Football in Kolkata


is one of the most popular sports in Kolkata, West Bengal. East Bengal Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan are the heart of Kolkata football. The rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is one of the fiercest in the world and is considered a flagship event in the Indian footballing calendar. Another professional club was formed on June 1, 2020, by the merger of Mohun Bagan and ATK. Kolkata is known to be the hub of Indian football with the two most supported teams in the country being based within the city – Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Both teams used to play against each other in the Kolkata derby. The city is also home to the biggest stadium in India, the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, which as of 2015 has a capacity of 85,000. The record attendance of 131,000 came in a match between the said two teams in the semifinal of the 1997 Federation Cup.

Footballers who have visited Kolkata

Being India's football capital, many international footballing personalities have graced Kolkata with their visit. 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 a match attendance of 80,000. The match ended 2-2. Others to visit Kolkata were Argentinean footballing legends Diego Maradona and current Argentinean footballing star Leo Messi. German legends like Franz Beckenbauer and Oliver Kahn have also made their visit. Best goalkeeper in football history, Russian footballer Lev Yashin made his first visit in 1955 and then in 1973. English World Cup winning legend Bobby Moore was the chief guest during the 1984 Nehru Cup. Emeka Ezuego, the Nigerian World Cupper played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. Majid Bishkar the Iranian World Cupper played for East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting from 1980 - 1986. Cameroon footballing legend, Roger Milla came to play 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 twice—first in 1988 to play for East Bengal and again in 2011.
MacDonald Mukansi played for East Bengal in 2007.
Others who also visited were 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.

Footballers from West Bengal

The state of West Bengal has contributed many legends to Indian football, such as
The West Bengal football team is an Indian football team representing West Bengal in the Santosh Trophy.
They have appeared in the Santosh Trophy finals 43 times, and have won the trophy 31 times,. Prior to 1972, the team competed as 'Bengal'.