Top five contenders for Golden Boot in ISL 2021-22 season

These stars are expected to take the league by storm with their goalscoring prowess.

The Indian Super League (ISL) is just a couple of weeks away from unveiling its 2021-22 season in Goa. The league will once again be played behind closed doors and players will be part of a bio-bubble once again.

Over the years, we have seen many superstars showcasing their goal scoring abilities in the ISL. From Brazilian icon Elano Blumer in 2014 to Spanish target man Igor Angulo in 2021 - the ISL has seen it all. The league is once again full of a number of top attacking players ahead of the upcoming season. While proven scorers like Nerijus Valskis and Roy Krishna will once again be on display, a number of other players will be vying to become the highest scorer in the league with these two.

[KH_ADWORDS type="4" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

Here are five players who could win the Golden Boot in the forthcoming 2021-22 ISL season.

5. Airam Cabrera (FC Goa)

Airam has replaced star striker and last season's ISL Golden Boot winner Igor Angulo at FC Goa. The Spaniard has been one of FC Goa’s transfer targets for the last couple of years and now he’s finally here.

FC Goa have put 100% trust in the 33-year-old with a believe that he can outshine the existing big guns of the league. In 344 career appearances, Cabrera has scored 123 goals alongside 11 assists across high profile leagues in Europe. In the last four seasons, three golden boots have been won by FC Goa strikers and the pressure on Airam to continue the legacy will be immense.

4. Jonathas de Jesus (Odisha FC)

Odisha FC will be looking to turn the tables around after a season to forget. And to start off with, they have acquired the services of Brazilian striker Jonathas de Jesus. The forward has joined the Juggernauts in the ISL after a short-lived stint in the UAE with Hatta where he scored six goals in 11 matches.

He has the experience of playing in various leagues of Europe, Asia and South America. The 32-year-old has scored 101 goals and provided 32 assists in 286 career appearances. Among all of his career goals, 21 have come in Spanish top division La Liga. Jonathas is reportedly going to be the highest-paid foreign player in the Indian top-flight league in the 2021-22 season and is expected to guide Odisha FC to glory.

[KH_ADWORDS type="3" align="center"][/KH_ADWORDS]

3. Nerijus Valskis (Jamshedpur FC)

The 2019-20 season’s Golden Boot winner ranks third on our list. After a memorable season with Chennaiyin FC, Valskis became a hot property in the transfer market in 2020. Jamshedpur FC signed him eventually but he couldn’t replicate his form from the previous season for the men of steel as they finished outside the top four once again.

However, Jamshedpur look much stronger now after signing a number of top players in the summer. They have roped in a few big names and will be raring to go when the 2021-22 edition of the ISL begins. Valskis has registered 23 goals and six assists in 38 ISL appearances till now. Similar to his team, Valskis will also be setting his standards much higher this term with a hope to get Golden Boot back.

2. Roy Krishna (ATK Mohun Bagan)

The Fijian won the Hero of the League award last season for his 14 goals and eight assists. He was tied on goals with Igor Angulo, but due to a better goal-per-game ratio, the latter managed to clinch the Golden Boot. Ever since his debut in India, Krishna has been very consistent in terms of scoring goals and winning matches single-handedly for his side.

[KH_RELATED_NEWS title="Related News |ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW"][/KH_RELATED_NEWS]

In his last two seasons in India, the Fijian has racked up 29 goals and 14 assists in 44 matches. Krishna has missed out on the Golden Boot twice with the finest of margins and the 2021-22 ISL season could very well be his.

1. Igor Angulo (Mumbai City FC)

The Spaniard came to India on the back of a highly rated career in Poland and lived up to all the expectations. He was splendid throughout the season for FC Goa and guided them to yet another playoffs finish. Angulo emerged victorious and took home the 2020-21 ISL Golden Boot by scoring 14 goals in 20 appearances.

Since then, the 37-year-old has switched sides to Mumbai City FC. He has replaced the duo of Adam Le Fondre and Bartholomew Ogbeche in the Islanders’ squad. Angulo won the Golden Boot in his very first year in India, but the way other teams have turned up the ante with their quality acquisitions, it’s going to very difficult for him to defend his crown.

For more football updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.