him a strong centre of gravity. With a sharp eye for goal, Angulo's left foot barely let him down in and around the attacking third.

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9. Jeje Lalpekhlua

Jeje Lalpekhlua was an absolute menace for defenders when he donned the blue for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL. The 'Mizo Sniper' has 25 goals in 77 appearances during his time in the competition.

His electric pace and ability to link up with fellow strikers helped the Marina Machans to ISL titles in 2015 and 2017. Ever since suffering a knee injury in the 2018-19 season, he has been struggling to rediscover his touch. At the age of just 31, Jeje still has years' worth of football left in him.

8. Miku

The Venezuela international spent just two seasons in the ISL, but boy wasn't he impactful. After signing for Bengaluru FC from Rayo Vallecano, Miku Fedor recorded 15 goals in 20 games in his debut season for the Blues. Only the untouchable Corominas could outshine the Valencia academy product in the 2017/18 season.

His goalscoring exploits led BFC to their maiden ISL title in the following season.

7. Iain Hume

Iain Hume remains the very first footballing hero for many Kerala Blasters adherents when he propelled the club to the very first ISL final. He also picked up the competition's maiden Golden Ball award - given to the best footballer of the season.

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He broke many hearts when he signed for the Champions ATK the following season but his goals kept coming. Under the pragmatic Antonio Habas, Hume played his best football, scoring two hat-tricks in the 2015 season. Chants of 'Hat-trick Hume' ran through stadiums as he rejoined KBFC before one final stint at FC Pune City. He has an impressive 29 goals in 69 appearances.

6. Nerijus Valskis

'Nerka' was a constant threat to defenses during his time in the ISL. He has 27 goals to his name in 55 appearances.

In the 2019/20 season, the Lithuanian formed a sublime partnership with Rafael Crivellaro. The duo combined a ridiculous number of times, leaving defenders in disarray. After reaching the final, they would bow to the efficiency of ATK's counter-attacking football.

Valskis' presence in the box was immaculate. His height, his strength, and his powerful left foot helped his sides to many famous victories. He spent a season and a half in Jamshedpur FC before re-signing for the Marina Machans.

5. Marcelinho

Marcelo Lite Pereira, or 'Marcelinho' has played for no less than six ISL clubs. The Brazilian, widely regarded as one of the top strikers to grace the ISL, has 34 goals in 87 games in the competition.

In the 2016 season, he won the Golden Boot with Delhi Dynamos FC. Since then, he has played for Pune City FC, Hyderabad FC, Odisha FC, ATK Mohun Bagan, and NorthEast United FC. He reached the final with ATKMB in the 2020/21 season.

4. Roy Krishna

ISL champion with ATK in the 2019/20 season, Fijian international Roy Krishna has 36 goals in 60 games. He is the first player on this list so far, who will continue in the ISL for the 2021/22 season. Agile, strong and blessed with surgical finishing ability, Roy Krishna rampaged defenses for ATK and then for ATK Mohun Bagan.

The A-League golden boot winner spearheaded Antonio Habas' 3-5-2 counter-attacking setup and destroyed defenses with his partner in crime David Williams. In the 2020/21 season, he became the first player to score in ISL's first Kolkata derby. The Golden Ball winner from 2021 joined Bengaluru FC this summer.

3. Sunil Chhetri

Captain Leader Legend Sunil Chhetri is third on our list of ISL's greatest goalscorers. India's greatest player from this generation has 51 goals in 114 ISL games. While the goals per game ratio might not be the best, we have to keep in mind that Chhetri had to make way for many foreign strikers. He has had to constantly evolve and adapt to different positions in different systems.

The 2018-19 ISL champion and Golden Ball winner is still going strong at the age of 38 and will relish the opportunity to play beside Roy Krishna in the upcoming season.

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2. Ferran Corominas

Ferran Corominas or 'Coro' as he is fondly called, is considered by many to be the finest striker to grace the competition. He definitely is the most consistent, scoring 48 goals in 57 games with a staggering 0.84 goals per game ratio.

Corominas was the most potent weapon of Sergio Lobera's attacking arsenal at FC Goa. He won consecutive Golden Boots in 2018 and 2019, an unprecedented feat in the competition's history.

1. Bartholomew Ogbeche

Bart Ogbeche is the outright leading goalscorer in the history of the ISL with 53 goals in 77 appearances. What sets him apart from all the other players on the list is his adaptability at different clubs.

The Nigerian has played for four different ISL clubs and has topped each club's goalscoring charts for the season. He has won consecutive ISL titles with Mumbai City and Hyderabad FC and scored the most goals in the latest edition. He signed an extension with the Nizams ahead of the upcoming season, his first contract renewal since he set foot in this country.

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