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Since its inception in 2014, the Indian Super League (ISL) has seen some of the finest talents in the country and even across continents plying their trade in the cash-rich league.
While some have entered Indian footballing folklore thanks to their instant impact, some have won over fans with their consistency and longevity. From Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Carlos, and Diego Forlan to our home-grown Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, and Sandesh Jhingan, the list of huge names playing in the league is endless. But not all of them were able to impress the faithful.
On that note, let's take a look at the five best players to play in the Indian Super League (ISL):
#5 Tiri (Atletico de Kolkata, Jamshedpur FC, ATK Mohun Bagan)
Jose Luis Espinosa Arroyo, or 'Tiri' as we better know him as, is probably a name on the all-time list that might surprise a few. However, across seasons, the Spanish centre-back has established himself as an absolute rock at the back and, more importantly, a true leader.
The 31-year-old has toiled in silence across seasons and across teams rather than hogging the limelight.
With 110 ISL appearances so far, Tiri is the first overseas player to cross the century mark. He joined ISL as a 25-year-old with ATK and has over time grown into a veteran and role model for the younger players.
The Spanish international won the ISL title in 2016 and will be hoping to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet once he recovers from his ACL injury.
#4 Stiven Mendoza (Chennaiyin FC)
The Colombian forward's entry into the ISL is now part of Indian football folklore.
Mendoza, then 22, joined Chennaiyin FC from Colombian top-tier club Deportivo Cali in 2014. However, an injury cut short his first stint at the Tamil Nadu-based club.
The talismanic returned for a second spell ahead of the 2015 season. Stiven Mendoza started the season with a hat-trick against FC Goa and then followed it up with a brace against Mumbai City.
He scored 13 goals in the season, winning the Golden Boot and leading the Marina Machans to the ISL title.
Since his stint in the ISL, Mendoza has gone on to play in Major League Soccer (MLS) and even Ligue 1. Even in his brief spell, the Colombia international captured the imagination of the Indian footballing faithful.
#3 Ferran Corominas Telechea (FC Goa)
Players will come and go but very few will be able to replicate the impact Ferran Corominas, better known as 'Coro', had at FC Goa. The Spaniard came to the ISL in 2017, at the age of 34, expectedly already past his prime.
However, Coro buried a lot of doubts by bagging the Golden Boot for two consecutive seasons.
In the 2017-18 season, the forward scored 18 goals and bagged five assists in 20 matches. Coro followed it up with 16 goals and seven assists in the same number of appearances next season.
Currently, with 48 goals in 57 matches, he is the third-highest goal-getter in the competition, behind Bartholomew Ogbeche and Sunil Chhetri.
#2 Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)
There's not much left to be said about Sunil Chhetri that hasn't already been expressed. The 37-year-old is still one of the finest strikers in the country and in the Indian Super League.
Since Bengaluru FC jumped ship to join the ISL in the 2017-18 season, Chhetri has been racking up goal-filled seasons year after year.
The talismanic forward currently sits at 51 goals in 114 matches, two shy of Bartholomew Ogbeche's record.
With Roy Krishna pairing up alongside him next season, Sunil could give Ogbeche a run for the money when it comes to the all-time goalscoring record.
#1 Bartholomew Ogbeche (NorthEast United FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, Hyderabad FC)
Not just for the goals, not just for the consistency, but primarily for the ability to adjust in different systems and different teams effortlessly.
Bart Ogbeche has played at four Indian clubs now -- NEUFC, KBFC, MCFC, and HFC.
Ahead of the 2018-19 season, the Nigerian joined the Highlanders and scored 12 goals in 18 matches. the following season, he led the Blasters attacking line with 15 goals from 16 matches.
The following year, with the Islanders, Ogbeche was limited to a substitute role, however, he won the League Winners Shield and the ISL title.
Finally, in 2021-22, he moved to Hyderabad FC and won the Golden Boot with 18 goals on the way to a second consecutive ISL title.
He is currently the all-time top-scorer in the league and has established himself as one of the greatest to ever grace the tournament.
