10 Best Indian Football Players of All Time – Ranked

India is a country known as a sleeping giant on the football stage. The Indian national football team had an incredible history in the 1960s. Their performances on the biggest stages have caught the attention of the world. However, the team has struggled ever since. But with a renewed interest in the sport, the game is on the up again. Let us take a look at the top 10 best Indian football players of all time.

The Indian national team first took shape in the early 1900s and was filled with Britishers serving the East India Company. In the years that followed, only Indians began filling up the team. They had incredible success in the early years after touring Australia. The team enjoyed its golden spell from 1950 to 1970 after dominating legendary teams like France and Australia on the world stages.

The Indian crowd and the government honoured the legends of yesteryear. However, the rise of other sports combined with the constant underperformance of the Indian team resulted in a serious decline. The sport reached an all-time low in the late 2010s. The board’s actions in promoting a unified league structure have revived the Indian team. Through an extensive footballing culture and emerging talent coming through, the future is promising for the Indian Football Team.

In today’s reading, we will rank the 10 best Indian football players of All Time. The players named in this list had an excellent impact on the team they played in and were key members of the game getting recognition from the crowd through their skill and endurance. It includes legends from the 20th century when Indian players were dominating the game. It also has a couple of players who have brought the limelight back onto the football in the country.

Ranking Factors

1) Influence on the game

The first factor takes into account how influential these players have been to the people and the future players. Of the 10 players included in the list, a minimum of 3-4 players would be the reason any modern Indian footballer took up the sport professionally. Such is their influence on the game.

2) Trophies Won

India has not won a lot on the international stage. Their success has come in the middle of the 20th century. Understandably so a lot of the players in this list are from that super team. A few modern legends who have contributed have also found their place on this list.

3) Longevity 

The players on the list not only had great careers, but they also had long careers. They started out as prodigies and went on to fulfil their potential. Even when they were done with their playing career, they turned to coaching or opening academies and providing the youth of the country with excellent opportunities going forward.

Best Indian Football Players of All Time

Rank	Player	Appearances(National Team)	Goals	Assists
1	Sunil Chhetri	151	94	–
2	P.K.Banerjee	52	16	N/A
3	Baichung Bhutia	84	27	N/A
4	Chuni Goswami	37	12	N/A
5	Gostha Pal	37	5	N/A
6	Sailen Manna	14	N/A	N/A
7	Neville D’Souza	15	11	N/A
8	Peter Thangaraj	N/A	–	–
9	I.M.Vijayan	72	29	N/A
10	Subrata Pal	67	–	–

10. Subrata Paul

Nicknamed the Spider-Man of Indian Football, Paul is one of the finest goalkeepers produced in India. He was known for his excellent reflexes and shot-stopping abilities. He often made headlines with his key saves from penalty shootouts.

Paul was from West Bengal and graduated from the famous TATA football academy. He overcame tragic heartbreak early in his career while playing for Mohun Bagan as his unfortunate collision with Cristiano Junior led to his untimely demise. Paul then grew as a person and player to continue his career and went on to become the number one goalkeeper for India.

Paul was signed by the Danish club FC Vaestsjaelland and became the first Indian goalkeeper to sign for a European top-flight club. Although he never made a first-team appearance he trained with the reserves. Paul made headlines in the AFC Asian Cup in 2011 as he saved 16 shots on target against South Korea hence earning the Spider-Man tag.

Also Read: Ranking Top 10 Best Defenders in the World 2025

9. I.M.Vijayan

I.M. Vijayan is one of the best footballers India produced. Born as Inivalappil Mani Vijayan in a traditional Malayali family in Thrissur, Kerala he overcame all the odds to become one of the best strikers in the country. Vijayan was selling sodas for a living outside the football ground in his teenage to make a living. He used to play football whenever he had the time.

His aggressive nature on the field, pace, and skill caught the eye of the DGP of Kerala who invited him to play for the Kerala Police football team. It paved the way for his rise and he showcased excellent poacher instincts as he had stellar spells with multiple top clubs in India including Mohun Bagan, Churchill Brothers, and East Bengal.

Vijayan then became the captain of the Indian national team and scored 29 times for the national side. He scored the fastest international goal for the Indian national team just 12 seconds after the kickoff. He was named the footballer of the year in 1993,1997 and 1999. Vijayan had a lot of interest from Malaysian and Thai clubs but never made the switch. He set up an academy post his retirement to help the young talent of the country.

8. Peter Thangaraj

Thangaraj who idolized the legendary Lev Yashin followed in his footsteps by becoming the mainstay in the Indian national team that won the Gold Medal at the Asian Games in 1962. The Hyderabad-born custodian started his career as a centre-forward but then shifted to the goalkeeper role as he realized his true calling.

Thangaraj joined the Indian Army and played as a non-commissioned player for the football team. After winning the Durand Cup twice in 1955 and 1958, Thangaraj captained Services to his first Santosh Trophy triumph in 1960. During that time, Thangaraj’s excellent shot-saving, great reach while saving, and long goal kick that often became assists were widely received.

He was the first choice of S.A Rahim during the Asian Games and started the finals of that tournament after shaking off an injury scare. His great showing helped India win the gold medal and Thangaraj won the bigger moves to India’s top clubs following those heroics. He was honoured with an Arjun Award in 1972.

7. Neville D’Souza

In another world, Neville’s name wouldn’t have made it to the list of the best Indian football players of all time. The Goa-born striker started his professional career in field hockey. He even went on tours with Tata Sports Club to East Africa as a forward and was a free-scoring forward there too.

Suddenly, his technique and running and his love for the game made coaches turn Neville towards football. He was a natural at the sport and became one of the best-ever Indian strikers. According to the staff that watched him live from the ground, he was the most talented one on the team and it was a shame that television wasn’t available so the entire country could watch him play.

Neville’s crowning moment came in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics when he became the first Asian to score a hat trick at the Olympics. After being on the receiving end of constant sledging from Australia, Neville responded in style by scoring a treble and ended the tournament as joint top scorer with 4 goals as India finished a record high of fourth. Neville further boosted his legacy by scoring a brace against Australia to beat them again in an unofficial friendly as they invited India for a rematch following a 4-1 defeat that they called a fluke.

6. Sailen Manna

Manna can be considered one of the best Indian footballers of all time and certainly one of the best Indian defenders of all time. The Bengali left-back was a wonderful human being and had all the qualities to lead a team from the front. His leadership skills made him stand out along with his stern defending and excellent free-kicks.

Manna graduated from Surendra College and worked for the Geographical Survey of India before playing for Howrah Union and then moved to Mohun Bagan. He spent his entire career with the Bengali giants often captaining them and earned only Rs 19 throughout his career as he refused a salary. Manna captained Bengal to multiple Santosh Trophies too.

He was part of the Indian national team at the 1948 London Olympics where India lost 1-2 to a strong France side. Manna missed a penalty to equalize the game and says it was one of his biggest regrets. The team played barefooted throughout the tournament and was admired by Princess Margaret of England.

He showed excellent character to recover well and was made the captain of the team as he led them to a Gold Medal at the Asian Games in 1951. He also tasted success at the Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament. Manna was honoured by being named in the 10 best captains list by the English FA in 1953. He was the only Asian to be given that honour then. He was also named the AIFF Player of the Millenium.

5. Gostha Pal

Gostha Behari Pal was every Indian ever growing up. He was proficient in cricket, hockey, volleyball, and football. But then he went on to carve a niche for himself and become the first captain of the Indian National Football Team. The legendary defender is regarded as the finest of his kind his country has produced.

A young Gostha Pal was inspired by the heroics of Shibdas Baduri who helped Mohun Bagan lift the IFA Shield in 1911. He was training with Kumartuli AC then and decided to take up football professionally. Mohun Bagan invited him to join the club and it became his home for life. He rose through the ranks as a strong and technical defender known for his tackles. His incredible leadership made him the captain of the club.

Pal was part of the Mohun Bagan team that dominated the Calcutta Football League and led them on a legendary run in the Rovers Cup in Bombay against several English teams. It earned him the nickname “Chinese Wall” for his stronghold on the defence and his influence on the team.

He was then made the captain for multiple tours of the Indian football team to Ceylon. The team used to have Indian players as well as English ones. Since the tour was officially recognized, Pal entered the history books as the first official captain of the Indian football team. He was honoured by the Indian Government post his death and became a celebrated figure in Indian football.

4. Chuni Goswami

Dubbed the poster boy of Indian Football by historians, Goswani is one of the best forwards in India. The flamboyant Bengali was well-regarded as a one-club man for spending his entire career with Mohun Bagan. It was said that he rejected an offer from Tottenham Hotspurs to continue playing for Bengal’s best club.

Goswami was known for his dribbling, passing, ball control and finishing. He played as a striker but could also do more than a job as a winger. Goswami came through the ranks at Mohun Bagan and was personally mentored by Balaidas Chatterjee. He captained the club and formed a formidable partnership with Jarnail Singh at the club. He scored 326 times for the club and helped them win the CFL 6 times along with adding 4 IFA Sheilds and Durand Cups.

Goswami’s best days, however, came with the Indian National Team as he was S.A. Rahim’s most trusted striker and captain. He scored for fun in the friendlies and performed admirably well as the Indian team won the hearts at the Olympics and the Gold Medal at the 1962 Asian Games. Goswami was named the Best Striker of Asia for his exploits at the Asian Games.

Apart from football, he was exceptional in cricket too. He started playing cricket in 1962 and once he hung up his boots in football, he took up cricket professionally. He was an all-rounder who could bat and bowl equally well. He captained Bengal to two Ranji Trophy finals and played against India’s best in Sunil Gavaskar and Ajit Wadekar along with West Indies’ finest in Gary Sobers.

3. Bhaichung Bhutia

The forward can be regarded as the torchbearer of Indian football on the international stage. The striker nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his rocket shots, was a force of nature. He was agile, quick, and could get a shot off on either foot. He had an event-filled career in his playing days.

Bhutia started his footballing career in Sikkim and the Gangtok League. Scouts from Bengal encouraged him to transition to the Calcutta football league. He left Sikkim at the age of 16 to join East Bengal. He had 5 different spells with the club throughout his career. Bhutia had the biggest breakthrough when he became the first Indian to sign a professional contract with a European Club. He only became the second Indian to play professionally in Europe when he donned the Bury shirt. However, injuries prevented him from having a profound impact as he only scored thrice in three seasons.

A successful spell back to India awaited him as he scored crucial goals for East Bengal whilst also having moved to Thailand and Malaysia. Bhutia debuted under I.M. Vijayan and formed a crucial strike pair with him. Together, they ended a 27-year drought from Asian Football for India by qualifying for the finals. Bhutia went on to have 84 caps for India and scored 27 times. Post-retirement, he opened Bhutia football schools to develop young footballers in his country. 

2. P.K.Banerjee

Considered one of the best forwards produced by India, Banerjee was a versatile player who could play anywhere across the front line. Originally from Bihar, Banerjee made his debut for the state aged just 15 in the Santosh Trophy. After a couple of moves around, he switched his allegiance to Eastern Railway and represented them for his life.

Banerjee is known for his quick burst of pace and the ability to take on defenders. He used to have a great shot from inside the box and even from the outside. Banerjee was very intelligent and could find his teammates in the box with delicious crosses. He was part of the famous holy trinity of Indian football alongside Chuni Goswami and Tulsidas Balram.

He debuted for the national team in 1955 as part of S.A. Rahim’s overhaul. Rahim wanted a fresh team to conquer Asia and trusted new faces. Banerjee was given the creative freedom to break defences. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he scored the all-important equaliser in a 1-1 draw against France. He also played a key role in the incredible Asian Games triumph of 1962.

Banerjee hung up his boots after scoring 16 times for India in 52 appearances. Banerjee was named the Indian Footballer of the 20th Century by IFFHS. He also received the FIFA Order of Merit in 2004.

Also Read: Top 10 best strikers in the world 2025 – Current

1. Sunil Chhetri

Captain, Leader, Legend. These words can only be used to describe Sunil Chhetri. Such is the impact of the striker on Indian football in the modern day. He single-handedly made the crowds tune into football when other sports were taking centre stage. He was often beating teams singlehandedly. He became the highest-capped player for India scoring 94 times. He is the 4th highest international goalscorer behind only the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Born in Secunderabad, he played for the Delhi-based City Club in his youth. After impressing Mohun Bagan in a tournament, they snapped him up. Chhetri made a name for himself with his intense style of pressing. He had immense technique with his finishing and displayed excellent poaching instincts in the boxes. Despite not being the biggest man on the pitch he used to score a lot of bullet headers with intelligent runs and positioning. 

Chhetri was supposed to play for the English side QPR after signing a three-year deal with them. However, the British government denied him a work permit as India was ranked below the permissible 70 FIFA rank. He was forced to settle with a move to the USA with Kansas Wizards but never made an official appearance for them. He then returned to India and joined Bengaluru FC. The veteran forward still plays for the South Indian side in the Indian Super League and scored 87 times for them.

Chhetri’s most crucial contributions have come with the Indian National Team. Chettri is what Baichunga Bhutia was to I.M. Vijayan. He debuted under Bhutia and formed a fine strike pair with him. Soon, he took over the baton becoming the captain of the side and leading India to the AFC Asian Cups. He scored a hattrick in the finals of the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 thus earning India a spot at the 2011 Asian Cup. He also scored in a historic 4-1 rout of Thailand at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Chhetri was reliable and quite often the only source of goals for his side. They looked up to him and he always delivered. In the twilight of his career, injuries took a toll on him and decided to hang up his boots as India crashed out of contention for the 2026 World Cup.

For his immense contribution to the sport, he was awarded the Arjuna Award, Khel Ratna and the most prestigious Padma Shri awards by the Government of India. Chhetri aims to mentor a young Indian squad to reach their fullest potential and make it to the biggest tournaments in the future.