Must-know ISL stats and trivia for every Indian football fan
Want to know who’s the youngest goal-scorer in ISL or which team holds the record for the longest unbeaten run? Here are the answers.
Football
Since its inception in 2014, the Indian Super League (ISL) has been one of the pillars of Indian football.
With every passing season, the ISL has had its own landmark moments, making it richer in history. Statistics and records, invariably, had a huge role to play in that.
Looking back, here are some of the must-know ISL stats and records for every Indian football fan.
Most successful ISL team
ATK, with three ISL titles, currently holds the title of the ISL’s most successful team of all time. The Kolkata team won the title in its inaugural season in 2014 and followed it up with triumphs in 2016 and the 2019-20 campaign.
Spaniard Antonio Lopez Habas was in charge of the team during their 2014 and 2019-20 ISL wins, making him the only head coach to have won multiple ISL titles, that too, with the same team.
Chennaiyin FC have been two-time champions, winning the top honours in 2015 and 2017-18, and so have been Mumbai City FC, claiming the title in 2020-21 and 2023-24. Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant are the other three ISL champions.
First goalscorer in ISL
Ethiopian striker Fikru Teferra will be a permanent fixture in the ISL stats and record books as the first-ever goalscorer in ISL history. Playing for ATK against Mumbai City FC in the inaugural ISL match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 12, 2014, Fikru scored in the 27th minute. ATK won the match 3-0.
Balwant Singh became the first Indian goal scorer in the ISL after netting for Chennaiyin FC in the 31st minute during the Marina Machans’ 2-1 victory over FC Goa at the Fatorda on October 15, 2014.
Mumbai City FC’s Brazilian striker Andre Moritz scored the first ISL hat-trick in the first season during a 5-0 win over FC Pune City on October 18, 2014.
Highest goal scorer in ISL
Bengaluru FC’s Sunil Chhetri is currently the highest goal scorer in the ISL with 64 goals in 158 matches. Bartholomew Ogbeche is second with 63 goals from his 98 ISL matches.
Fastest goal-scorer in ISL
The ISL's fastest goal was scored by ATK Mohun Bagan striker David Williams, who found the back of the net in just 12 seconds against Hyderabad FC in ISL 2021-22 on 5th January 2022.
Williams broke former Jamshedpur FC winger Jerry Mawihmingthanga's record of scoring in 23 seconds against Kerala Blasters in ISL 2017-18.
Youngest goalscorer in ISL
ATK winger Komal Thatal holds the record of being the youngest scorer in the ISL.
The youngster, then aged 18 years 1 month and 13 days, scored in ATK’s 2-1 defeat to Bengaluru FC in ISL 2018-19 on October 31, 2018, to erase the previous record held by Jerry Lalrinzuala.
Youngest hat-trick scorer in ISL
Mohun Bagan striker Kiyan Nassiri is the youngest hat-trick scorer in ISL.
Son of East Bengal legend Jamshed Nassiri, Kiyan Nassiri was 21 years, two months and 14 days old when he scored a hat-trick in ATKMB’s 3-1 win over SC East Bengal in the ISL 2021-22 season on January 29, 2022.
Kiyan Nassiri also became the first substitute to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League and the youngest-ever goalscorer for Mohun Bagan.
Biggest winning margin in ISL
FC Goa recorded the biggest winning margin in ISL till date when they thumped Mumbai City FC 7-0 at the Fatorda in ISL 2015. The match was played on November 17, 2015.
Dudu Omagbemi and Thongkhosiem Haokip scored a hat-trick each while Brazilian Reinaldo scored the other goal for the Guars.
Highest goal scoring match in ISL
The highest goal scoring match in ISL history was an 11-goal affair the East Bengal vs Odisha FC match in ISL 2020-21. With both teams languishing at the bottom of the table and heading into the final match of their campaign, pride was the only incentive on offer in the match.
East Bengal took a 2-1 lead into half-time, but Odisha FC struck back in the second half, surging ahead 6-3. The Red and Golds salvaged two late goals to make it 6-5 but it was a little too late to avoid ending up on the wrong end of the record.
For Odisha FC, Paul Ramfangzauva and Jerry Mawihmingthanga scored a brace each while for East Bengal, it was Welshman Aaron Amadi-Holloway who netted two.
Longest undefeated streak in ISL
Mumbai City FC hold the record for the longest unbeaten run in ISL, after remaining undefeated in 18 games in ISL 2022-23.
The Islanders won 14 of these matches and drew four before a 2-1 defeat to Bengaluru FC in the penultimate league stage fixture of the season finally brought the incredible run to an end.
The previous record of 15 matches unbeaten was held jointly by FC Goa and Mohun Bagan.
Longest winning streak in ISL
Mumbai City FC have the longest winning streak in ISL. MCFC won eleven matches on the trot during ISL 2022-23. They broke Jamshedpur FC's previous record of seven successive wins set during ISL 2021-22.
Longest winless streak in ISL
East Bengal went 15 matches without a win across ISL 2020-21 and 2021-22, making it the longest winless run by any ISL team till date. Their barren run lasted 347 days.
The longest run of losses, however, is under Delhi Dynamos’ name. The Lions lost six in a row in the 2017-18 season.
Longest goal in ISL history
Former Chennaiyin FC midfielder Rafael Crivellaro holds the record for the longest goal scored in the ISL -- 55 yards.
In a match between Chennaiyin and NorthEast United FC during ISL 2019-20, Rafael Crivellaro picked up the ball near the half-way line and let one fly from almost 55 yards. The Brazilian’s long ranger caught NorthEast goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury off his line and ended up in the back of the net.
Highest goal-scoring team in ISL
FC Goa have been the highest goal-scoring team in ISL history. After the conclusion of ISL 2023-24, the Gaurs had scored 347 goals in 195 matches.
Mumbai City FC are second in the leaderboard with 302 goals in 190 matches.