Amid Gokulam’s special I-League win, TRAU hero Bidyashagar Singh inspires
Like every year, I-League 2020-21 added two very interesting chapters in the Indian football story.
The I-League, over the years, has been the hotbed for some of Indian football’s most inspirational tales.
Be it the epic underdog story of Aizawl FC or the moving account of Real Kashmir FC’s rise, the I-League has been the stage for many such heart-warming narratives which embody the true spirit of the beautiful game.
It is, perhaps, the one area India’s traditional football league scores over its younger-but-richer franchisee-based cousin Indian Super League (ISL). As Indian football legend I.M. Vijayan puts it, it’s the ‘local’ element that makes the I-League special.
The recently-concluded I-League 2020-21 season was no exception with many such inspirational stories coming to the fore. Among these, the ones of newly-crowned champions Gokulam Kerala FC and Hero of the League Bidyashagar Singh stand out.
Gokulam’s historic triumph
Based out of Kozhikode, Kerala, Gokulam Kerala FC became the first team from the state to win the I-League or any Indian domestic league competition in general.
Known for its fanatical love for football and its hugely-popular local Kerala 7 tournaments, the Malabarian state is known to be a selfless patron of football in India. The state has also produced some Indian footballing legends like I.M. Vijayan, V.P. Sathyan, T Abdul Rehman, amongst others.
But when it comes to success in domestic club football, Kerala clubs have been muted at best. Barring Kerala Police’s back-to-back Federation Cup triumphs in 1990 and 1991, there were no notable wins to talk about.
ISL side Kerala Blasters FC came close to breaking the domestic league drought twice but faltered in the ISL final on both occasions. Gokulam Kerala FC’s success, hence, was a watershed moment for not only Kerala football but Indian football too.
Gokulam’s I-League triumph was a late, yet much deserved, recognition for Kerala’s contribution towards nurturing the footballing culture of the country.
Needless to say, emotions ran high after the Gokulam team lifted the title.
“This is the best day of my life. It feels amazing to be crowned a champion. I am immensely proud of my team and we deserved to be champions. We outscored all teams and we have played like champions in this season.”
“This means everything to me. This is my first season in India and it has already been a very special one. We have a very special team and nobody plays the style of football that we play,” Gokulam head coach Vincenzo Annese said after his team’s final match against TRAU FC.
A 4-1 win in what was a virtual final D-Day match won them the title.
Gokulam striker Emil Benny, a Kerala local boy and one of the scorers in the all-important final game, summed up the win and stated, “I cannot express in words how happy I am right now. This is like a dream come true.”
Bidyashagar Singh rewrites record books
Gokulam’s win, though, meant heartbreak for TRAU FC. The Manipuri side’s charge for the title, despite their limited means, was no less an inspiring story than Gokulam’s this season.
Perhaps softening the blow slightly was TRAU FC forward Bidyashagar Singh winning the Hero of the League and Golden Boot award.
Though just 23 Bidyashagar Singh emerged as the I-League’s top scorer this season and spearheaded TRAU’s spirited title charge with 12 goals from 15 matches. His tally also included two straight hat-tricks.
It was a landmark moment in Indian football as for the first time, an Indian topped the I-League top scorer’s chart outright.
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri was the league’s top scorer in 2013-14 while playing for Bengaluru FC but shared the honours with Salgaocar’s Scottish striker Darryl Duffy. Chhetri scored 14 goals that term and since then no Indian has breached the 10-goal mark until Bidyashagar.
Born in a poor Manipuri family, Bidyashagar Singh’s emergence this season serves as a splendid advertisement for the future of Indian football.
“It is a very proud achievement for me and my family. For me, it has been a great season with many memorable moments. To be the only Indian to be outright top scorer in the I-League and create history is an amazing feeling,” Bidyashagar said.
The young striker also admitted that losing out on the title on the final day hurt a little but asserted his desire to keep working for a brighter future.
“In the end, we were minutes away from winning the league title and the disappointment from the last match is still there. However, all in all, it was a very good season for me and my whole team. I am proud of what we achieved this season,” he noted.