A fitting finale was given to another exciting Indian Soccer League season. Chennaiyin FC’s triumph, the team’s second, was not quite David slaying Goliath even if Bengaluru FC were the more fancied team with weightier imports, but they’ve never won the league. What Chennai’s victory showed was that consistent encouragement of Indian talent can help build a fighting combination. Several young Chennaiyin players had a very good season. The way they bonded was clear in their victory in an away game in Bengaluru, in a stadium filled with the rival team’s fans. The win itself might be due to the passion the Brazilians bring to the field, regardless of age or standing. Slotting all three goals that settled the final, Brazilian players Mailson Alves and Raphael Augusto were worth their weight in gold for Chennaiyin and its star co-owner Abhishek Bachchan.
There’s no doubt ISL has helped Indian soccer find its way up the high ladder of world soccer, with over 200 nations involved in the “beautiful game”. The foreign coaches have brought not only modern methods of training and technique, but also a work ethic much needed in India’s sporting environment. The pro league has set standards for teams in a holistic way more than the I-League, the baby of the football federation, though national players are common to both. The idea of merging the leagues has been mooted for a while, but the existence of two leagues will broaden the field and allow more talent to come up. The I-League must draw more from ISL’s expertise to help improve Indian soccer’s standing, currently 99 as compared to 173 in 2015, just after ISL started.
