National Football Day: 10 Most Popular Indian Footballers of All Time

National Football Day: 10 Most Popular Indian Footballers of All Time By Priyanka Roshan, July 19, 2024

[{"selector":"#anim-9f6bd367-1715-4a1e-a8f8-8d9e8b4fb7b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39e032f1-d119-42eb-a251-309bcc45aab6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92cd8836-717e-4f7c-b443-1ce462fd9854","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a5bec13-181b-4a25-bfdc-46492d2775fc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] National Football Day celebrates football and its societal impact, uniting players, coaches, fans, and communities to honor the sport's history and achievements. Here are 10 of the most popular Indian footballers of all time. (Image: Canva)

1. Bhaichung Bhutia

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2. Sunil Chhetri

[{"selector":"#anim-d835a541-9eaf-4617-838f-abcff86617bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-91adb59a-1bbd-4c14-bd85-657f2033a425","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69f41183-5e89-457d-a836-47a1f754e374","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-87edb24d-55b8-47ac-876e-4a1811a64815","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f9bb812-26d0-4a48-bb20-e43ae982a9d3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-976ffcd1-b745-4a4c-a1b3-5534c84a411f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] India's all-time leading goal scorer, Chhetri is celebrated for his consistency, fitness, and ability to score crucial goals. (Image: Reuters)

3. pradip kumar banerjee

[{"selector":"#anim-17160ca5-4286-4b21-aea2-1947b2d7de44","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-035271af-0061-4660-87a6-227fcbb9a8ab","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d66b801-3463-412d-a7b7-3e2547aa1205","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-604bddeb-6f38-441d-9f50-25b54db2c307","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-959dccca-869e-4bd5-9576-2650ec94d7cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12df3756-d1d2-4ecf-9b94-e629ad300953","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] A legendary forward, Banerjee played a crucial role in India's 1962 Asian Games gold medal win & contributed immensely as a player & coach. (Image: Wikipedia)

4. Subrata Paul

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5. Sandesh Jhingan

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6. Jeje Lalpekhlua

[{"selector":"#anim-b05895d7-792f-4d57-9fd3-1bc229bedc67","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-20f9524c-3af7-413b-acda-70dbf798a143","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d7e8af2-b10a-4a98-9bbe-0d8d9da3b472","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66a12634-4056-42e9-941d-45b890fc657a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-411df829-11a5-4aad-8a9f-0555d3c2e045","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f526aa6c-8590-483b-a159-cec78202d5f5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The "Mizo Sniper," Lalpekhlua is a prolific striker known for his goal-scoring ability and composure in front of goal. (Image: Reuters)

7. IM Vijayan

[{"selector":"#anim-20ad5dd3-2d47-4434-99cd-3dd8d2a0d7fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b92c82fa-725e-40f9-94b9-c81d53fe0b3a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc890f53-16f3-449f-b245-df8dcc75d15b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-943d8e3d-a495-48e3-be87-f27bf48fd025","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-463d09e7-1d09-4857-bf23-1c14e7827f23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7848a97a-b529-4efa-a3af-02f1e94ea5a2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Celebrated for his goal-scoring ability and agility, Vijayan's partnership with Bhutia is one of the best in Indian football history. (Image: AFP)

8. Climax Lawrence

[{"selector":"#anim-1f978ad0-22a8-481d-a4eb-2b142cbe1eca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-741c8285-1bd0-454c-86c0-4a7ceed96694","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-068b77f7-1db7-42e7-9b18-e3d4f3339486","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f4528598-fb51-4251-b9b2-27d73519d4f8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9f4a1ad-44c0-4655-be43-1be06d7af28c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4de7a244-06b0-495c-9a02-d416effc7bcb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] A dynamic midfielder, Lawrence is known for his vision, passing accuracy, and ability to control the game. (Image: AFP)

9. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

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10. Pronay Halder

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