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West Bengal and Kolkata, without doubt, have an unmatched stature in the history of Indian football. From the memories of the derby to the various legends contributed to the Indian national team, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have been the powerhouses of football in the country by all means.
The future of the famed derby is still unsure as Mohun Bagan are all set to merge with ATK to contest in the ISL. Meanwhile, East Bengal are in the race to join the cash-rich league by bringing onboard new management and keep the derby excitement alive.
The biggest footballing names in the nation, including I.M Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia and even Sunil Chhetri have been part of both - Mohun Bagan and East Bengal - some time in their career.
Thus, it is not surprising to see 'East Bengal' or 'Mohun Bagan' on most Bengal players' football profile. However, there are a few local players who haven't had the luck to don the historic colours.
Here, we will look at five best Bengal footballers who have never played for East Bengal or Mohun Bagan.
#5 Ishan Debnath
Ishan Debnath, who hails from Belgharia in West Bengal, has guarded the goal for various clubs in India, except the two biggest names in Kolkata. The 28-year-old started with Tata Football Academy before joining Mumbai FC in 2011.
After a season, he moved to his first club in Kolkata - United SC in 2012. Ishan was then part of Mumbai City in the first season of the ISL but failed to play a single game. In the next season, he signed for Delhi Dynamos, and moved to Ozone FC later, in search of playing time.
After a short stint, the goalkeeper was with NorthEast United in the ISL, again as a third-choice custodian. At present, Debnath plays for Kolkata club Southern Samity.
Despite having the potential to be in the limelight, Debnath remains a lesser-known name in Kolkata because of the lack of game-time he received in his previous clubs.
#4 Sanjiban Ghosh
Sanjiban Ghosh is yet another Bengal 'keeper, who had a crucial part of his career warming the benches in ISL. After rising through the youth system of Southern Samity, the Andul-born keeper signed for Mumbai FC in 2012.
However, he played only six games in four seasons for the I-League club and had a loan spell with Delhi Dynamos in 2015 and 2016. Jamshedpur FC signed Sanjiban before the 2017-18 season and offered him two matches in the period.
The 28-year-old has been with Chennaiyin FC since 2018 but as a third-choice keeper behind Vishal Kaith and Karanjit Singh. Sanjiban Ghosh has only seven ISL games to his name in four seasons and is yet another player who has spent his peak period on the bench.
#3 Souvik Das
Born in Kalyani, West Bengal, Souvik Das is a player who left the fields of Kolkata early on to find greener pastures. He was part of AIFF Elite Academy and Sporting Club de Goa youth setup before moving to Punjab FC in the I-League.
Souvik Das has played 40 matches in three seasons for the I-League outfit. After two seasons of regular playing time, the central midfielder is currently out of Punjab FC's first XI and played all his five games this seasons as a substitute.
The 24-year-old still has a lot of time left in his career and, a return to his homeland in the future cannot be ruled out.
#2 Nagen Tamang
Nagen Tamang hails from Kurseong in West Bengal and started his career with New Delhi Heroes youth team. He was signed by Royal Wahingdoh in 2011 before a move to Rangdajied United in the following term.
Tamang returned to Royal Wahingdoh in 2015 and played nine matches in the I-League. The midfielder then featured for Transport United (Bhutan) and Langsning FC in the I-League second division.
Before the 2018 season, he joined Real Kashmir and played nine matches for the Snow Leopards. The 31-year-old didn't play a single game this season and is past his prime, without having a Kolkata giant to his account.
#1 Nadong Bhutia
Nadong Bhutia, the former ATK striker, was born in Kalimpong in West Bengal, but hasn't yet played for the two powerhouses from his native state. He began his career with United Sikkim and signed for IMG Reliance in 2014.
For the inaugural edition of the ISL, Nadong joined Mumbai City and featured in 11 matches. The next term, he moved to ATK and made two appearances in the early phase of the league. He also represented Royal Wahingdoh and Minerva Punjab in the I-League.
The nomadic journeyman was last at Kashmir, with Real Kashmir FC, scoring two goals from eight matches. Despite having several clubs on his profile, Nadong hasn't been able to turn up for his hometown giants.
During his time in the ISL, he was highly praised by Antonio Lopez Habas and Nicolas Anelka. However, an untimely injury after the ISL might be one of the reasons Nadong is out of the big picture today.
