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{{sport overview
{{sport overview
| title = Football in West Bengal
| title = Football in West Bengal
| image = Salt Lake Stadium - Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata - Calcutta 5.jpg
| image = Salt Lake Stadium ( Yuba Bharati Krirangan ) Kolkata India - FC Bayern Munich Mohun Bagan Oliver Kahn 1.jpg
| image_size = 270px
| image_size = 270px
| caption = [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]] taking on [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] at the [[Salt Lake Stadium]], [[West Bengal]] in 2008.
| caption = Indian crowd during the match between [[FC Bayern Munich]] and [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]], May 27, 2008
| union = Indian Football Association (IFA) <br /> <small> (formed in 1893)<ref>{{cite web |first=Arjun |last=Wadwha |url=http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |title=History of Football in India |website=thesportscampus.com |publisher=TheSportsCampus |date=19 May 2008 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825015957/http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |archive-date=2012-08-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| union = [[Indian Football Association]] (IFA) <br /> (formed in 1893)<ref>{{cite web |first=Arjun |last=Wadwha |url=http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |title=History of Football in India |website=thesportscampus.com |publisher=TheSportsCampus |date=19 May 2008 |access-date=15 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825015957/http://www.thesportscampus.com/200805197/introduction-to-football/history-indian-football |archive-date=2012-08-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| match = 131,781 <br /> ([[East Bengal 4–1 Mohun Bagan|1997 Federation Cup Semifinal: East Bengal F.C. VS Mohun Bagan A.C.]] at [[Salt Lake Stadium]], 1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|title=Mohun Bagan and East Bengal: A derby to remember|access-date=5 December 2015|website=inbedwithmaradona.com|date=24 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204124327/http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|archive-date=4 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
| match = 131,781 <br /> ([[East Bengal 4–1 Mohun Bagan|1997 Federation Cup Semifinal: East Bengal F.C. VS Mohun Bagan A.C.]] at [[Salt Lake Stadium]], 1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|title=Mohun Bagan and East Bengal: A derby to remember|access-date=5 December 2015|website=inbedwithmaradona.com|date=24 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204124327/http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/7/22/6phssedqppiaxjndh9sxxm3jph49r7|archive-date=4 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
}}
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The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the [[Trades Cup]], the Gladstone Cup, the [[Cooch Behar Cup]] and the coveted [[IFA Shield]], prior to the incorporation of [[Calcutta Football League]] in 1898. The Trades Cup is the oldest tournament in Kolkata, being instituted in 1889.<ref>{{cite book |title=Portrait Of Indian Sport |url=https://archive.org/details/portraitofinidan00anth |publisher= P R Macmillan Limited, London |last1=D'Mello |first1=Anthony |page=186 |date=1959 |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref>
The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the [[Trades Cup]], the Gladstone Cup, the [[Cooch Behar Cup]] and the coveted [[IFA Shield]], prior to the incorporation of [[Calcutta Football League]] in 1898. The Trades Cup is the oldest tournament in Kolkata, being instituted in 1889.<ref>{{cite book |title=Portrait Of Indian Sport |url=https://archive.org/details/portraitofinidan00anth |publisher= P R Macmillan Limited, London |last1=D'Mello |first1=Anthony |page=186 |date=1959 |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref>


==History==
==State teams==
Through the efforts of [[Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari]] (the ''father of Indian football''), A.R. Brown and B.C. Lindsay of [[Dalhousie AC]], and Watson of [[Calcutta Cricket and Football Club|Calcutta FC]], the IFA was established in 1893.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebridge.in/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/|title=Nagendra Prasad — The father of Indian football who removed prejudice from the sport|website=thebridge.in|publisher=The Bridge|date=25 January 2020|access-date=24 October 2022|first=Sarah|last=Waris|location=Kolkata|archive-date=24 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024082132/https://thebridge.in/amp/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/}}</ref> A.R. Brown was the first Secretary of the IFA. [[Norman Pritchard|Norman Prichard]], the first Indian to win an [[Olympic medal]], was the Secretary of the IFA in 1900.The most remarkable person to head the IFA was the [[Maharaja]] of [[Santosh, Bangladesh|Santosh]], [[Sir]] M.N. Roy Chowdhury. During his tenure the IFA played an instrumental role in the formation of the AIFF.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://ifawb.org/about-us/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=IFAWB|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124122335/https://ifawb.org/about-us/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Administration==
Football in West Bengal is administered by the [[Indian Football Association]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thefangarage.com/articles/19091-calcutta-football-league-cfl-goes-bigger-than-ever-for-its-historic-125th-season|title=Calcutta Football League (CFL) goes bigger than ever for its historic 125th season|website=thefangarage.com|publisher=The Fan Garage|location=Kolkata|date=5 June 2023|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606060715/https://thefangarage.com/articles/19091-calcutta-football-league-cfl-goes-bigger-than-ever-for-its-historic-125th-season|archive-date=6 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/|title=The passage of football in India|website=ifawb.org|publisher=[[Indian Football Association]]|location=Kolkata|access-date=11 September 2022|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129163914/https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/}}</ref> It is the oldest football association in India and was founded in 1893.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Football/The-Golden-Years-of-Indian-Football/659|title=The Golden Years of Indian Football|website=www.chaseyoursport.com|publisher=Chase Your Sport|location=Kolkata|first=Rounak|last=Majumdar|date=22 April 2019|access-date=28 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230046/https://www.chaseyoursport.com/Football/The-Golden-Years-of-Indian-Football/659|archive-date=7 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|title=Chronology of Important Sports Events — West Bengal|website=wbsportsandyouth.gov.in|publisher=Government of West Bengal – Department of youth services and sports|date=2017|access-date=25 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013092944/https://wbsportsandyouth.gov.in/chronology|archive-date=13 October 2022|location=Kolkata}}</ref> Among the founders was former [[England national football team|English]] international [[Elphinstone Jackson]].<ref>[http://www.iffhs.de/?3f4b05ffcd85bcca952b9b95205fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeeda30b IFFHS - Interesting and curious facts about full internationals and national players (1872–1900)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207184618/http://www.iffhs.de/?3f4b05ffcd85bcca952b9b95205fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeeda30b |date=2012-02-07 }}. ''iffhs.de''. Retrieved 28 October 2021.</ref>

==State team==
{| class="infobox" style="font-size:95%; width:25em; text-align:center"
{| class="infobox" style="font-size:95%; width:25em; text-align:center"
! colspan="4" style="font-size:115%; align=center" | National teams of India
! colspan="4" style="font-size:115%; align=center" | State teams of West Bengal
{{check quotation}}
|-
|-
![[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
![[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
![[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
![[File:Football pictogram.svg|30px]]
|-
|-
! [[West Bengal football team|Football (Men's)]]
![[West Bengal football team|Football (Men's)]]
! [[West Bengal women's football team|Football (Women's)]]
![[West Bengal women's football team|Football (Women's)]]
|}
|}


The following list includes the performance of West Bengal's state teams at major competitions.
The [[West Bengal football team]] is governed by the [[Indian Football Association]] (IFA) and is a member of the [[All India Football Federation]] (AFC) since 1937, the national governing body for indian football. There are other West Bengal football team for [[West Bengal women's football team|women's]] also.

===Performance===
The following list includes the performance of all of India's national teams at major competitions.


====Men's team====
===Men's team===
{{Main|West Bengal football team}}
{{Main|West Bengal football team}}

The '''West Bengal football team''', also known as '''IFA Bengal football team''' or earlier the '''Bengal football team''', is an Indian [[association football|football]] team representing [[West Bengal]] in Indian state football competitions including the [[Santosh Trophy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=West Bengal, Kerala & Punjab drawn together in tantalizing group in 75th edition of Hero Santosh Trophy|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/west-bengal-kerala-punjab-drawn-together-in-tantalizing-group-in-75th-edition-of-hero-santosh-trophy|website=the-aiff.com|publisher=[[All India Football Federation]]|date=6 January 2022|access-date=2 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106131705/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/west-bengal-kerala-punjab-drawn-together-in-tantalizing-group-in-75th-edition-of-hero-santosh-trophy|archive-date=6 January 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
|-
! Tournament
!Tournament
! Best<br />performance
!Best<br />performance
|-
|-
| [[Santosh Trophy]] || {{sort|32|'''Champions''' ([[1941–42 Santosh Trophy|1941–42]], [[1945–46 Santosh Trophy|1945–46]], 1947–48, 1949–50, [[1950–51 Santosh Trophy|1950–51]], 1951–52, [[1953–54 Santosh Trophy|1953–54]], 1955–56, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, [[1981–82 Santosh Trophy|1981–82]], 1982–83 (Shared with [[Goa football team|Goa]]), 1986–87, 1988–89, [[1993–94 Santosh Trophy|1993–94]], 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, [[2009–10 Santosh Trophy|2009–10]], [[2010–11 Santosh Trophy|2010–11]], [[2016–17 Santosh Trophy|2016–17]])}}
|[[Santosh Trophy]] || {{sort|32|'''Champions''' ([[1941–42 Santosh Trophy|1941–42]], [[1945–46 Santosh Trophy|1945–46]], 1947–48, 1949–50, [[1950–51 Santosh Trophy|1950–51]], 1951–52, [[1953–54 Santosh Trophy|1953–54]], 1955–56, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, [[1981–82 Santosh Trophy|1981–82]], 1982–83 (Shared with [[Goa football team|Goa]]), 1986–87, 1988–89, [[1993–94 Santosh Trophy|1993–94]], 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, [[2009–10 Santosh Trophy|2009–10]], [[2010–11 Santosh Trophy|2010–11]], [[2016–17 Santosh Trophy|2016–17]])}}
|-
|-
| [[Football at the National Games of India|National Games]] || {{sort|3|'''Gold''' (1994, [[2011 National Games of India|2011]], [[2022 National Games of India|2022]])}}
|[[Football at the National Games of India|National Games]] || {{sort|3|'''Gold''' (1994, [[2011 National Games of India|2011]], [[2022 National Games of India|2022]])}}
|-
|-
| [[B.C. Roy Trophy]] || {{sort|18|'''Champions''' (1961–62, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2024–25)}}
|[[B.C. Roy Trophy]] || {{sort|18|'''Champions''' (1961–62, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2024–25)}}
|-
|-
| [[Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy]] || {{sort|12|'''Champions''' (1965–66, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2015–16)}}
|[[Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy]] || {{sort|12|'''Champions''' (1965–66, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2015–16)}}
|-
|-
| [[M. Dutta Ray Trophy]] || {{sort|6|'''Champions''' (1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)}}
|[[M. Dutta Ray Trophy]] || {{sort|6|'''Champions''' (1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)}}
|}
|}


====Women's team====
===Women's team===
{{Main|West Bengal women's football team}}
{{Main|West Bengal women's football team}}

The '''West Bengal women's football team''', also earlier the '''Bengal women's football team''', is an Indian women's [[association football|football]] team representing [[West Bengal]] in the [[Senior Women's National Football Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/association/494|title=Indian Football Association }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
|-
! Tournament
!Tournament
! Best<br />performance
!Best<br />performance
|-
|-
| [[Senior Women's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|2|'''Champions''' (1991–92, 1996–97)}}
|[[Senior Women's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|2|'''Champions''' (1991–92, 1996–97)}}
|-
|-
| [[Football at the National Games of India|National Games]] || {{sort|2|Silver (1999, 2002)}}
|[[Football at the National Games of India|National Games]] || {{sort|2|Silver (1999, 2002)}}
|-
|-
| [[Junior Girl's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' (2011–12)}}
|[[Junior Girl's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' (2011–12)}}
|-
|-
| [[Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' (2010–11)}}
|[[Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship]] || {{sort|1|'''Champions''' (2010–11)}}
|}
|}


==Affiliated district association==
==Affiliated district associations==
There are currently 28 district association affiliated with the [[Indian Football Association]].
All 23 district of [[West Bengal]] are affiliated with the '''Indian Football Association'''.
{| class="wikitable sortable"

! No. !! Association !! District
==Stadiums==
!President
The league and tournaments are generally played at the following Stadiums:
|-

| 1 || Alipurduar District Football Association || [[Alipurduar district|Alipurduar]]
{{Static row numbers}}
|
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible static-row-numbers"
|-
| 2 || Bankura District Football Association || [[Bankura district|Bankura]]
|
|-
| 3 || Paschim Bardhaman District Football Association || [[Paschim Bardhaman district|Paschim Bardhaman]]
|
|-
| 4 || Purba Bardhaman District Football Association || [[Purba Bardhaman district|Purba Bardhaman]]
|
|-
| 5 || Birbhum District Football Association || [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]]
|
|-
| 6 || Cooch Behar District Football Association || [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]]
|
|-
| 7 || Darjeeling District Football Association || [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]]
|
|-
| 8 || Dakshin Dinajpur District Football Association || [[Dakshin Dinajpur district|Dakshin Dinajpur]]
|
|-
| 9 || Hooghly District Football Association || [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]]
|
|-
| 10 || Howrah District Football Association || [[Howrah district|Howrah]]
|
|-
| 11 || Jalpaiguri District Football Association || [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]]
|
|-
| 12 || Jhargram District Football Association || [[Jhargram district|Jhargram]]
|
|-
| 13 || Kolkata District Football Association || [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]]
|
|-
| 14 || Kalimpong District Football Association || [[Kalimpong district|Kalimpong]]
|
|-
| 15 || Malda District Football Association || [[Malda district|Malda]]
|
|-
| 16 || Paschim Medinipur District Football Association || [[Paschim Medinipur district|Paschim Medinipur]]
|
|-
| 17 || Purba Medinipur District Football Association || [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]]
|
|-
|-
| 18 || Murshidabad District Football Association || [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]]
! Name !! City !! Capacity !!Image
|
|-
|-
| 19 || Nadia District Football Association || [[Nadia district|Nadia]]
|[[Salt Lake Stadium]] † || [[Kolkata metropolitan area]] || 68,000
|
|[[File:Salt Lake Stadium during FIFA U17 World Cup 2017 ....jpg|150px]]
|-
|-
| 20 || North 24 Parganas District Football Association || [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]]
|[[Barasat Stadium]] || [[Barasat]] || 20,000
|
|[[File:Barasat Stadium.png|150px]]
|-
|-
| 21 || South 24 Parganas Football Association || [[South 24 Parganas]]
|[[Sailen Manna Stadium]] || [[Howrah]] || 15,000
|
|[[File:Howrah Municipal Corporation Stadium - Howrah Maidan Area - Howrah 2013-04-28 6616.jpg|150px]]
|-
|-
| 22 || Purulia District Football Association || [[Purulia district|Purulia]]
|[[Rabindra Sarobar Stadium]] || [[Lake Gardens]] || 22,000
|
|[[File:Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.jpg|150px]]
|-
|-
| 23 || Uttar Dinajpur District Football Association || [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]]
|
|}
|}
'''''Note.''''' † ''denotes stadiums that have hosted international football matches.''


==Notable footballers who have visited West Bengal==
==Organisation of football in West Bengal==
===Competitions===
===Men's===
*[[Calcutta Football League]]
*[[IFA Shield]]
*[[Trades Cup]]
*[[Uttarbanga Cup]]
*Jayanta Chatterjee Inter District Football Tournament
*IFA [[Futsal]] Championship


===Women's===
*[[Calcutta Women's Football League]]
*[[Women's IFA Shield]]

===Youth===
*[[Calcutta Football League|CFL]] 5th Division Group B
*IFA Nursery League

===Evolution of the football system===
{{:Indian Football Association|transcludesection=Evolution}}

==Notable footballers visits==
Because it is often called India's football capital, many international footballing personalities have visited [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]]. In 1977, [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]] played a friendly match against the famous North American Soccer League club [[New York Cosmos (1970–85)|New York Cosmos]], which featured [[Pelé]]. The match, which took place at [[Eden Gardens]], had an attendance of 80,000. The match ended 2–2. Others who have visited Kolkata are Argentinean footballing legend [[Diego Maradona]] and current star [[Lionel Messi]]. Lionel Messi made his captaincy debut for his national side in Kolkata's, [[West Bengal]] Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 2 September 2011 against Venezuela. German legends, including [[Franz Beckenbauer]] and [[Oliver Kahn]], have also visited. The best goalkeeper in football history, Russian [[Lev Yashin]], visited in 1955 and 1973. English World Cup–winning legend [[Bobby Moore]] was the chief guest during the 1984 [[Nehru Cup]]. Emeka Ezuego, the Nigerian World Cup player, played for [[East Bengal]] and [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan Sporting]]. [[Majid Bishkar]], the Iranian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting from 1980 to 1986. Cameroon footballing legend [[Roger Milla]] played for Diamond Club in some exhibition matches in the Centenary Celebration of [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]]. Uruguay football captain [[Diego Forlan]] visited Kolkata in 2010. [[Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]] visited in 2010. Julian Caminho visited [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]] twice—first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011. [[MacDonald Mukansi]] played for East Bengal in 2007.
Because it is often called India's football capital, many international footballing personalities have visited [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]]. In 1977, [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]] played a friendly match against the famous North American Soccer League club [[New York Cosmos (1970–85)|New York Cosmos]], which featured [[Pelé]]. The match, which took place at [[Eden Gardens]], had an attendance of 80,000. The match ended 2–2. Others who have visited Kolkata are Argentinean footballing legend [[Diego Maradona]] and current star [[Lionel Messi]]. Lionel Messi made his captaincy debut for his national side in Kolkata's, [[West Bengal]] Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 2 September 2011 against Venezuela. German legends, including [[Franz Beckenbauer]] and [[Oliver Kahn]], have also visited. The best goalkeeper in football history, Russian [[Lev Yashin]], visited in 1955 and 1973. English World Cup–winning legend [[Bobby Moore]] was the chief guest during the 1984 [[Nehru Cup]]. Emeka Ezuego, the Nigerian World Cup player, played for [[East Bengal]] and [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan Sporting]]. [[Majid Bishkar]], the Iranian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting from 1980 to 1986. Cameroon footballing legend [[Roger Milla]] played for Diamond Club in some exhibition matches in the Centenary Celebration of [[Mohun Bagan Super Giant|Mohun Bagan]]. Uruguay football captain [[Diego Forlan]] visited Kolkata in 2010. [[Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]] visited in 2010. Julian Caminho visited [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]] twice—first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011. [[MacDonald Mukansi]] played for East Bengal in 2007.


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==Footballers from West Bengal==
==Footballers from West Bengal==

The state of West Bengal has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as:
The state of West Bengal has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as:

*[[Chuni Goswami]], first [[Padma Shri]] awardee, awarded best striker of Asia in 1962.
*[[Chuni Goswami]], first [[Padma Shri]] awardee, awarded best striker of Asia in 1962.
*[[Gostho Pal]], footballer, who was member of the Mohun Bagan team that won the IFA shield against a British team in the pre-independence period.
*[[Gostho Pal]], footballer, who was member of the Mohun Bagan team that won the IFA shield against a British team in the pre-independence period.
*[[Krishanu Dey]], footballer, known as the "Indian Maradona".
*[[Krishanu Dey]], footballer, known as the "Indian Maradona".
*[[Mohammed Salim (footballer)|Mohammed Salim]], first player from the Indian subcontinent to play overseas, in the year 1936 for the Scottish Club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic FC]].
*[[Mohammed Salim (footballer)|Mohammed Salim]], first player from the Indian subcontinent to play overseas, in the year 1936 for the Scottish Club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic FC]].
*[[Pradip Kumar Banerjee]], named Indian Footballer of the 20th Century by FIFA, and awardee of the [[FIFA Order of Merit]].
*[[Pradip Kumar Banerjee]], named Indian Footballer of the 20th century by, and awardee of the [[FIFA Order of Merit]].
*[[Shailen Manna]], footballer, the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the [[English FA]] in 1953.
*[[Shailen Manna]], footballer, the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the [[English FA]] in 1953.
*[[Subrata Paul]], member of Indian team, first Indian goalkeeper to play professionally for a foreign club in 1st division (Danish Superliga).
*[[Subrata Paul]], member of Indian team, first Indian goalkeeper to play professionally for a foreign club in 1st division (Danish Superliga).
*[[Sudip Chatterjee (footballer)|Sudip Chatterjee]], footballer, considered among the finest in Indian football, declared AIFF player of the decade in 1994.
*[[Sudip Chatterjee (footballer)|Sudip Chatterjee]], footballer, considered among the finest in Indian football, declared AIFF player of the decade in 1994.


==International football==
==International players origin==
*[[Robin Dutt]], former manager of [[Bundesliga]] club, [[Werder Bremen]].
*[[Robin Dutt]], former manager of [[Bundesliga]] club, [[Werder Bremen]].
*[[Neil Taylor (footballer)|Neil Taylor]], [[Wales|Welsh]] footballer of half-Bengali origin.
*[[Neil Taylor (footballer)|Neil Taylor]], [[Wales|Welsh]] footballer of half-Bengali origin.


==Arjuna award winners==
==Arjuna award winners==
*[[P. K. Banerjee]]

* [[P. K. Banerjee]]
*[[Chuni Goswami]]
* [[Chuni Goswami]]
* Arun Lal Ghosh
* Arun Lal Ghosh
* [[Prasun Banerjee]]
*[[Prasun Banerjee]]
* Sudhir Karmakar
*Sudhir Karmakar
* [[Shanti Mullick]]
*[[Shanti Mullick]]
* [[Subrata Bhattacharya (footballer)|Subrata Bhattacharya]]
*[[Subrata Bhattacharya (footballer)|Subrata Bhattacharya]]
* [[Deepak Mondal|Deepak Kumar Mondal]]
*[[Deepak Mondal|Deepak Kumar Mondal]]
* [[Subrata Pal]]
*[[Subrata Pal]]


==See also==
==See also==
* [[History of Indian football]]
*[[History of Indian football]]
* [[Football in Kolkata]]
*[[Football in Kolkata]]


==References==
==References==
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*{{cite web|url=https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/story-of-legendary-football-coach-dukkhiram|first=Chandak|last=Guha|website=bongodorshon.com|publisher=Bongodorshon Information Desk|language=bn|trans-title=The Englishmen too feared Bengal's legendary first football coach|title=ইংরেজরাও ভয় পেত বাংলার প্রথম কিংবদন্তি ফুটবল কোচকে|location=Kolkata|agency=|date=5 September 2019|access-date=24 October 2022|archive-date=8 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908122903/https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/story-of-legendary-football-coach-dukkhiram}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/story-of-legendary-football-coach-dukkhiram|first=Chandak|last=Guha|website=bongodorshon.com|publisher=Bongodorshon Information Desk|language=bn|trans-title=The Englishmen too feared Bengal's legendary first football coach|title=ইংরেজরাও ভয় পেত বাংলার প্রথম কিংবদন্তি ফুটবল কোচকে|location=Kolkata|agency=|date=5 September 2019|access-date=24 October 2022|archive-date=8 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908122903/https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/story-of-legendary-football-coach-dukkhiram}}


{{Association football by city}}
{{Football in India}}
{{Football in West Bengal}}
{{Football in West Bengal}}
{{Football in India}}

[[Category:Football in India|West Bengal]]
[[Category:Football in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Football in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Sport in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Sport in West Bengal]]

Latest revision as of 11:30, 16 November 2024

Football in West Bengal
Indian crowd during the match between FC Bayern Munich and Mohun Bagan, May 27, 2008
Governing bodyIndian Football Association (IFA)
(formed in 1893)[1]
Audience records
Single match131,781
(1997 Federation Cup Semifinal: East Bengal F.C. VS Mohun Bagan A.C. at Salt Lake Stadium, 1997)[2]

Association football is two most-popular sports in West Bengal, the others being Cricket.[3][4] East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan are the heart of West Bengal football. The rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, originating from the Calcutta Football League as the Kolkata derby, is one of the fiercest in the world and considered among the flagship events in the Indian footballing calendar.[5] West Bengal is known to be the Mecca of Indian football,[6][7] with the two most supported teams in the country being based within the city – Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.[8][9]

The IFA had organised many historical tournaments like the Trades Cup, the Gladstone Cup, the Cooch Behar Cup and the coveted IFA Shield, prior to the incorporation of Calcutta Football League in 1898. The Trades Cup is the oldest tournament in Kolkata, being instituted in 1889.[10]

State teams

[edit]
State teams of West Bengal
Football (Men's) Football (Women's)

The following list includes the performance of West Bengal's state teams at major competitions.

Men's team

[edit]
Main article: West Bengal football team
Tournament Best
performance
Santosh Trophy Champions (1941–42, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83 (Shared with Goa), 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2016–17)
National Games Gold (1994, 2011, 2022)
B.C. Roy Trophy Champions (1961–62, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2024–25)
Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy Champions (1965–66, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2015–16)
M. Dutta Ray Trophy Champions (1992, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)

Women's team

[edit]
Main article: West Bengal women's football team
Tournament Best
performance
Senior Women's National Football Championship Champions (1991–92, 1996–97)
National Games Silver (1999, 2002)
Junior Girl's National Football Championship Champions (2011–12)
Sub–Junior Girl's National Football Championship Champions (2010–11)

Affiliated district associations

[edit]

All 23 district of West Bengal are affiliated with the Indian Football Association.

No. Association District President
1 Alipurduar District Football Association Alipurduar
2 Bankura District Football Association Bankura
3 Paschim Bardhaman District Football Association Paschim Bardhaman
4 Purba Bardhaman District Football Association Purba Bardhaman
5 Birbhum District Football Association Birbhum
6 Cooch Behar District Football Association Cooch Behar
7 Darjeeling District Football Association Darjeeling
8 Dakshin Dinajpur District Football Association Dakshin Dinajpur
9 Hooghly District Football Association Hooghly
10 Howrah District Football Association Howrah
11 Jalpaiguri District Football Association Jalpaiguri
12 Jhargram District Football Association Jhargram
13 Kolkata District Football Association Kolkata
14 Kalimpong District Football Association Kalimpong
15 Malda District Football Association Malda
16 Paschim Medinipur District Football Association Paschim Medinipur
17 Purba Medinipur District Football Association Purba Medinipur
18 Murshidabad District Football Association Murshidabad
19 Nadia District Football Association Nadia
20 North 24 Parganas District Football Association North 24 Parganas
21 South 24 Parganas Football Association South 24 Parganas
22 Purulia District Football Association Purulia
23 Uttar Dinajpur District Football Association Uttar Dinajpur

Organisation of football in West Bengal

[edit]

Competitions

[edit]

Men's

[edit]

Women's

[edit]

Youth

[edit]
  • CFL 5th Division Group B
  • IFA Nursery League

Evolution of the football system

[edit]
Years 1889–1893 1893 1893–1993 1993–2019 2019–2021 2021–2023 2023–present
Level
Men's
State leagues 1 None Formation of
Indian Football Association (IFA) 		CFL Premier Division
2 None CFL 1st Division
3 None CFL 2nd Division
4 CFL 3rd Division
5 CFL 4th Division
6 CFL 5th Division Group A
7 CFL 5th Division Group B
Cup competitions Trades Cup Discontinued
IFA Shield Not continued
Women's
State leagues 1 None Kanyashree Cup Premier Division A
2 None Kanyashree Cup Premier Division B
Cup competitions None Women's IFA Shield


Notable footballers visits

[edit]

Because it is often called India's football capital, many international footballing personalities have visited Kolkata, West Bengal. In 1977, Mohun Bagan played a friendly match against the famous North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos, which featured Pelé. The match, which took place at Eden Gardens, had an attendance of 80,000. The match ended 2–2. Others who have visited Kolkata are Argentinean footballing legend Diego Maradona and current star Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi made his captaincy debut for his national side in Kolkata's, West Bengal Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on 2 September 2011 against Venezuela. German legends, including Franz Beckenbauer and Oliver Kahn, have also visited. The best goalkeeper in football history, Russian Lev Yashin, visited in 1955 and 1973. English World Cup–winning legend Bobby Moore was the chief guest during the 1984 Nehru Cup. Emeka Ezuego, the Nigerian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. Majid Bishkar, the Iranian World Cup player, played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting from 1980 to 1986. Cameroon footballing legend Roger Milla played for Diamond Club in some exhibition matches in the Centenary Celebration of Mohun Bagan. Uruguay football captain Diego Forlan visited Kolkata in 2010. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge visited in 2010. Julian Caminho visited Kolkata, West Bengal twice—first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011. MacDonald Mukansi played for East Bengal in 2007.

Others who have also visited are Terry Paine, Carlos Alberto Torres, Enzo Francescoli, Valencia Ramos, Jorge Burruchaga, Ricardo Gareca, László Kiss, Nicky Butt, Włodzimierz Smolarek, Andrzej Buncol, Eusébio, Ronald Koeman, Paul Breitner, and Swansea City's Neil Taylor.

In July 2023, Argentine World Cup and World Cup Golden Gloves winner Emiliano Martinez also visited the city of Joy, courtesy to Satadru Dutta's initiative. He was grandly welcomed by the citizens and Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Footballers from West Bengal

[edit]

The state of West Bengal has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as:

  • Chuni Goswami, first Padma Shri awardee, awarded best striker of Asia in 1962.
  • Gostho Pal, footballer, who was member of the Mohun Bagan team that won the IFA shield against a British team in the pre-independence period.
  • Krishanu Dey, footballer, known as the "Indian Maradona".
  • Mohammed Salim, first player from the Indian subcontinent to play overseas, in the year 1936 for the Scottish Club Celtic FC.
  • Pradip Kumar Banerjee, named Indian Footballer of the 20th century by, and awardee of the FIFA Order of Merit.
  • Shailen Manna, footballer, the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953.
  • Subrata Paul, member of Indian team, first Indian goalkeeper to play professionally for a foreign club in 1st division (Danish Superliga).
  • Sudip Chatterjee, footballer, considered among the finest in Indian football, declared AIFF player of the decade in 1994.

International players origin

[edit]

Arjuna award winners

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Wadwha, Arjun (19 May 2008). "History of Football in India". thesportscampus.com. TheSportsCampus. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Mohun Bagan and East Bengal: A derby to remember". inbedwithmaradona.com. 24 July 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Football - the passion play in West Bengal". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  4. ^ Hor, Sandip (2010). "Indian Link — The City of Wonders". indianlink.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  5. ^ Pillai, Manu S (8 June 2018). "How football kicked off in India | As with the English language, when the British transported the sport to India, they didn't expect the 'natives' to beat them at it". lifestyle.livemint.com. Delhi, India: Livemint Delhi. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Durand Cup: 'জান জান মহামেডান', ফুটবল মক্কা চাইছে রেশমি কাবাবের সৌরভ". ekolkata24.com (in Bengali). 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ^ Majumdar, Boria, Bandyopadhyay, Kausik (1 February 2006). Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation. New Delhi: Penguin India. ISBN 9780670058747. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Mohun Bagan VS SC East Bengal". FIFA. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  9. ^ Banerjie, Indranil (15 May 1985). "Money, violence and politics enter Calcutta football". India Today. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  10. ^ D'Mello, Anthony (1959). Portrait Of Indian Sport. P R Macmillan Limited, London. p. 186. Retrieved 25 September 2022.

Further reading

[edit]
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