The ISL 2022-23 season has seen multiple Indian youngsters get a chance to play in their respective positions. Playing alongside the national team players and seasoned internationals.

Here are the few youngsters who impressed this season and can be considered the future of Indian football:

Lalchungnunga (East Bengal)

The 21-year-old defender was playing for Sreenidi Deccan last season and was loaned to East Bengal for the ISL 2022-23 season. He was one of the best players in the 2021-22 I-League with 17 appearances for Sreenidi and made 19 appearances for East Bengal impressing everyone.

Recently, he penned a three-year long contract with the Red and Gold Brigade, which will surely be beneficial for the Kolkata-side's backline.

Parthib Gogoi (NorthEast United FC)

Despite North East United FC being the worst team in the league, Parthib Gogoi shone brightly.

Parthib Gogoi is just 19 years old and has been brilliant with his attacking threats and his relentless work rate for the club. He scored his first goal against the high-flying Mumbai City FC. In his inaugural season, the winger netted three goals and created one.

Be it the raw pace or the precision of his shots, Gogoi is surely one to look out for in the upcoming Super Cup.

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Jiteshwor Singh (Chennaiyin FC)

After taking the I-League by storm for the past couple of seasons, Singh joined the Marina Machans ahead of the ISL 2022-23 season. While he doesn't have the numbers to show his talent for in terms of goal contributions, the youngster's presence in the midfield does the work.

In 16 matches, he's created 11 chances and averaged a passing percentage of 76%. He did get an assist under his belt, but his work rate and vision is what makes him as asset for Indian football.

Ayush Adhikari (Kerala Blasters FC)

The 22-year-old Ayush is a midfielder from Delhi who played regularly for Kerala Blasters in the 2022-23 season. He made 17 appearances for the club, and in those 17 matches, he has made 50 tackles, 10 interceptions, 4 Assists and 6 blocks.

Adhikari had gotten selected for the U football program in Germany where he spent almost 4 years. 

Namgyal Bhutia (Bengalauru FC)

Bengaluru FC had a stunning turnaround in ISL 2022-23 season. One of the youngsters to impress everyone in this campaign was Namgyal Bhatia.

Graduating from the reserve side of BFC, Namgyal made 10 appearances this season and will look for more playing time with the Super Cup coming.

East Bengal is one of Asia's biggest and most supported football clubs. In October 2020, the club was voted as the most popular football club in India on an AFC poll by its supporters.

The East Bengal Club was established on 1st August 1920 by Suresh Chandra Chaudhury along with some other dignitaries, and the club's first captain was Ramesh Chandra Sen.

The Kolkata-based club has created a lot of records and won so many trophies. The Football club was going through a tough phase as they hadn't won a major trophy since the 2013-14 season.

But, under the new Manager and coaching staff, the Red & Gold Brigade are playing good football. So, let's look at the trophies East Bengal has won in its footballing history.

East Bengal FC Trophies List

East Bengal played their first match in the 1920 Hercules Cup, which was a 7-a-side tournament that they won. They won their first-ever full tournament in 1921 and lifted the Khogendra Shield.

The Red and Gold brigade qualified for the Calcutta Football League 1st division in 1925. They won their first 1st title in 1942. Then the Kolkata-based club lifted their first IFA Shield in 1943. In 1945, East Bengal won their first double, claiming both the Calcutta Football League and the IFA Shield.

From 1949-51, East Bengal became the first team to make a hat-trick of wins in the IFA Shield. In 1972, East Bengal won the Calcutta Football League, IFA Shield, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup in a single season, becoming the first team to do so.

In 1972, East Bengal also made a record of being the first and till date, only Indian team to win the Calcutta Football League without conceding a single goal, which they again repeated in 1991.

East Bengal won its first First Division league title in 1942 and has since won it a record 39 times. They have also won eight Federation Cups, three Super Cups, a record 29 IFA Shields, the Kuladakanta Shield, and MLA CUP, alongside 16 Durand Cup titles, making the club one of the most decorated in Indian football.

As far as local sporting rivalries go, few on this planet can compare to the one between East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan, commonly known as the Kolkata Derby. 

The two giants hailing from the same city, Kolkata, have been at each other's throats since East Bengal's inception a century and some change ago on August 1st, 1920, and their rivalry has scripted the most glorious chapter in the history of Indian football.

The two teams are not just two football entities but represent two sets of inhabitants of the state of Bengal, who simply cannot stand losing to the other side.  East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan evokes passion unlike any other sporting contest in the country. So ahead of the new season's Kolkata Derby, we take a brief look at the rich history of the rivalry.

Though the data is just an approximation, as of 27th July 2025, it is believed that the tally of overall meetings stands at 403 matches up till now, (including friendlies), where East Bengal have been triumphant 139 times, while Mohun Bagan 135 times. 129 matches have been drawn.

Read Also | Most Iconic Rivalries in European Football Leagues: History & Stats

East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: Head-to-Head

Since 2020-21, these two teams have played 10 times against each other in ISL, while Mohun Bagan Super Giants have won 9 matches, with only one draw between the two. Mohun Bagan Super Giant is a merger of Mohun Bagan AC and ATK FC.

Mohun Bagan's domination over East Bengal in ISL comes while the two teams enjoy fairly competitive records against each other in other tournaments. In 45 matches of the I-League, East Bengal have won 17 so far and Mohun Bagan 15, while 13 ended in a draw.

In 22 Federation Cup matches, East Bengal have won eight and Mohun Bagan six, while eight matches ended in a draw. In 12 Rovers Cup matches, both teams have won four each, while four matches ended in a draw.

In 163 Calcutta Football League matches, East Bengal won 56, Mohun Bagan 48 and 59 ended in a draw. East Bengal enjoy a massive record against their archrivals in the IFA Shield. Out of 41 matches, they have won 21, while Mohun Bagan has managed to win only seven of those.

East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan overall record

Former Indian national football team captain Sunil Chhetri has expressed deep concern over the suspension of the Indian Super League and the future of India's footballing ecosystem.

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“The current situation that Indian football finds itself in, is very concerning. I’ve received a flurry of texts from players, staff members, physios, masseurs - not just from my club, but from other clubs as well,” Chhetri wrote on his social media handle X (formerly Twitter).

When my phone went off a few weeks ago informing us of a delay in pre-season by a fortnight, I must admit it made me smile. And that’s because I was on vacation, hadn’t moved as much as I would have liked to, and hadn’t been eating as clean as I usually do. I had more time than I… pic.twitter.com/pEGyr8Sp5O

— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) July 16, 2025

Worried about the future - Chhetri 

Chhetri, who plays for Bengaluru FC in the ISL, wrote on social media, “I’ve received a flurry of texts from players, staff members, physios, masseurs – not just from my club, but from other clubs as well.

“Everybody in the Indian football ecosystem is worried, hurt, scared about the uncertainty we are faced with,” he added.

There is no new agreement between AIFF and FSDL

The 2025-26 season of the ISL has been put 'on hold' as the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and organising company Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) has not been renewed yet.

The Supreme Court has directed the AIFF not to enter into any new agreement with FSDL until a final decision is taken on the AIFF.

A 15-year agreement was signed in 2010

A 15-year agreement between FSDL and AIFF was signed in 2010, under which FSDL pays Rs 50 crore every year to AIFF in return for the rights to broadcast, manage and promote Indian football (including ISL and the national team).

Please stay calm - Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri appealed to all the players and support staff to maintain patience and support each other. He expressed confidence that football will resume soon. The AIFF has also said that it understands the importance of ISL, but it is compelled to follow the court's order.

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“I may not have all the answers, but my message to all those involved with Indian football – and more importantly the ones whose livelihood depends on it, the players, staff, kitmen, masseurs, medical teams, production crews, operations staff – please stay calm.”

“We’ll ride this storm together. Stick together and look out for each other. Keep training and getting better. Football has to resume soon. It will,” Sunil Chhetri shared.

The Indian Super League (ISL) has consistently served as a launch pad for India’s most promising football talent. The ISL 2024-25 season was no different, with young stars lighting up the league and charting the future course of Indian football.

Here are top 5 Indian players to watch in ISL 2025.

Also Read: Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century

Indian Players to Watch in ISL 2025

1. Dippendu Biswas | Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Dippendu Biswas, 21, made 14 appearances in a star-studded MBSG line-up and carved an impact with his defensive contributions, comprising 14 interceptions and victorious tackles each, 42 duels won and 39 recoveries.

He also occasionally delivered upfront; producing a goal and two assists and was named the ISL Emerging Player of the Month for February 2025.

2. Vinith Venkatesh | Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC has a track record of producing young talent for the nation. With Gerard Zaragoza in the managerial position, one of the players who made his mark this season is Vinith Venkatesh.

The 19-year-old impressed many with his dribbling and passing ability. A passing accuracy of 80per cent alongside 191 successful passes and 9 successful dribbles in only 602 minutes makes him a great prospect for the Blues’ future. Vinith has not only got a solitary goal and two assists to his name this ISL season but has also scored twice against Mohammedan SC and once against Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup.

3. Brison Fernandes | FC Goa

Another player that has been a break-out talent this year is Brison Fernandes. From Goa’s under 18 team to being an out right starter, it has been quite a rise for Brison.

Brison has managed to impress with his dribbling and shooting capability scoring seven goals and assisting twice. The 23-year-old created 27 chances for the Gaurs and provided 25 key passes into the final third. With his direct play, the left-winger emerged as one of the most exciting young Indian players to watch this season.

4. Tekcham Abhishek Singh | Punjab FC

In only his second ISL campaign, defender Tekcham Abhishek Singh impressed with returns that saw him become the player with the third-most interceptions (47).

The 20-year-old won seven aerial duels, 17 tackles, 23 clearances, in addition to making 70 recoveries, while forming an impeccable partnership with Nikhil Prabhu, who made the most interceptions in the league in the season gone by (56).

Also Read: Top scorers in ISL history

5. Macarton Louis Nickson | NorthEast United FC

NorthEast United made it to the play-offs after three years, while most of the credits go to its foreign players like Alaaeddine Ajaraie and Nestor Albiach, a player that went under the radar is young midfielder Macarton Nickson.

With 21 appearances and a passing accuracy of 73 per cent, he has really shone under Juan Pedro Benali this season. The 21-year-old has established himself as a box to box midfielder providing both in defence and attack. 

Defensively, Macarton has 97 recoveries and 13 interceptions. In attack as well, he has been able to support by providing 2two goals, one assists and 22 successful dribbles making him a beautiful player to watch.

NorthEast United FC on Friday announced that India international Jithin MS has signed a contract extension with the club, which will keep him with the club until the end of the 2028 season. 

Jithin, 27, joined the club at the start of the 2022-23 season and turned out for the Highlanders 79 times across competitions with 14 goals and 15 assists so far. Jithin, who won the Santosh Trophy with Kerala (2017-18) and multiple I-League titles with Gokulam Kerala (2020-21, 2021-22), has flourished at NorthEast United FC. 

Jithin’s impact reached new heights during the 133rd Durand Cup, where he was awarded the prestigious Golden Ball as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He scored four goals and provided three assists during the campaign, helping NorthEast United FC lift their first-ever major trophy.

Read Also | Top scorers in ISL history

In the 2024–25 ISL season, Jithin continued to impress with his electrifying pace and flair down the flanks. He was the only Indian player to feature in the league’s top ten for assists, finishing with five. He is sixth on the list of players with the most chances created (41 chances) and is one of the three NorthEast United FC players on the top-10 list, alongside Alaaeddine Ajaraie (52) and Buanthanglun Samte (43).

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“My teammates and the coaching staff have helped me improve a lot, and their support has been instrumental in winning the Golden Ball and earning a call-up to the national team. I’m proud to have achieved these milestones with NorthEast United FC. This club has become home over the past three years, and I’m delighted to continue for another three years,” Jithin said.

“Jithin is an exceptional footballer, one of the best Indian players in his position, and what he has accomplished so far is truly commendable. His rise to becoming an India international is a testament to his relentless hard work, dedication, and hunger to grow every single day. I’m delighted that a player of Jithin’s calibre will continue with us for the next three years,” Juan Pedro Benali, head coach of NorthEast United FC, said.

“Jithin’s journey has been inspiring. His India call-up highlights the dedication and professionalism he brings to the pitch, embodying everything we strive for at NorthEast United FC. He is a key part of our journey, and we’re thrilled to have him with us for three more years,” Mandar Tamhane, CEO, NorthEast United FC, said.