Top five all-time top goal scorers for Indian football team

Even though football is a team sport, goal scorers' individual skill frequently steals the show. The Indian football team has some prolific goal-getters. A combination of physical prowess, technical proficiency, mental toughness, and—above all—tactical awareness are needed to score goals.

Despite being a unique talent, goal-scoring skills can be refined and developed with effort, self-control, perseverance, and commitment. Goal-scorers are often celebrated as heroes in football. 

The role of a goal scorer for the national team is more important. They inspire many with their performances, carrying the aspirations and hopes of a country. Their goals are more than just statistics, they are symbols of the nation’s pride.

In Indian football, the goal-scorers are the heroes who capture the hearts of fans and create a lasting impression with their incredible goal scoring abilities. Their accomplishments will be remembered for years to come, and their names will be inscribed in Indian football history.

Let’s look at the top five players who have scored the highest number of goals for the Indian football team.

5. P.K. Banerjee (16 goals, 52 appearances) & Magan Singh Rajvi (16 goals, 36 appearances)

Pradip Kumar Banerjee, popularly referred to as PK Banerjee or simply PK, was a genuine game legend. The name PK Banerjee is a byword for talent, style, and leadership. His natural ability to score goals as a striker allowed him to score important goals for his team and his nation. He was a nightmare for defenders because of his clinical finishing, accurate passing, and dribbling abilities. 

As a player, he represented many clubs like Bihar, Bengal, Railways, and Eastern Railways in tournaments like the Santosh Trophy and the CFL. As a manager, he managed top-tier clubs like East Bengal, Mohammedan and Mohun Bagan. He also served as the technical director for the Tata Football Academy and Mohammedan SC.

With 16 individual goals while playing for the Indian national football team, PK Banerjee and Magan Singh Rajvi have an incredible record in common. One of PK Banerjee’s notable achievements was when he captained India at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Notably, he played 52 games and equalized against France in an exciting 1-1 draw.

4. Jeje Lalpekhlua (23 goals, 56 appearances)

Jeje Lalpekhlua who was simply known as Jeje was a prolific goal scorer. He has played for a number of well-known teams during his career, such as East Bengal FC, Pune FC, Dempo SC, and Mohun Bagan Chennaiyin FC. He quickly became a fan favorite because of his speed, agility, and clinical finishing.

From modest beginnings to becoming a vital member of his club in the ISL and the Indian National team, Jeje's career path has been remarkable. He has been an invaluable member of every team he has played for because of his ability to create opportunities and score goals. In 56 games, Jeje has scored 23 goals for the Indian national football team.

3. I.M. Vijayan (32 goals, 73 appearances)

Inivalappil Mani Vijayan is a legendary figure in Indian football, having scored 32 goals in 73 games. Vijayan was a formidable player on the field, distinguished by his lightning-fast speed and clinical finishing. Throughout his career, he has played for a number of prominent clubs. He has donned the jerseys of Kerala Police, Mohun Bagan, FC Kochin, East Bengal, and Churchill Brothers.

His partnership with Bhaichung Bhutia formed one of the most iconic duos in Indian football history. Collectively, they guided the Indian national team to memorable victories. In addition, I.M. Vijayan's goal against Bhutan during the 1999 South Asian Games in Kathmandu set a new record for the fastest goal in Indian football team history (12 seconds). This goal currently is the 9th fastest goal in men’s International football history.

2. Bhaichung Bhutia (43 goals, 104 appearances)

A dominant force in Indian football for more than ten years, Bhaichung Bhutia was renowned for his extraordinary skill, speed, and clinical finishing. Bhutia was a born leader in addition to being a skilled goal scorer. He led the Indian national team as captain for many years, inspiring people with his passion, determination, and work ethic. During his playing days, his leadership abilities were crucial to India's success.

He has played for clubs like East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, United Sikkim, Perak FC, and MK Land FC. Being one of the first Indians to play for a European club, his time at Bury FC stands out as one of his career highlights.

Notably, he played against Manchester United in the English FA Cup, making him the first Indian player to do so. When he scored against Chesterfield on April 15, 2000, he became the first Asian player to score in English pro-football. 

In 104 games, the Sikkimese Sniper has scored 43 goals overall. He had a knack for scoring crucial goals and could find the back of the net from a variety of angles. For Bhaichung Bhutia's final match, Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich traveled to India.

1. Sunil Chhetri (94 goals, 151 appearances)

Captain, Leader and Legend Sunil Chhetri has been the spearhead of the Indian attack for over a decade. Chhetri can score goals with a variety of methods, including curling shots, penalty kicks, and simple chips. In 2010, Sunil Chhetri became the third Indian player to play outside of South Asia and the first Indian player to play in the prestigious Major League Soccer (MLS).

Chhetri has unmatched goal-scoring ability. He has played for the Indian national team and participated in the ISL for over a decade, breaking many records and establishing new standards. He has played for renowned Indian clubs like Bengaluru FC more recently, Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Jagatjit, United SC, and Mumbai City FC Dempo SC. During his time abroad, he played for Sporting CP B in Portugal and the Kansas City Wizards in the Major League Soccer.

Sunil Chhetri is currently the highest all-time goal scorer of the ISL. He is also the fourth-highest international goal scorer, the most-capped player with 151 games, and the Indian football team's all-time top scorer with 94 goals.

Cover Credits - The Quint