The National Football League (NFL) was the men's highest level of the Indian football league system from 1996 to 2007. Founded by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1996, the NFL was the first football league in India to be organized on a national scale. The AIFF then added a second division in 1997 and a third division was soon added by the governing body in 2006. The NFL was eventually replaced by the I-League for the 2007–08 season in order to professionalize the sport in India.
Inivalappil Mani Vijayan, also known by the nickname Kalo Harin (Blackbuck), is a former professional football player who also captained the India national football team. He played as a striker, where he formed a successful attacking partnership with Bhaichung Bhutia for the India national football team in the late nineties and early 2000s. Vijayan was crowned Indian Player of the Year in 1993, 1997 and 1999, the first player to win the award multiple times. He was also awarded the Arjuna Award in 2003.
Subhash Bhowmick was an Indian football player and manager. During his playing career, he represented the "Big Two" of Kolkata football, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He also represented India in various international tournaments between 1970 and 1985.
The National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, or simply Santosh Trophy, is an inter-state national football competition contested by the state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the sport's governing body in India. Before the launch of the first national club league, the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic tournament in India. Many players who have represented India internationally, played in the Santosh Trophy. The tournament is held every year with eligible teams divided into zones, play in the qualifying round and can progress into the tournament proper.
Brahmanand Sagoon Kamat Sankhwalkar is an Indian former footballer and a captain of the Indian team from 1983 to 1986, who played as a goalkeeper. Considered one of India's best goalkeepers, he had 25-year playing career. He played for Panvel Sports Club, Salgaocar, Churchill Brothers, Anderson Mariners at the club level, that included 17 years with Salgaocar, and for Goa state team in the Santosh Trophy. Playing for Goa, he led the team to two consecutive wins at the Santosh Trophy; in 1983 and 1984. Having maintained a clean sheet of 576 minutes in the 1984 tournament, he holds the Indian record.
Potsangbam Renedy Singh, simply known as Renedy Singh, is an Indian football coach, former professional football midfilder and football pundit from Manipur. He currently works as an assistant coach of Indian Super League club Bengaluru. He is also the former captain of the India national football team.
Syed Nayeemuddin, known as Nayeem, is an Indian football coach and former player. He played for and captained the India national team. He later managed Mahindra United, Brothers Union, Dhaka Mohammedan, and Bangladesh national team.
Havildar Peter Thangaraj was an Indian football player and a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army. Thangaraj played for the Indian national side at the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics. He was voted Asia's best goalkeeper in 1958. Thangaraj was a recipient of Arjuna Award for the year 1967.
Inder Singh is an Indian former football player and captain, manager and administrator. He played for Leaders Club of Jalandhar, JCT Mills, and the India national team, predominantly as a forward. He began his senior professional career with Leaders Club in 1962 and moved to JCT Mills in 1974. Playing for Punjab in the Santosh Trophy, he finished the 1974–75 tournament with 23 goals, a record that still stands. He was included in the AFC Asian All Stars team in 1968. He retired as a player in 1985.
Kalyan Chaubey is an Indian politician of Bharatiya Janata Party and a former professional football goalkeeper. He is the current president of the All India Football Federation.
Sukhwinder Singh is an Indian football manager and a former international footballer. He was the manager of the Cuttack based Indian Women's League side, Rising Students for the 2013–14 season and was also the coach of the India U-23 side and formerly of the Pailan Arrows of the I-League.
The 2010 Santosh Trophy was the 64th edition of the tournament. All matches of the tournament from the quarter-finals stage were played at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. The tournament began on 16 July 2010 and ended on 8 August 2010 when the final match was played between Bengal and Punjab.
Syed Abdul Rahim, popularly known as Rahim Saab, was an Indian football coach and manager of the India national team from 1950 until his death in 1963, and a former player. He is regarded as the architect of modern Indian football. A teacher by profession, he was a strong motivator and his tenure as a coach is regarded as the "golden age" of football in India.
The West Bengal football team, also known as IFA Bengal football team or earlier the Bengal football team, is an Indian football team representing West Bengal in Indian state football competitions including the Santosh Trophy. They were the second Indian team to participate in the continental top tier tournament – Asian Champion Club Tournament, by playing in the 1970 edition following Mysore in 1969.
Rajib Ghosh is an Indian former footballer who last played as a defender for Calcutta Premier Division side Bhawanipore. He also represented West Bengal in Santosh Trophy, winning the 2009–10 season.
Eastern Railway Football Club is an Indian institutional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The club was incorporated in 1882. Its widely known football team has mostly competed in CFL Premier Division B.
Tulsidas Balaram, also known as Tulsidas Balaraman, was an Indian footballer. Balaram represented India in multiple international tournaments, including the Asian Games, the Mederka Cup and the Olympics. Along with P. K. Banerjee and Chuni Goswami, Balaram was part of an acclaimed trio of players that helped propel India into what is widely regarded as its golden age of football during the 1950s and 60s.
Jarnail Singh Dhillon was a former Indian football player, who played as a centre-back. He was the captain of the India national football team from 1965 to 1967. He was given the Arjuna Award in 1964 for his achievements as a football player. He also competed in the men's tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Considered as one of Asia's best defenders in the 1960s, he spent most of his career in Mohun Bagan.
Mohammed Habib was an Indian footballer who played as a forward for the India national team which he also captained. He is also considered by many Indians as one of the best footballers the country has ever produced. He was popularly known as Bade Mia in the Indian football world.
East Bengal Football Club Reserves and Academy commonly referred to as East Bengal, is the reserve team and youth system of the Indian Super League side East Bengal FC. Reserves generally consist of younger players, but at times senior players also play, if recuperating from injury or not getting first team game time. Apart from the I-League 2 (formerly), the reserve side plays in the Calcutta Football League, currently under the sponsorship name Emami East Bengal Club.
