Sunil Chhetri is surely the greatest of all time in Indian football. His consistency at the age of 38 talks about many things in itself. The Man, The Myth, The Legend is scoring goals for fun even in the twilight of his career. In the ongoing SAFF Championship. he has already scored 5 goals in three matches including a hat trick against Pakistan. His goal tally has been extended to 92 as he is only 11 goals behind one of the greatest players to ever play football, Lionel Messi. During a press conference ahead of the Semi-Final against Lebanon, the Indian skipper shared his thoughts on his retirement plans.
"When I'll see the markers I have set are not there, I'm done, I'll be gone," Sunil Chhetri shares his thoughts on retirement
"I have no idea when my last game for my country gonna be and I am being very honest. It is derived from the fact that I've never had long-term targets. I want to think about the next 10 days, the next match, next 10 days of training. It will come a day when I probably will not want to because of a lot of other things. I'll be done but till that time I don't think about it." Indian Captain Sunil Chhetri said.
"Generally, there are a few parameters that I think about whether I am contributing to the team or not, whether I am sprinting with Udanta or not, whether I am going for headers with Sandesh or not, and whether I am able to score against Gurpreet or not in training. So all these markers tell me whether I am good enough for this team. The day I start seeing that it's not there, I am done, I am gone," he added.
"One is the fact that I love football and second, you don't get the opportunity to play for the country. Only these two are left. Apart from that the fame, the money, and all are done. I've done that and that doesn't impress me much. So these two three things which are very important to me are left, the day these things are not met for whatever reasons, I'm gone. Sadly, I can't tell you whether it's tomorrow, one year, or six months. So, the day the patrol is finished or the diesel or the electric whatever you want, I'm done," Chhetri concluded.
"We need better players than Chhetri in the future"
The Indian captain also explains what kind of players they need in the future for further developments. When our SportzPoint journalist asked him "What your advise would be for the youngsters who want to be like Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan," he said that India needs better than Chhetri and Jhingan for the future.
"I think we need better than Chhetri and Jhingan. If we want to reach where we want then we definitely need better players than me and Sandesh. That should be the motive. Slowly and steadily if we produce another Chhetri and Sandesh, We'll be stagnant. We have to keep upping our quality and tempo. So those two kids, they reach my level when they are fourteen and they can surpass me and Jhingan when they're 18-20 because that will give us lots of good impetus for our national team," Sunil Chhetri explained.
AIFF Awards 2025: Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth Shine as Top Players
Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth won the Best Men's and Women's Player of the Year Awards, respectively, in the recently concluded AIFF Awards 2025. Here are all the winners this season.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) celebrated the best of Indian football at the AIFF Awards 2025, held today in Bhubaneswar, honouring outstanding players, coaches, referees, and member associations for their contributions during the 2024-25 season.
Subhasish Bose recieving the Best Men's Footballer of the Year Award. Image | AIFFSoumya Guguloth won the Women's Footballer of the Year Award. Image | AIFF
The ceremony highlighted the growing competitiveness of Indian football, with Mohun Bagan SG’s Subhasish Bose and East Bengal FC’s Soumya Guguloth crowned Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, respectively.
AIFF Awards 2025 Winners
Individual Awards
Men's Player of the Year: Subhasish Bose (Mohun Bagan SG, Defender)
Recognised for his leadership as captain and stellar performances for Mohun Bagan SG as the mariners became the first team to defend the ISL Shield, along with reclaiming the ISL Cup. Bose kept 13 clean sheets as a defender and scored 6 goals as well.
Women's Player of the Year: Soumya Guguloth (East Bengal FC, Forward)
Honoured as the top Indian scorer in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and a key player for the Blue Tigresses. She helped East Bengal FC win the IWL 2024-25 title.
Men's Goalkeeper of the Year: Vishal Kaith (Mohun Bagan SG)
Awarded for holding the record for the most clean sheets in Indian Super League (ISL) history. Kaith had a record 15 clean sheets in ISL 2024-25 and conceded only 19 goals across 26 appearances
Most Promising Men's Player of the Year: Brison Fernandes (Midfielder)
Noted for his midfield mastery and potential as a rising star.
Most Promising Women's Player of the Year: Neha (Haryana, Winger)
Recognised for her performances, including 2 goals in the SAFF U19 Women’s Championship and 3 goals in the Senior Women’s National Championship.
Men's Coach of the Year: Khalid Jamil (Jamshedpur FC)
Won for the second consecutive year for leading Jamshedpur FC to the Kalinga Super Cup semifinals.
Women's Coach of the Year: Sujata Kar (Sreebhumi FC)
Awarded for guiding newly-promoted Sreebhumi FC to a third-place finish in the IWL.
Male Referee of the Year: Venkatesh R
Acknowledged for consistent officiating on the pitch.
Female Referee of the Year: Tekcham Ranjita Devi
Recognised for her officiating excellence.
Male Referee of the Year: Venkatesh R
Male Assistant Referee of the Year: Vairamuthu P
Member Association (MA) Awards
Most Successful MA (Club Competitions): Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
For dominance in men’s competitions, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal winning major titles.
Most Successful MA (NFC Competitions): All Manipur Football Association
Recognised for success in the National Football Championships.
Best MA for Supporting Women’s Football: Punjab Football Association
Honoured for contributions to women’s football development.
Best MA for Hosting Most AIFF Competitions: Football Association of Odisha and Goa Football Association
For hosting numerous AIFF events.
MA with Most Player Registrations (Men’s): Kerala Football Association
For the highest number of male player registrations.
MA with Most Player Registrations (Women’s): Western India Football Association (Maharashtra)
For leading in female player registrations.
Special Award for MA Launching New Projects: Gujarat State Football Association
For innovative football initiatives.
MA with Most Grassroots Activities: Gujarat State Football Association
For extensive grassroots programs.
MA with Most Youth Tournaments Conducted: Karnataka State Football Association
For organising numerous youth tournaments.
MA with Most Coaching Courses: Punjab Football Association
For conducting the most coaching courses.
MA with Most Refereeing Courses: Gujarat State Football Association
As Liverpool FC won their second title of the Premier League era, let's look at the clubs with the most Premier League titles in the history of English Football.
Premier League, also known as the English Premier League, is a top-tier football league in England. This league consists of 20 teams in a league system with a relegation and promotion system to/from the English Championship.
Each team plays 38 matches against every other team, 19 at home and away. The seasons generally start in August and run till May. The Premier League is the most-watched sports league globally and is broadcast in over 200 territories with an average number of viewers of 4.7 billion.
As Liverpool FC won their second title of the Premier League era, we will look at the clubs with the most Premier League titles in the history of English Football.
The Football League First Division was the top-tier football league in England from 1888. But in the post-1970s and early 1980s, the league started to reach a low point with incidents like the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster, which banned them from UEFA Competitions for five years.
But after England reached the 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, the downward trend started to reverse. The stadium started to get filled, and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards also helped clubs to create better standard stadiums.
After a dispute over TV rights and maximising the club revenue, the big five clubs, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Arsenal, opted to come out of the Football League First Division and create another league.
At the close of the 1990-91 season, the FA Premier League was formed, and from 1992-93 the Premier League era started with 22 teams. Manchester United were the first Premier League champions and went on to win seven of the first nine trophies.
Who has won the most Premier League titles?
Till now, 51 teams have played in the Premier League since the tournament was rebranded in 1992. 7 teams have successfully won the Premier League title.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham are considered the 'Big Six' in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Tottenham haven't lifted any major title in their history, but still, they go toe to toe with every club and take part in the title race.
Manchester United, with 13 Premier League titles since 1992, are the most successful club in the Premier League era.
Most Premier League titles won by the clubs
Manchester United- 13
Manchester City- 8
Chelsea - 5
Arsenal- 3
Liverpool- 2
Blackburn Rovers - 1
Leicester City -1
Most Premier League Titles
7. Leicester City - 1 title
Leicester City won the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season | Image: Sky Sports
In the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester City won the title in the Premier League. They were considered to be an underdog before but they overcame the rough phase and won the Premier League title in the club's 132-year history.
Striker Jamie Vardy broke the record for consecutive games with a goal in the Premier League (11). Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez became both the first African and Algerian player to be the recipient of the PFA Players' Player of the Year.
Blackburn won the title in the 1994-95 season | Image: Reuters
Blackburn Rovers was one of the 22 founding members of the Premier League era. They won the Premier League a long time ago in the 1994-95 season. Alan Shearer, with 34 goals for them, was the top scorer of the season. However, they were relegated in the 1998–99 season, becoming one of the 42 teams that were relegated as the Premier League champions.
Right after two seasons, they were promoted again in the 2000-01 season, but they were relegated yet once again, and that too in the same season. Unfortunately, they have not returned to the Premier League since then.
5. Liverpool FC - 2 titles
Liverpool FC after winning the Premier League 2024-25 title. Image | Liverpool FC
The Anfield Giants are one of the most popular English Clubs. Midfield maestros Steven Gerrard and William Shankly were a few of the legends that the club produced.
However, Liverpool had to wait for 30 years for their first-ever Premier League title. The club won the Premier League once in 2019-20 under German tactician Jurgen Klopp. That was Liverpool's nineteenth overall title in England's top-tier football.
Mohamed Salah, with 19 goals, was one of the star performers for the Reds in that season.
As their most recent league success, Liverpool won the Premier League 2024-25 title with 4 games to go in the season. Arne Slot's first season as the Liverpool manager gave them their 20th Title in the top flight and 2nd in the Premier League era.
Mohamed Salah again played a pivotal role in their success with 28 goals and counting.
4. Arsenal FC - 3 titles
Arsenal won the 2003-04 title as Invincibles | Image: Getty
The London Giants Arsenal are one of the most famous football clubs on planet earth. They have won the title 3 times in the years 1997-98, 2001-02, and 2003-04.
They were the first club to create Premier League history by maintaining a 38-game unbeaten streak to win the title in 2003-04.
In domestic football, Arsenal has won 13 league titles, a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, and 17 FA Community Shields, but they haven't won a single European title yet.
Chelsea won their first Premier League title under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 season | Image: Chelsea
Another London club, Chelsea, is on this list, and there is no doubt why they are the best London Club in the Premier League. They won the title 5 times in the years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15, and 2016-17.
The Blues won their first Premier League title under the 'Special One'Jose Mourinho, who completely changed the face of this London Club alongside Roman Abramovich, who was the Chelsea owner at that time.
They have also won the Champions League 2 times, alongside 2 Europa League titles.
2. Manchester City - 8 titles
City players celebrating their sixth title in seven seaons.
Manchester City, the Blue side of Manchester, are the reigning champions of England and Europe. This team have won the title 7 times in the years 2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
In the 2023-24 season, Manchester City became the first club to win the Premier League for a record fourth consecutive season. No side in English football history had ever won the top-flight more than three years back-to-back.
They are the second Club after Manchester United to complete the three-pit in the Premier League and win the European treble.
The club has won nine league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, six FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, one European Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Manchester United are the most successful club in the Premier League era | Image: X
The team with the most Premier League Titles is Manchester United, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. They are the most successful team in the English Premier League and also the most famous English Club on the Entire Planet. United were also the first-ever team to win the Premier League.
They were the first English club to ever win the European treble, and that remained a record until Manchester City finally matched it in the 2022-23 season. Manchester United won the titles in 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13.
They have also won the most number of trophies in England, and that happened because of the Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. Sir Alex is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football
Mohun Bagan SG Edges Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 in Kalinga Super Cup 2025 Quarter-Finals
Goals from Sahal Abdul Samad in the 22nd minute and Suhail Ahmad Bhat in the 51st minute of the match helped Mohun Bagan SG beat Kerala Blasters FC by 2-1 to qualify for the semis of Kalinga Super Cup 2025.
On a vibrant Saturday evening, April 26, 2025, Mohun Bagan SG’s youthful squad clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kerala Blasters FC in the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 quarter-finals, securing their spot in the semi-finals.
The Mariners, boasting an all-Indian lineup save for Portuguese defender Nuno Reis, showcased their attacking flair with goals from Sahal Abdul Samad in the 22nd minute and Suhail Ahmad Bhat in the 51st. Despite a late strike from Kerala Blasters’ Sreekuttan MS in the 94th minute, Mohun Bagan SG held firm, thanks to a stellar performance by goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem. Bastab Roy’s team now awaits the winner of the FC Goa vs. Punjab FC clash in the semi-final on April 30.
The match kicked off cautiously, with both sides probing without overcommitting. For the first 20 minutes, neither team managed to create clear chances. Then, Mohun Bagan SG sparked the game to life with a moment of brilliance.
Salahudheen Adnan dazzled down the right, weaving past Naocha Singh before delivering a pinpoint cross into the box. Sahal Abdul Samad, with a deft shoulder drop, shook off Ruivah Hormipam and delicately lifted the ball over goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to break the deadlock.
The goal jolted Kerala Blasters into action, and they pushed hard for an equaliser. Noah Sadaoui, fresh off a spectacular long-range goal against East Bengal, tried his luck from distance but sent the ball straight to Dheeraj Singh.
The Blasters grew threatening from set pieces, particularly short corners. In the 30th minute, Sadaoui’s low cross after a quick one-two with Vibin Mohanan was cleared by Dippendu Biswas. Moments later, Hormipam’s looping cross nearly sneaked into the top corner, only for Dheeraj to tip it over.
Just before halftime, Mohammed Aimen cut in from the left and unleashed a curling shot that sailed narrowly over the bar, leaving the Blasters frustrated.
The second half began with Mohun Bagan SG striking early. In the 47th minute, Sachin Suresh pulled off a stunning save to deny Salahudheen in a one-on-one, but the warning went unheeded. Four minutes later, Ashique Kuruniyan tore down the left, breezed past Hormipam, and rolled a precise pass to Suhail Ahmad Bhat, who calmly slotted it home to double the lead.
From there, the game became the Dheeraj Singh show. Kerala Blasters threw everything forward, but the Mohun Bagan goalkeeper stood tall. Jesús Jiménez squandered two golden opportunities, blasting over the bar in the 65th minute and dragging a shot wide two minutes later. In the 70th minute, Dheeraj denied substitute Kwame Peprah’s angled effort, and with five minutes left, Peprah’s low cross found Jiménez, who couldn’t connect cleanly.
Dheeraj’s heroics continued as he thwarted Peprah from point-blank range, with Amandeep clearing Ebindas Y’s follow-up off the line. The Blasters finally broke through in stoppage time when Jiménez set up Sreekuttan, who rifled a shot past Dheeraj. But the goal came too late to spark a comeback.
Salahudheen Adnan earned the Kalinga Player of the Match award for his electrifying performance.
Kalinga Super Cup 2025: Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters FC Match Preview, Head-to-head stats and streaming details
Here is everything you need to know about the Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters FC, Kalinga Super Cup quarter-final match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
A young Mohun Bagan Super Giant will take on Kerala Blasters FC in the first quarter-final of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 on Saturday at 4.30 pm IST. This will be the first time Kerala Blasters FC will play in the final eight of the Super Cup, while the ISL Cup and Shield winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant have already booked their place in the AFC Champions League Two.
Here is everything you need to know about the Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters FC, Kalinga Super Cup quarter-final match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
Match Details
Match: Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters FC, Kalinga Super Cup quarter-final
Date: 26 April 2025
Time: 4.30 pm IST
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar
How to watch the match?
Football fans from India can watch the Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Kerala Blasters FC, Kalinga Super Cup 2025 quarter-final match LIVE on Star Sports 3 TV Channel. Moreover, they can also stream the match LIVE on JioHotstar.
Head-to-head stats: MBSG vs KBFC
Till now, Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters FC have faced each other 10 times. Mohun Bagan SG have always dominated the team from South. The Mariners have won 8 out of 10 games, while Kerala emerged victorious only once.
One game between these two clubs ended in a draw.
Team News: Mohun Bagan SG
Since Mohun Bagan Super Giant have already qualified for the AFC Champions League Two, they have decided to send a young team for the Super Cup. After getting a bye in the round of 16 match, Mohun Bagan will play their first match of the tournament against Kerala Blasters FC.
Bastab Roy will be filling in for Jose Molina as the head coach of the team, while Deepak Tangri, who once started as an academy player for Mohun Bagan, will lead the team in the tournament. Nuno Reis will be the only foreign player in the squad for the Mohun Bagan team.
Indian team stars Sahal Abdul Samad and Ashique Kuruniyan will also be there for the Mariners.
— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) April 23, 2025
MBSG Full squad for the Kalinga Super Cup 2025: Raj Basfore, Nuno Miguel Pereira Reis, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, Abhishek Dhananjay Suryavanshi, Sahal Abdul Samad, Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan, Deepak Tangri, Arsh Anwer Shaikh, Dippendu Biswas, Glan Martins, Amandeep, Shibam Munda, Loitongbam Taison Singh, Leewan Castanha, Sandeep Malik, Saurabh Bhanwala, Leimapokpam Sibajit Singh, Salahudheen Adnan K, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Umer Muhthar K P, Pasang Dorjee Tamang, Ravi Bahadur Rana, Serto Worneilen Kom, Thumsol Tongsin, Priyansh Dubey.
Team News: Kerala Blasters FC
Kerala Blasters FC are coming into the quarter-final for the first time, after defeating defending champion East Bengal by 2-0. New coach David Català, who was brought in to the team just a few weeks before the tournament, will be confident seeing the progress of the team.
Though Mohun Bagan will have their development side, Catala wants to respect a champion team like Mohun Bagan Super Giant and focus on the strategies for the game. Noah Sadaoui looked threatening from the first minute against East Bengal and will be a key player for the Manjapadas.
The pairing of Noah Sadaoui with Jesús Jiménez will be a key factor in the matchup against Mohun Bagan, who will have someone like Dippendu Biswas and Glan Martins at the back with tons of ISL experience.
IWL 2024-25: East Bengal FC clinch their maiden title; Gokulam finish as runners-up
East Bengal FC cemented their status as IWL 2024-25 champions with a commanding 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC at the East Bengal ground on Friday.
East Bengal FC cemented their status as IWL 2024-25 champions with a commanding 3-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC at the East Bengal ground on Friday.
Already assured of the title before kickoff, the Red and Golds showcased their supremacy by defeating every team in the league en route to the championship, with all three goals coming in an explosive first half.
The star of the show was Elshaddai Acheampong, who opened the scoring in the 27th minute. After missing earlier chances, including a header from five yards in the 19th minute, the Ghanaian forward made amends with a clinical finish, chipping the goalkeeper after a deft move past defenders following a pass from Anju Tamang.
Her poacher’s instinct shone again in the 37th minute, tapping in a cross from Karthika Angamuthu at the back post to double the lead. Minutes before halftime, Soumya Guguloth sealed the rout in the 42nd minute, rounding the keeper to score after a perfectly timed through ball.
Despite the title already in hand, East Bengal displayed remarkable professionalism, dominating possession and stifling Gokulam from the outset. The second half saw Gokulam mount a brief challenge, testing goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu with a long-range effort, but the champions held firm. This win marked the only team East Bengal had yet to beat this season, completing a flawless campaign.
The victory underscored East Bengal’s dominance throughout the season, blending skill, composure, and relentless attacking play.
For Gokulam, the defeat highlighted their struggle against the league’s top side, as East Bengal celebrated a perfect end to their triumphant IWL 2024-25 journey.
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