'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indian Super League (ISL) announced its arrival on the global football stage in 2014 in a glamorous fashion. The tournament promised to make India an exciting footballing destination in the world.
While the league featured many Indian players from across the country, many foreign internationals, who are legends of the game, were also signed by the ISL teams. These players, who were known as marquee signings, were signed for huge amounts of money and were very popular during the initial stages of the tournament.
On that note, we look at the five most expensive signings in ISL history.
#5 David Trezeguet
At 37 years of age, David Trezeguet signed for FC Pune City in the first edition of ISL for approximately 4.5 crore rupees. Trezeguet previously won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and two Serie A titles with Juventus. He was also named in Juventus all-time playing XI in 2017.
The French international played 9 matches and scored 2 goals for his side as the Stallions finished sixth in the points table. Like most of the marquee players, his ISL stint turned out to be the last of his playing career.
#4 Elano Blumer
Despite being a midfielder, Elano Blumer won the Golden Boot in the inaugural season of ISL, scoring 8 goals in 11 matches. The Brazilian playmaker was deadly with his free-kicks outside the box as he helped Chennaiyin FC reach the semi-finals in the first year of the tournament.
Elano was retained by the Marina Machans for the 2015 season for approximately 4.8 crores. Although he scored only 4 goals, Chennaiyin FC went on to win that edition of the ISL against FC Goa.
#3 Nicolas Anelka
Chelsea legend Nicolas Anelka bagged a whopping 5.4 crore rupees in the inaugural season of the ISL when he signed for Mumbai City FC. The Islanders retained him as a player-manager for the following season, but for a lesser amount. The club, however, failed to make it to the playoffs on both occasions.
During Anelka's time at Mumbai City FC, he was embroiled in a controversy, as there were reports of a rift between him and the club's star striker Andre Moritz during the second season of this ISL. This resulted in Moritz being sent home after just one match.
#2 Diego Forlan
Diego Forlan became the most expensive player, at the time, in the 2016 edition of ISL, with Mumbai City FC reportedly spending approximately 6 crores to bring the player to the club. Many ISL clubs chased the former Atletico Madrid striker, but it was the Islanders who were able to secure his signature.
Forlan lived up to his billing and scored 5 goals in 11 matches as Mumbai City FC reached the semi-finals of the ISL. Unlike other marquee players, the Uruguayan legend didn't directly retire after his stint in India as he played for Kitchee SC in Hong Kong before retiring.
#1 Alessandro Del Piero
The Italian legend arrived in India at 39 years of age and bagged a reported amount of 10.8 crore rupees in the inaugural season of the ISL. Del Piero also had some bizarre demands, which the Delhi Dynamos fulfilled, like allowing him a personal photographer on the pitch just to take his pictures.
Del Piero played ten matches for the ISL side and scored only one goal as the Delhi Dynamos missed the playoffs by a point that season.
