How ISL Transformed Indian Football?

Football Lovers of India! Yes, we are talking to you. Before 2013, everything was depressing to you. No matter how much love you showed about football, India never cared for you. Your passion for football never outshined the passion for cricket followed by the majority. 

They always skipped channels if Indians played football and switched to sports channels which covered their favorite cricket player and their master strokes. Yes, there were occasional limelights of other sports like Tennis and Hockey, but the thunder always remained with Cricket. 

Finally, after seeing the potential of Indians in football, the government of India decided that the potential needed to be implemented in football grounds and thus began a new era of domestic league. ISL was formed by Reliance Star India and the All India Football Federation 2013. In 1996 an attempt was made to establish a domestic league but was canceled due to a lack of professionalism in football. 

According to the reports of Wikipedia. FC Kochin did not pay its salaries to its players and the same method was followed by other clubs too and hence the league was discarded. This digital copy of NLB predictions wants you to witness the rise of ISL and the potential it holds for its future 

Early days of Indian football 

Well, we cannot deny that our colonizers introduced us to the sport, and football was seen as a sport by the Naval officers and British army who were stationed in India during the 1800s. The British established their football club known as the Calcutta FC club but the true stepping stone of Indian football was done by Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhkari, also known as the father of football. 

The Father of  Indian football

Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhkari was merely a boy of 10 years old when he was traveling with his mother in a carriage. At the Calcutta FC club, he saw people playing football that he did not even know that the sport was called football. 

He stopped his carriage and watched them play, as the ball bounced on towards him while a British man shouted “ Pass the ball mate” He then kicked the ball towards the British football player and went home. He was so obsessed with the incident that a mental picture was captured in his mind 

The next day he went along with his peers to buy a football from Calcutta's famous shop known as Bowbazar Messrs and Manton & Co. With the new ball they started playing. Mr. Prasad started playing the game with his friends and this was witnessed by some of the European and Scottish teachers from the school. 

They handed them a rulebook of playing this game and with that Nagendra and his buddies established the first football club in India known as the Boys Club. The nearby popular institutions known as St Xavier’s College, Presidency College, and Medical College also nicknamed this game and it started getting popular and created a massive buzz on the streets of Calcutta. 

The Giants in the making 

As Kolkata became the epicenter of football, three giant clubs were set up which were known as Mohammedan Sporting Club (est 1891), Mohun Bagan (1889), and East Bengal (Est 1920). By 1937 all these clubs having Indian players had beaten the British teams of Calcutta FC club and hence the All India Football Federation was established in 1937. The AIFF would serve as a singular governing body for all football played across India. 

The pre-independence spark 

After India gained independence in 1947, the Mohammedan sporting club went on to beat Warwickshire beating them 2-1, Now All India Football Federation decided to go global and arranged their first football tour in Sri Lanka which comprised Indian and British players.  It was during the match with Sri Lanka, that Gostha Pal was regarded as the captain of the Indian team and won the match 2-0.  

After that, there were five friendly matches with Australia where the Indian team won 5-4.  Gostha Pal also scored a hat trick during this time and it was the first-ever recorded hat trick by the  Indian player. 

The Olympic shine 

India qualified for the Olympics in 1948 Olympics but was beaten by France. A strong crowd of 18k attended to witness the play. The Indian players lost 2-1 though they won everyone's hearts since all the Indian players were barefoot during that time. 

The entry of ISL 

ISL began their domestic game in 2014 and it was an instant hit.  A record-breaking TV audience was present to witness the event and some say it was more than 460 million. This report came from BARC. According to them, this happened only because foreign players like Alessandro and Robert Pires were allowed entry. 

After the initial success of ISL, there is no turning back now.  ISL turned out to be a business triumph and a goldmine. The critics said it was a money-printing machine but nobody can deny that ISL has given Indian players global fame. The entry of foreign players into the Indian players has also forced Indian players to play their game to their full potential and improve their skills.  

In addition, clubs like Bengaluru FC have been constantly producing young talents to serve the country and their league.

AFC recognition 

As of 2024, ISL has made Indian football so popular that it has been recognized by the Asian Confederation.  This means All India Football Federation has opened a portal where India will forever qualify for Asian games and participate in the Asian Football League where team 

Future of ISL 

According to the reports shared by Newsclick, the Indian national team coach known as Ignor Stimac, the future doesn't look bright as the ISl broadcasters are concentrated on making money and not investing in the players.  According to the coach, the Indian football team has not played high-stakes matches and the future doesn't look bright at all. 

He added “ I am happy that under my guidance the team has gone to the finals of the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers, but that doesn't mean we play good football. The national team has still not fallen in love with football and to win tropes love is the need for the hour”

He also said “ India should stop celebrating their fame of going to the Asian Cup qualifiers and should make concrete plans for the FIFA qualifiers. Yes we have made good passes,  have several target shots and we have achieved a dynamic where other people score goals rather than Sunil Chhetri only” 

When asked by media persons in an interview in 2024, he said “ The players need a six-week holiday to rejuvenate and we should make Indian footballers comfortable. Compared to other nations in Asia, we are 10 years behind”