Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Raju Eknath Gaikwad | ||
Date of birth | 25 September 1990 | ||
Place of birth | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back / Left back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Diamond Harbour FC | ||
Number | 47 | ||
Youth career | |||
Tata Football Academy | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2011 | Pailan Arrows | 14 | (0) |
2011–2015 | East Bengal | 37 | (0) |
2014 | → Mumbai City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2015–2017 | Mohun Bagan | 14 | (0) |
2015–2016 | → Goa (loan) | 23 | (0) |
2017–18 | Mumbai City | 15 | (0) |
2018-2019 | Jamshedpur | 5 | (0) |
2019–2020 | Kerala Blasters | 12 | (0) |
2021–2022 | East Bengal | 19 | (0) |
2022–2023 | Churchill Brothers | 12 | (1) |
2023 | Delhi | 2 | (0) |
2024- | Diamond Harbour FC | 2 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2011–2013 | India U23 | 4 | (0) |
2011– | India | 23 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:49, 11 March 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:18, 6 October 2014 (UTC) |
Raju Eknath Gaikwad (born 25 September 1990) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for I-League 3 club Diamond Harbour FC. Gaikwad primarily plays as a centre back, but can also play as a full back and is a long throw specialist.
After spending time at Tata Football Academy Gaikwad signed for Pailan Arrows (then AIFF XI) in the I-League. He made his league debut for the club on 3 December 2010 against Prayag United at the Salt Lake Stadium which was also Pailan Arrows's first ever game in the I-League; Pailan lost 2–1. [1]
In July 2011 Gaikwad signed for East Bengal after one season at Pailan and made his debut for the club on 4 February 2012 after missing the first few months of the season through injury. [2]
In June 2015 Gaikwad signed for Mohun Bagan from rival club East Bengal. [3]
Kerala Blasters signed Raju as a replacement for Sandesh Jhingan in the 2019–20 ISL season. [4]
Gaikwad made his debut for the India U23 on 23 February 2011 against Myanmar's U23s in the 2012 Olympic Qualifiers; India U23 won 2–1. [5] He then made his senior debut for India on 21 March 2011 in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers against Chinese Tapei at the MBPJ Stadium in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia; India won 3–0. [6] Gaikwad then won his first championship with India on 11 December 2011 when he helped India beat Afghanistan in the 2011 SAFF Cup. [7] Gaikwad then went on to lead India to win the 2012 Nehru Cup when India managed to beat Cameroon's B team on 2 September 2012 at the Nehru Stadium in the Indian capital, Delhi. [8]
Club | Season | Division | League | Cup | Other | AFC | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Pailan Arrows | 2010–11 | I-League | 14 | 0 | 1 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
East Bengal | 2011–12 | 0 | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
2012–13 | 9 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 6 [lower-alpha 2] | 1 | 3 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
2013–14 | 17 | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 9 [lower-alpha 4] | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |||
2014–15 | 11 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 4 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
East Bengal total | 37 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 70 | 3 | ||
Mumbai City (loan) | 2014 | Indian Super League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
Mohun Bagan | 2015–16 | I-League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 [lower-alpha 5] [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
2016–17 | 6 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 5 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
East Bengal total | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
Goa (loan) | 2014 | Indian Super League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
2015 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||||
Goa total | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
Mumbai City | 2017–18 | Indian Super League | 15 | 0 | 2 [lower-alpha 6] | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||
Jamshedpur | 2018–19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
Kerala Blasters | 2019–20 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
East Bengal | 2020–21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
2021–22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
East Bengal total | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
Churchill Brothers | 2022–23 | I-League | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | |
Delhi | 2023–24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Career total | 154 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 209 | 2 |
Statistics accurate as of 6 May 2015 [10]
India national team | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Apps | Goals |
2011 | 9 | 0 |
2012 | 8 | 0 |
2013 | 4 | 0 |
2014 | 2 | 0 |
Total | 23 | 0 |
Tata Football Academy
India
East Bengal
Mohun Bagan
Churchill Brothers
Bhaichung Bhutia, also spelled as Baichung Bhutia, is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Bhutia is considered as the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He is often nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his shooting skills in football. Three-time Indian Player of the Year I. M. Vijayan described Bhutia as "God's gift to Indian football".
Naduparambil Pappachen Pradeep, commonly known as NP Pradeep, is a retired Indian professional footballer who played as a defender. Pradeep hails from Moolamattom in Kerala. He was also the captain of India's U23 team. He is currently working as a Malayalam co-commentator and pundit on Star Sports network.
Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Indian Super League club Bengaluru. He is known for his link-up play, goal scoring abilities, and leadership. He is the fourth-highest international goalscorer, and is also the most-capped player and the all-time top goalscorer of the India national team. He is widely regarded as the greatest Indian football player of all time.
Deepak Kumar Mondal is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. A graduate of the Tata Football Academy, An Arjuna Award winner, he was one of India's most prominent right backs for over a decade, earning 47 caps with the India national team. Mondal also played with both the Kolkata giants, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, spending five years at each club, captaining both of them.
Krishanu Dey was an Indian footballer from Kolkata, India. He was an attacking midfielder and was known as the "Indian Maradona" among his fans due to his footballing skills and playing style.
Sudip Chatterjee, nicknamed Tulu, was an Indian international football player and coach. He started his career as a centre back and then moved to the right back position before switching to the midfielder role. As a midfielder, he was considered among the finest players in Indian football. He also managed Bengal in Santosh Trophy and won the 1998–99 edition.
Arindam Bhattacharya is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for I-League club Inter Kashi.
Nirmal Chettri is an Indian footballer who plays mainly as a defender and last played for Southern Samity in the Calcutta Football League.
Jeje Lalpekhlua Fanai, simply known as Jeje, is an Indian politician and former professional footballer who played as a striker. On 27 March 2023, he formally joined the Zoram People's Movement and won from the South Tuipui constituency in the 2023 Mizoram Legislative Assembly election.
Lalrindika Ralte, popularly known as Dika, is a former Indian professional footballer who last played as an attacking midfielder for Real Kashmir in the I-League.
Robin Singh is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward for I-League 3 club Sporting Club Bengaluru.
Shilton Sydney D'Silva is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Gokulam Kerala in the I-League.
Shouvik Debkumar Ghosh is an Indian footballer who plays as a defender for Rajasthan United in the I-League.
Biswajit Bhattacharya is a retired Indian professional footballer and football manager. He most recently managed Calcutta Football League club Calcutta Customs and is the current head coach of West Bengal football team.
The history of football in India is a long and detailed one, as it was the national sport at one time. The impetus for this was to unify the Indian Army. There is evidence of football games being played in the army since at least 1949. India is home to some of the oldest football clubs in the world, and the world's third oldest competition, the Durand Cup. There was a time when football in India was highly celebrated. The Indian football outfit was called the "Brazilians of Asia".
Pronay Halder is an Indian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Indian Super League club Jamshedpur.
Prabir Das is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a right back for the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters.
Vishal Kaith is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan and the India national team.
Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan. He gained fame for his performance at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The 2021–22 Mohun Bagan season was the club's 2nd season in Indian Super League and 132nd season since its establishment in 1889. The club though initially participated in the Calcutta Football League, later withdrew before the start of their campaign.