The 2023-24 Indian Super League season has been a spectacle for Indian football fans. Filled with highs and lows, controversies and even point suspensions, it was Mohun Bagan Super Giant who clinched the shield while Mumbai City reigned supreme to pocket their second ISL Cup.
Interestingly, the two sides took on each other twice in the span of a few weeks to decide both the trophies – the Kolkata-based side defeated their western counterparts 2-1 to lift the Shield for the first time ever. However, Mumbai City came good in the Cup final to oust the home side 3-1 in front of 60,000 fans to bring an end to a remarkable campaign.
Being the two best teams in the league over the last six months, it was obvious that both sides would feature multiple champions who have won a lot of silverware in India over the last few years.
Both the Islanders and the Mariners have relied on the experience of multiple such champions, and in this article, we list down the very best of those who have featured in title campaigns for multiple clubs over the last decade.
#5 Edel Bete (ATK and Chennaiyin)
The iconic goalkeeper was one of the first players to win back-to-back ISL titles, having achieved the feat first with ATK in 2014 and then repeating it with Chennaiyin in 2015. He was an absolute monster at the back, registering 4 clean sheets in 9 games in the inaugural year while producing 38 saves as well.
He bettered that performance next year, having secured a move to the Marina Machans. He won the Golden Glove award, kept 6 clean sheets, and made a total of 37 saves that season. Bete was also a part of that unforgettable final against Goa as well in which he denied the Gaurs repeatedly and ensured the score stayed 3-2 in Chennaiyin’s favor.
#4 Bartholomew Ogbeche (Hyderabad and Mumbai City)
Ogbeche has been a force to reckon with in ISL history
A bonafide ISL legend and its all-time top scorer as well with 63 strikes to his name, the Nigerian forward has had incredible success during his time in India. Initially joining Eelco Schattorie’s North East United and then moving to Kerala Blasters and then Mumbai City,
Bartholomew Ogbeche tasted his first silverware as the Islanders did a double in the 2020-21 ISL season, winning both the League Winners’ Shield and the ISL Cup. He bagged 8 goals in 23 games that season, making him the third-highest scorer in the league.
The former PSG wunderkind, who has also played alongside Ronaldinho was also a part of the Hyderabad side that won the 2021-22 ISL Cup, defeating his former team Kerala Blasters in the final bagging the Golden Boot courtesy of 18 goals in the league that season.
#3 Pritam Kotal (ATK and ATK Mohun Bagan)
A defender par excellence, Pritam Kotal’s rise to fame is an inspiring one. Despite having faced a myriad of financial challenges while growing up, he overcame the odds and now holds the distinction of being only one of the 3 Indians with 4 appearances in the ISL Cup final. He appeared in his first final with ATK in 2016, which saw them defeat Kerala Blasters in the final in penalty shootouts.
His next triumph came in the 2019-20 ISL Cup final, which was again with ATK as the Kolkata-based side defeated Chennaiyin 3-1 in the final. Kotal’s final cup victory came in the 2022-23 season with ATK Mohun Bagan as his side dispatched off Bengaluru again via penalty shootouts. The only time the Indian national team star has lost a final so far was in the 2020-21 season, where ATK Mohun Bagan fell short to the mighty Mumbai City.
#2 Tiri (ATK and Mumbai City)
The Spaniard’s legacy in the league is next to none, having had a similar record to Kotal in the ISL Cup finals with 3 appearances in the final and 3 wins to his name. Tiri won his first title with ATK as well in 2016, and his second one was again with ATK Mohun Bagan in the 2022-23 season. He was not fit to feature in the entire season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury but he was still honoured with a medal for his contributions.
However, he has returned in style this year, making his mark with the Islanders and showcasing his mettle as easily one of the best defenders in the league. With a goal to his name as well, Tiri was crowned a champion yet again as Mumbai City routed Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the final with a 3-1 victory.
#1 Jayesh Rane (Chennaiyin, ATK, and Mumbai City)
Few in Indian football have won as much and as often as Jayesh Rane
Another seasoned winner, Jayesh Rane has established himself as a serial winner wherever he goes. He was a part of the 2015 ISL-winning Chennaiyin side, the 2019-20 ATK side and the Mumbai City side as well in the 2023-24 ISL season.
Over the years, his proficiency as a utility player across the midfield has been critical to whichever side he has featured for. With a passing accuracy of 73% and 16 goal contributions in 123 league games, his record is envious and one that underscores just how much he has evolved over the years since he won the I-League with Aizawl back in the 2016-17 season.