East Bengal end 22-year wait, lift national title by winning ISL

New Delhi: East Bengal connected Thursday were crowned the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) champions, fending disconnected the situation of 4 different clubs successful what was a blockbuster last matchday of the truncated season.The past clip East Bengal lifted the league title, successful 2004, the apical part of Indian shot was called the National Football League. It has seen aggregate avatars since: the I-League, Indian Super League and I-League earlier the existent rendition successful the ISL.

In the 22 years since that glory, East Bengal person not been capable to adhd to their 3 nationalist league titles. They person finished 2nd six times successful the NFL/I-League era, portion their champion decorativeness since joining the ISL fold had been ninth.Until this season.The existent play of 13 games each produced a rubric contention for the ages. East Bengal, metropolis rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Punjab FC, Mumbai City FC and Jamshedpur FC were each successful with a accidental arsenic games kicked disconnected simultaneously.So overmuch truthful that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stationed the shiny ISL trophy successful their Kolkata office, with the Kishore Bharati Krirangan (temporary location of Inter Kashi) and Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (home of Mohun Bagan Super Giant) arsenic its destinations.

Had the results gone immoderate differently, the different options progressive a formation for the glittering silverware, with 1 of Mumbai, Jamshedpur oregon Punjab arsenic the last destination.

In the end, holding their destiny successful their ain hands, East Bengal came from down and bushed Inter Kashi 2-1 courtesy goals from Youssef Ezzejjari and Rashid. Mohun Bagan, who produced a comeback of their ain to bushed SC Delhi 2-1, were apical of the array for 51 minutes arsenic Alfred enactment Inter Kashi ahead.

But with their rubric aspirations not successful their hands, Mohun Bagan were denied and decorativeness the play level with their metropolis rivals but with an inferior extremity difference. In the day's different games, Mumbai City FC bushed Punjab FC 2-0 to instrumentality the 3rd spot successful the standings. Jamshedpur FC and Odisha FC played retired a goalless draw.East Bengal manager Oscar Bruzon captured the emotions perfectly connected the eve of the game. “We cannot fell from the information that present it is 1 crippled for 1 title.

If we privation to instrumentality 1 crippled astatine a time, present is the infinitesimal to instrumentality 1 rubric astatine a time,” helium said.

On the pitch, the Red and Gold Brigade played similar it was so “one rubric astatine a time”, with the strength nary antithetic from what had already been disposable passim the season.With lone 1 nonaccomplishment successful the campaign, East Bengal person been acold and distant the champion side. They person scored the astir goals (30), person the strongest extremity quality (+19), seen Youssef Ezzejjari container the Golden Boot (11goals), portion Miguel Figueira has provided the astir assists (6).Ezzejjari’s interaction has been felt astir successful location fixtures, with 10 of his 11 goals coming astatine the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. He has besides been influential disconnected the bench. In 4 games successful which helium was brought on, helium scored 3 goals. Collectively, Ezzejjari and Edmund Lalrindika person been the astir lethal attacking duo of the ISL play (15 goals).All statistic aside, East Bengal and their faithful volition cherish this glory for a assortment of reasons: edging their metropolis rivals Mohun Bagan, reviving the Maidan rivalry for the involvement of nostalgia, and supra all, lifting the rubric aft 22 years. And they merit each spot of it.