Common India, Let’s Football! ISL has officially proclaimed that the 2024-22 season will start on November 19, 2024. Indian Super League (ISL) Season 8 behind closed doors in Goa. Many sponsors from across the world are showing interest in Indian football, increasing players salaries and clubs, but who is the richest football club in ISL 2024-22?
This time around, there’s a lot of interest in the league, which will see several changes from the previous edition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The last season was forced to be held behind closed doors in Goa after the pandemic’s onset in 2024. And from the same point on, season seven is scheduled to launch. All teams are in the final stages of their preparations ahead of what appears to be an action-packed season, with just a few days left for the upcoming edition of the Indian Super League (ISL).
Who is the Richest Football Club in ISL 2024-22?
KERALA BLASTERS FC is the wealthiest football club in ISL based on net worth. The two-time runners up had never managed to clinch the title, though they were a formidable side since the inaugural season 2014 when they lost to ATK in the finals and again in 2016. Their current net worth value is $539.50 million.
Manager: José Antonio Vicuña Ochandorena a.k.a Kibu Vicuna
Kerala Blasters FC Squad
With a squad size of 31, here are players:
GOALKEEPERS
- Albino Gomes, India
- Bilal Khan, India
- Prabhsukhan Gill, India
DEFENDERS
- Nishu Kumar, India
- Costa Nhamoinesu, Zimbabwe
- Abdul Hakku, India
- Jessel Carneiro, India
- Denechandra M, India
- Lalruatthara, India
- Sandeep Singh, India
- Bakary Koné, Burkina Faso
MIDFIELDERS
- Sahal Samad, India
- Vicente Gomez, Spain
- Rahul K P, India
- Facundo Pereyra, Argentina
- Prasanth K, India
- Sergio Cidoncha, Spain
- Seityasen Singh, India
- Lalthathanga K, India
- Jeakson Singh, India
- Rohit Kumar, India
- Arjun Jayaraj, India
- Givson Singh, India
- Ritwik Das, India
FORWARDS
- Gary Hooper, England
- Jordan Murray, Australia
Let’s talk about Kerala Blasters in detail ahead of the ISL 2024-21 season.
Last Season’s Performance: 10th
In the last season, Kerala Blasters finished seventh in the table, not qualifying for the playoffs again. The Kochi squad brought the new head coach to Eelco Schattorie; after his impressive career with Northeast United in the prior game, he directed them to the semi-finals.
They also signed the likes of Raphael Messi Bouli, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Moustapha Gning, Gianni Zuiverloon, and others looking like a strong outfit on paper before the competition.
They also signed Bartholomew Ogbeche, Raphael Messi Bouli, Gianni Zuiverloon, Moustapha Gning, and others – looking like a solid paper outfit before the competition.
However, poor pre-season preparation, injuries, and a host of other problems hampered their success over the season.
Kerala Blasters played 18 league games last season and only managed to win four of them. They’ve been dealt with losses in seven games and drawn in seven more. That said, their failure to close matches proved to be more costly for the Yellow Army, as the games they had drawn revealed.
Schattorie was sacked at the end of the season, and former Mohun Bagan chief coach Kibu Vicuna replaced him at the helm. The club has appointed a new Sporting Director at Karolis Skinkys, though CEO Viren D’Silva also left in the summer. Under the new management, Kerala Blasters is supposed to look different this season and is promising big stuff.
Players to keep an eye on in ISL 2024-21
Costa Nhamoinesu
The former Zimbabwe International played Vicuna once before during the latter’s period as an assistant coach at Zaglebie Lubin. It’s his athletic qualities that set the 34-year-old apart from most other centre-backs in the ISL.
Gary Hooper
Hooper has played for clubs like Celtic, Leyton Orient, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Wellington Phoenix.
He has the unique distinction of being the first and only player yet to score in the Premier League, EFL League One, EFL League Two, EFL Championship, FA Cup, English League Cup, Football League Trophy, UEFA Europa League, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, and the Scottish Premiership.
Under Vicuna, the 32-year-old is going to play as the first-choice striker. His knack for positioning himself well in the opposition box, combined with his accurate close-range finish, makes him a formidable power.
Sahal Abdul Samad
Being titled as the ‘next big name in Indian football’ by many legends, like IM Vijayan, Sunil Chhetri, and many others, the amount of expectations on Sahal Abdul Samad is massive.
This summer, handing him a new five-year deal with a pay rise that made him one of the highest-paid Indian players as of right now also showed the club also showed how much the team value and trust him.
An outstanding ball passer, the 23-year-old is adept at creating chances, and he’s well on his way to being one of the greatest footballers ever to come out of the country.
This season, we hope that Sahal will finally be able to produce a success that stays true to its potential.
The ISL seventh edition is set to take place in Goa, cutting back on all of the teams’ travel and related arrangements. For the season 2024 ISL, there will be 11 teams participating in the ISL. After the entry of the two Kolkata giants are – East Bengal and Mohun Bagan – into the ISL.
