FOOTBALL IN INDIA - THE POINT
Mumbai City FC clinch Indian Super League (ISL) Cup
The Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 concluded with Mumbai City FC clinching the ISL Cup, overcoming defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium, Kolkata.
In a dramatic turnaround, the Islanders rallied with three second-half goals after conceding early in the match, clinching their second ISL Cup trophy. Their first ISL Cup triumph came in the 2020-21 season, also against the Mariners, in a memorable comeback 2-1 victory.
After losing out on the League Shield to the same opponent, this victory marked sweet revenge for the Islanders, achieved at the same venue and before a jam-packed stadium.
The best player in the league, the highest goalscorer, the keeper with the most clean sheets, and the best young player were bestowed, along with two team awards for exceptional performance throughout the season.
These awards were presented before the Islanders lifted the ISL Cup trophy for the 2023-24 season, bringing the curtain down on an enthralling seven-month-long season.
Here is the list of individual and team award winners from the ISL 2023-24 season:
1 - ISL League Winner
Mohun Bagan Super Giant
2 ISL Cup Winner
Mumbai City FC
3 Golden Ball
Dimitrios Petratos (MBSG)
4 Golden Boot
Dimitrios Diamantakos (KBFC)
5 Golden Glove
Phurba Lachenpa (MCFC)
6 Emerging Player of the League
Vikram Partap Singh (MCFC)
7 Best Pitch
Jamshedpur FC
8 Grassroots Award
FC Goa
9 Best Elite Youth Program Bengaluru FC
MOHUN BAGAN SUPER GIANT SEE OFF MUMBAI CITY FC TO WIN LEAGUE SHIELD
Mohun Bagan Super Giant became the Indian Super League (ISL) Champions by defeating Mumbai City FC by 2-1 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The Mariners thus wrested the title back from the Islanders courtesy of a goal each by Liston Colaco and Jason Cummings in this championship-winning clash in the City of Joy. A late 89th minute strike by Lallianzuala Chhangte meant that the game went right down the wire, with eight minutes of added time in the second half adding excitement to this dramatic finish of the league stages. However, the home side held their lead dear despite playing with 10 men after the sending off of Brendan Hamill in the 91st minute of the game.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant jumped to 48 points from 22 matches as a consequence of this result, thus edging past the now second-placed Mumbai City FC (47) by a solitary point.
India Records Historic Rise in Women’s Footballers
Women's Football is on the rise world over. latest FIFA Women's World Cup showed a massive rise in stadium attendence, viewership and broadcast revenue.
on this backdrop, overview of the Womens Football scenario in India, the global future football 'Market'!
- India witnessing 138 % rise in female footballers
- India has 27,936 registered female footballers as of March 2024.
- Indian Women's League (IWL) 1 and 2 doing the wonders
- India currently has 22 active State Leagues for women’s football
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Indian football has recorded a historic 138 per cent surge in women’s player registration for the last two years, indicating a healthy growth in the popularity of the sport as well as an increase in young female athletes opting for football, professionally.
According to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Central Registration System (CRS) data, India has 27,936 registered female footballers as of March 2024. This is a massive
138 % rise in numbers of female footballers in last 21 months. India had 11,724 female footballers registered in June 2022.
The increase is supposed to be the result of the following factors -
- A slew of measures including course correction that was brought in for the Indian Women’s League (IWL) in the current season of 2023-24.
- Subsequent introduction of a second division competition IWL-2.
- Availability of live broadcast has indeed helped in enhancing the profile of the sport.
- The 2022-23 season of IWL was played at a single venue in Ahmedabad among 16 teams, with Gokulam Kerala FC winning their third consecutive title. This season (2023-24) the format was changed to ‘home-and-away’, which was a big success, appreciated by the clubs, players and fans. Odisha FC emerged victorious ending GKFC’s 3-year long dominance and will represent India in the AFC continental competition.
- The inaugural IWL-2 saw participation of 15 clubs at the group stage
- India today also boosts of 24 active State Leagues for women’s football, which acts as the 3rd tier of the pyramid and has helped the national federation populate the sport among masses.
Kalyan Chaubey, The President of AIFF says -
“We are noticing a rapid growth in the women’s football in India. Players and clubs are getting more game time due to increase in number of matches in domestic circuit, making it increasingly competitive. Opportunity to play the AFC organised continental championship – AFC Women’s Cup - is a big motivator for India clubs today,”
“women’s football will have priority focus in the coming years.”
“It’s a very positive trend we are witnessing in India. To have as many as 16,212 new female players in our football ecosystem is an encouraging sign that we are on the right track in our planning for the women’s football in India.
Manipur champions for the 22nd time in Sr Women's NFC for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy
Senior Women's National Football Championship -
Manipur champions for the 22nd time in Sr Women's NFC
Manipur 2 (Ngangom Bala Devi 68’, Nongmeikapam Sibani Devi 83’)
beat
Haryana 0
Manipur defeated Haryana 2-0 in the final of the 28th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy, to clinch their 22nd title.
Indian international star - Ngangom Bala Devi (68’) and Nongmeikapam Sibani Devi (83’) scored the goals to hand Manipur the match.
Individual Awards:
Best Goalkeeper of the Championship: Shreya Hooda (Haryana)
Top Goalscorer of the Championship: Ngangom Bala Devi (Manipur) and Yumnam Kamala Devi
Player of the Championship: Ngangom Bala Devi (Manipur)