Nikhil Prabhu

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Nikhil Prabhu
Personal information
Full name Naravi Nikhil Jayantha Prabhu
Date of birth (2000-10-02) 2 October 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Punjab
Number 4
Youth career
–2017 Mumbai U-16
2017–2018 Thane Football School of India U18
2018–2019 Pune City U18
2019–2020 Hyderabad B
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2022 Hyderabad 0 (0)
2022Odisha (loan) 3 (0)
2022–2023 Odisha 3 (0)
2023 Goa 2 (0)
2023– Punjab 41 (1)
International career
2025– India 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:30, 10 March 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16:55, 4 June 2025 (UTC)

Naravi Nikhil Jayantha Prabhu (born 2 October 2000) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Indian Super League club Punjab and the Indian national team.

Contents

Early life

Prabhu was born in Hyderabad, but moved to Mumbai with his family at the age of nine. [1]

Club career

Youth career

Prabhu got into football at the age of 9 when his school had a compulsory one sport option. He continued playing, went on to represent Gujarat in state level tournaments at an early age. However, after his family shifted to Mumbai, he was signed by then-I-League club Mumbai FC's youth team, where he played for three years. [2]

Senior career

Hyderabad FC

Prabhu signed for Indian Super League club Hyderabad FC on a three-year deal, ahead of the 2019–20 season. After a year in the reserve team, he was promoted to the senior squad ahead of the 2020–21 season. However, he failed to make a single appearance for the club throughout the season. [3]

Prabhu remained with Hyderabad for the next season as well, but once again failed to make any appearances until he was loaned out to fellow ISL club Odisha FC.

Odisha FC

On 30 December 2021, Odisha announced the arrival of Prabhu on loan, with an option for a permanent transfer at the end of the season. [4] He made his debut for the club, and his senior debut, on 23 January 2022 away against ATK Mohun Bagan, replacing Hector Rodas at half time. The match eventually ended 0-0. [5] Prabhu made two further appearances that season, coming on as a substitute in the club's last two games of the season. [3]

On May 25 2022, Odisha confirmed that Prabhu was joining the club permanently for an undisclosed fee. He signed a 2-year contract, which had an option to extend for a further year. [6] He made his first league appearance of the season away against East Bengal, coming on at half time as a substitute for Osama Malik with the club 2–0 down. However, Odisha came back and scored 4 goals in the second half, to win the match 4–2. [7]

Prabhu made two further appearances for Odisha, before completing a mid-season switch to FC Goa.

FC Goa

On 2 February 2023, FC Goa confirmed the signing of Prabhu on one-a-half-year contract. [8] He made his debut for the club on 16 February 2023 at home against Chennaiyin FC, coming on as a half-time substitute for Ayush Chhetri. However, the Gaurs went on to lose the match 2–1. [9] He played again in the club's next match, a 3–1 loss away to Bengaluru FC. [10]

Punjab FC

2023–24 season

Following their promotion to the ISL, Punjab FC announced Prabhu's signing on 22 June 2023, signing a three-year contract with the Shers. [11] He made his debut for the club on 7 August 2023 in the 2023 Durand Cup, playing from the start in a 2–0 loss to Mohun Bagan. [12]

Prabhu made his ISL debut for the club on 23 September 2023, playing from the start in a 3–1 loss for the Shers. [13] Prabhu was deployed as a defensive midfielder from the start for the first time by then-Punjab head coach Staikos Vergetis away against Jamshedpur FC, as Prabhu played the full 90 minutes in an eventual 0–0 draw. [14]

Prabhu scored his first goal for Punjab FC, and his first senior goal away against Bengaluru FC, scoring a close-range tap-in from a freekick near the halfway line by French midfielder Madih Talal in the 19th minute. The match eventually ended in a 3–3 draw. [15]

Prabhu played 20 out of Punjab's 22 games in the 23–24 season, only missing out on home games against Chennaiyin and Goa as a result of suspension due to yellow-card accumulation. [16] He made a total of 30 appearances for the club in all competitions, primarily as a defensive midfielder. [17]

2024–25 season

The following season, even after the departure of Vergetis, new Punjab head coach Panos Dilmperis continued to deploy Prabhu in defensive midfield. [17] Prabhu made his first appearance of the season in the Durand Cup, playing the first 73 minutes against CISF Protectors in an eventual 3–0 win for Punjab. [18]

Prabhu's first ISL appearance came against Kerala Blasters, playing the full 90 minutes at defensive midfield in an eventual 1–2 win for Punjab FC. [19] Prabhu was named as Punjab FC captain for the first time in the reverse fixture against Kerala Blasters on 5 January 2025. Prabhu was given the armband for the match due to the regular captains Luka Majcen and Mushaga Bakenga being absent from the squad, and Filip Mrzljak being named on the bench. However, the Shers lost the match 1–0 after a Noah Sadaoui penalty in the 44th minute being the deciding goal. [20]

Prabhu's first win as captain of Punjab came at home against Bengaluru FC on 1 February 2025. With Bakenga having retired, [21] and both Majcen and Mrzjlak on the bench, Prabhu was given the armband again. This time though, Punjab won the game 3–2 after a late winner from Majcen. [22]

Prabhu ended the season with 21 league appearances, as Punjab finished tenth. [16]

International career

On 28th May 2025, Prabhu was called up to the India squad for the first time, for a friendly against Thailand, and an AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong. [23] [24] Prabhu made his international debut on 4 June 2025 against Thailand, coming on as a 67th minute substitute for Ayush Chhetri, as India succumbed to a 2–0 defeat. [25] [26]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 March 2025 [27]
ClubSeasonLeagueCup AFC Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hyderabad 2020–21 Indian Super League 000000
21–22 000000
Hyderabad total00000000
Odisha (loan) 21–22 Indian Super League300030
Odisha 22–23 Indian Super League301 [a] 040
Odisha total60100070
Goa 22–23 Indian Super League202040
Goa total202 [b] 00040
Punjab 23–24 Indian Super League2016 [a] [b] 0261
24–25 2104 [a] 0250
Punjab total41110000510
Career total49113000621
  1. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Durand Cup
  2. 1 2 Appearance(s) in Super Cup

International

As of 4 June 2025 [28]
National teamYearAppsGoals
India 202510
Total10

References

  1. "Nikhil Prabhu". Hyderabad FC. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  2. Shetty, Chittu (16 December 2019). "Parents precious sacrifices have helped me concentrate on my game: Nikhil Prabhu".
  3. 1 2 "India - N. Prabhu - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  4. "Odisha FC rope in Nikhil Prabhu on loan from Hyderabad FC". www.indiansuperleague.com. 30 December 2021.
  5. "Mohun Bagan 0-0 Odisha (23 Jan, 2022) Game Analysis - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  6. https://odishafc.com/news/details/nikhil-prabhu-completes-permanent-move-to-odisha-fc?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=smm&utm_campaign=twitter_smm_OFCsignNikhilPrabhuPermanently#:~:text=Odisha%20FC%20would%20like%20to,option%20of%20a%20permanent%20transfer.
  7. "Odisha 4-2 East Bengal (18 Nov, 2022) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  8. "FC Goa complete signing of defender Nikhil Prabhu". fcgoa.in.
  9. "Chennaiyin 2-1 FC Goa (16 Feb, 2023) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  10. "Bengaluru 3-1 FC Goa (23 Feb, 2023) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  11. "ISL - RoundGlass Punjab FC Signs Nikhil Prabhu And Kingslee Fernandes". 22 June 2023.
  12. Sportstar, Team (7 August 2023). "MBSG 2 - 0 PFC Highlights, Durand Cup 2023: Melroy own goal, Boumous strike take Mohun Bagan top of Group A". Sportstar.
  13. "Mohun Bagan 3-1 Punjab FC (23 Sep, 2023) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  14. "Jamshedpur 0-0 Punjab FC (22 Oct, 2023) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  15. "Battling Bengaluru rally to snatch draw against Punjab". 1 December 2023 via The Economic Times - The Times of India.
  16. 1 2 "Nikhil Prabhu - Indian Super League". www.indiansuperleague.com.
  17. 1 2 "Punjab FC's Nikhil Prabhu on recent form, potential Indian team call-up, ISL hopes & more". Khel Now.
  18. Dutta, Moumita (30 July 2024). "CISF Protectors XI vs Punjab FC Highlights, Durand Cup 2024: CISF 0-3 PFC, Punjab impress on first match win". www.mykhel.com.
  19. "Punjab FC 2-1 Kerala (15 Sep, 2024) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  20. "Kerala 1-0 Punjab FC (5 Jan, 2025) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  21. Desk, The Bridge (20 December 2024). "ISL: Former Punjab FC striker Bakenga retires from professional football". thebridge.in.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  22. "Punjab FC 3-2 Bengaluru (1 Feb, 2025) Final Score - ESPN (IN)". ESPN.
  23. https://x.com/IndianFootball/status/1927619648532480098
  24. https://www.business-standard.com/sports/football-news/indian-team-call-up-a-proud-moment-for-me-and-my-family-nikhil-prabhu-125053001745_1.html
  25. https://x.com/IndianFootball/status/1930263012214222961
  26. https://www.espn.in/football/story/_/id/45445387/india-vs-thailand-live-scores-updates-commentary-news-result-international-friendly
  27. Nikhil Prabhu at Soccerway
  28. Nikhil Prabhu at National-Football-Teams.com