5 Best Foreign Players to Play in ISL
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Since the inception of the league in 2014, there have been many foreign players who graced the league with their talents. Legendary players like Roberto Carlos, Marco Materazzi, Luis Garcia, Alessandro Del Piero, Diego Forlan, and many more have had a stint in the Indian Super League. Not all the big names shined while there were also some foreign talents who Indian fans did not know about. These unknown talents left their mark in the league. Some helped their side to win the title while some bagged individual honors. Let us have a look at 5 of the best foreign players to play in the Indian Super League. The list is based on statistics and performances in ISL.
1. Ferran Corominas (FC Goa)
The Spaniard Corominas has been one of the best players in the league. He joined FC Goa in 2017-18 from Doxa, a club in Cyprus. The striker has been one of the most consistent players in ISL. Coming up with big goals to bail out Goa. ‘Coro’ as he is famously known is a two-time winner of the Golden boot in ISL which he won in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Coro is also ISL’s all-time leading goalscorer with 48 goals in 57 matches.
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2. Marcelinho (Delhi Dynamos, Hyderabad FC)
The Brazilian has been a popular name in the league. The winger who signed for Delhi Dynamos in 2016 now plays for Hyderabad FC. Although his recent season has not been one of his best, he has shown signs of his attacking talents. In his first ISL season, he won the golden boot with Delhi Dynamos. The winger scored 10 goals that season. Along with his goals, he is also known to be an efficient provider to others. He holds the record for the most number of assists in the league at 18. Also, Marcelinho is third on the list of all-time topscorers with 31 in 63 games.
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3. Iain Hume (ATK, Kerala Blasters, Pune City)
Hume has quite been a journeyman in the Indian Super League. He played for a total of five seasons in the league scoring 28 goals in 69 games. These goal-scoring statistics put him fourth in the all-time goalscorers list behind Corominas, Chhetri, and Marcelinho. The Canadian has won one ISL title in his tenure which came in the 2015-16 season with ATK. He was also named the best player in the league in the same season. A prolific goalscorer, Hume was a popular figure among Indian fans. While playing for Kerala Blasters, he earned a nickname in Malayalam meaning ‘elder brother.’
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4. Elano Blumer (Chennaiyin FC)
Elano Blumer, the Brazilian was one of the popular names to play in the ISL. Having played for European clubs like Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Galatasaray, Elano came with a big reputation. He signed a one-year deal with Chennaiyin. The Brazilian delivered to the hype as he scored a free kick on his debut. Elano ended the season as the league’s top scorer with 8 goals. He agreed to come back on loan for the next season in which he guided Chennaiyin to their maiden ISL title.
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5. Hugo Boumous (FC Goa)
The French-Moroccan international signed for FC Goa in the 2017-18 season. Since then, he has been one of the mainstays in the FC Goa side. His partnership and link-up play with Coro is crucial in the way FC Goa play. An all-round midfielder, Boumous has 16 goals and 17 assists in his three seasons at FC Goa. Boumous is productive while setting up his opponents and also has a neat ball control. The midfielder in the latest season was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
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Sushrut Shivade
(21 Articles Published)