ISL Golden Boot winners over the years - where are they now?

There has never been a domestic top goalscorer in the history of the competition.

The Indian Super League (ISL) has always been full of goals and entertainment. The league has seen an influx of sensational foreign attacking players . 

Only Ferran Corominas, formerly of FC Goa, has ever won the Golden Boot award twice. As a result, there have been six different Golden Boot winners in the ISL over the past seven editions.

Some of these players are still a part of the premier league competition of India, while others have gone on to find opportunities elsewhere. Therefore, here is a look back at the Golden Boot winners in the ISL, and where are they now today:

Elano Blumer (Chennaiyin FC, 2014)

The inaugural season of the ISL in 2014 saw Elano Blumer emerge as the top scorer. The attacking midfielder was a marquee signing at Chennaiyin FC and scored eight goals in 11 games during the debut cmpaign. He returned to Santos following that season, but returned to the Marina Machans for the next edition on loan, helping them to the ISL title.

The Brazilian later went back to his parent club Santos and retired as a professional in 2017. Post his retirement, Elano has had managerial stints at Santos, Inter de Limeira and Figueirense.

Stiven Mendoza (Chennaiyin FC, 2015)

Stiven Mendoza was the top scorer in the ISL 2015 season, helping Chennaiyin FC to the title. The Colombian scored 13 goals in 16 games for the Marina Machans, who once again had a Golden Boot winner from their ranks. This was Mendoza’s second spell with the ISL outfit since he came on loan from Corinthians after signing for the Brazilian club in December 2014.

The forward went back to Corinthians post the ISL season. He later played for various teams like New York City FC, EC Bahia and Amiens SC. Mendoza is currently playing for Ceara SC in Brazil. 

Marcelinho (Delhi Dynamos, 2016)

https://youtu.be/_Bq3htN7VX8

Marcelinho joined the ISL back in 2016 for Delhi Dynamos. The forward took the league by storm in his first season, ending up as the top scorer. He scored 10 goals in 15 games for the club. He later joined Avai FC, but rejoined the ISL by signing for FC Pune City in August 2017.

Marcelinho later played for Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC. He joined ATK Mohun Bagan on loan midway through the last season. It will be interesting to see whether the Juggernauts give him a new contract or whether the Mariners will sign him on a permanent basis.

Ferran Corominas (FC Goa, 2017-18 and 2018-19)

Ferran Corominas is still the leading goalscorer in the history of the ISL. The Spaniard joined FC Goa in July 2017. In his first season, “Coro” scored 18 goals in 20 games, winning the Golden Boot award. He emulated the goalscoring feat next season, scoring 16 goals in 20 games, winning the Golden Boot for the second consecutive time. The Spaniard joined Atlético Baleares in September 2020 after three seasons with the Gaurs. 

Nerijus Valskis (Chennaiyin FC, 2019-20)

https://youtu.be/rGH-dwPTw28

Lithuanian striker Nerijus Valskis began his Indian Super League stint in 2019-20, when he signed for Chennaiyin FC. In his very first season, he scored 15 goals and finished the league as the top-scorer, alongside ATK's Roy Krishna and Kerala Blasters' Bartholomew Ogbeche. Valskis took home the Golden Boot award, as he had a higher assists count than Ogbeche and played fewer matches (20) than Krishna (21).

In the 2020-21 season, he signed for Jamshedpur FC on a two-year deal. JFC went on to finish at sixth place on the standings, after which the striker also earned a call-up to the Lithuanian national team for a few friendlies.

Igor Angulo (FC Goa, 2020-21)

FC Goa signed Igor Angulo in order to find a replacement for the outgoing Ferran Corominas. The Spaniard rose well to the high expectations, scoring 14 goals in 21 games in his debut season with the Gaurs. He won the Golden Boot and was crucial in the team securing a playoffs spot by the end of the campaign.

The 37-year-old is contracted until May 31, 2021 with an option for a further year.

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