Honestly, if you only watch the Indian Super League (ISL) once every few weeks, you’re missing the real story. Everyone talks about the "sleeping giant" of world football finally waking up. But for the actual players of football in india, the last few months have been nothing short of a chaotic roller coaster.
The reality on the ground in early 2026 is messy. It’s gritty. It’s a mix of massive financial uncertainty and some of the most exciting individual talent we've seen in a decade. While the headlines focus on the delayed ISL season—now finally set to kick off on February 14, 2026—the players themselves have been forced to adapt just to stay match-fit. Some took pay cuts. Others literally left the country.
The Great 2026 Exodus and Why It Matters
You might’ve heard about the "exodus." Because of the stalemate between the AIFF and commercial partners over the Master Rights Agreement, the top flight was stuck in limbo for half a year. For a professional athlete, six months without a competitive game is an eternity.
Look at someone like Sandesh Jhingan. He’s the veteran, the rock of the national team defense. He recently made headlines not for a last-minute tackle, but for accepting a significant pay cut at FC Goa just to keep things moving. That’s the kind of leadership that doesn't show up in a box score.
Then you’ve got the guys who chose to travel. With the ISL on hold, we saw a sudden surge of Indian talent looking at Southeast Asia and beyond. It wasn't just about the money; it was about the minutes. When your career only lasts 15 years if you’re lucky, you can’t afford to spend one of them sitting in a training camp in Goa waiting for a phone call.
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The New Guard: Lallianzuala Chhangte and the "Post-Chhetri" Era
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Sunil Chhetri’s shadow is massive. But in 2026, the identity of players of football in india is finally shifting toward the "Chhangte generation."
Lallianzuala Chhangte is basically the heartbeat of the attack now. If you watched the World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar back in June 2024, you saw him score that opening goal. Even though India ultimately missed out on the third round, that moment proved something. We have players who can look Asian champions in the eye and not blink.
Chhangte isn't alone. You’ve got:
- Anwar Ali: A center-back who plays like a modern European "ball-playing" defender. His ability to start an attack from the 18-yard box is something India simply didn't have ten years ago.
- Apuia (Lalengmawia Ralte): The midfield metronome. He’s the guy who dictates the tempo. Honestly, watching him keep possession under pressure is the closest thing to "Joga Bonito" you’ll find in the ISL.
- Naorem Mahesh Singh: A winger who actually understands how to cross a ball. It sounds simple, but his technical consistency has made him indispensable for both East Bengal and the Blue Tigers.
Overseas Rebels: The Abneet Bharti and Manisha Kalyan Factor
The most interesting trend right now is the rise of the "Overseas Indian." For years, we ignored anyone not playing in the domestic league. That changed in late 2025.
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Take Abneet Bharti. He’s a 27-year-old defender who has been grinding in the first division of Bolivia with Academia del Balompié Boliviano. Imagine that for a second. An Indian kid playing at high altitude in South America. The AIFF finally caught on, bringing him into the national camp for the Asian Cup qualifiers.
And then there's Manisha Kalyan. She is arguably the most successful Indian footballer on the planet right now. After scoring in the UEFA Women's Champions League with Apollon Ladies, she recently moved to Alianza Lima in Peru. She’s breaking every ceiling we thought existed for players of football in india.
The ISL 2026 Reality Check
When the league finally starts in February, it’s going to look a bit different. A total of 14 teams are competing, but the "foreign player exodus" has stripped away some of the big-name imports like Adrián Luna and Noah Sadaoui, who moved to Indonesia on loan.
Is that bad? Kinda. But it also means more starting spots for young Indian boys.
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We’re seeing kids like Sahil Poonia (just 19) and Pramveer (18) getting looks at the senior level because the usual veterans are either aging out or playing elsewhere. It’s a forced youth revolution. Khalid Jamil, now managing the national team, has always been a proponent of this "work-rate over reputation" philosophy. He isn't interested in how many followers a player has on Instagram; he wants to know if they can press for 90 minutes in the humid heat of Kolkata.
Misconceptions About the "Indian Style"
People often say Indian players lack "physique." That’s a dated take. If you look at the current crop of defenders like Mehtab Singh or Akash Mishra, they are elite athletes. The gap isn't physical anymore; it's tactical.
The biggest struggle for players of football in india remains the lack of a long, structured season. When you only play 20-25 games a year, your "football IQ" develops slower than a kid in Japan or South Korea who is playing 45-50 games. This is why the AIFF’s struggle to keep the league running is so damaging. It’s not just about the business; it’s about the neurological development of the athletes.
What to Watch for in the Coming Months
If you're following the scene, don't just look at the goals. Watch the movements.
- The Asian Cup Qualifiers: This is the big one. India needs to perform against teams like Bangladesh and Vietnam to prove that the 2024 slump was a fluke.
- The Rise of Regional Hubs: It’s not just Manipur and Mizoram anymore. Punjab is producing massive, physically dominant players (like Vikram Partap Singh), while the Bengaluru FC academy is churning out technical midfielders.
- The "Passport" Search: Watch for more Indian-origin players or passport holders playing in Europe to be integrated. The AIFF President, Kalyan Chaubey, has explicitly stated they are widening the net.
The state of football in India is precarious, sure. But the talent is there. The players are doing their part—they're training in empty stadiums, taking pay cuts, and flying halfway across the world to play in Bolivia and Peru. They've done enough. Now, the system just needs to catch up.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Players
- Track the "I-League to ISL" pipeline: Keep an eye on Diamond Harbour FC and other I-League clubs. With the ISL uncertainty, some of the most hungry talent is actually in the second tier right now.
- Follow the Women’s Game: Manisha Kalyan’s career path is a literal blueprint. If you’re an aspiring player, look at leagues in Cyprus, Greece, or South America—not just the Premier League dream.
- Focus on Technical Literacy: The modern Indian scout is looking for "decision-making speed." If you're a player, work on your first touch under pressure. That is the single biggest separator in the current national team trials.
The 2026 season will be the ultimate test of resilience for every player in the country. It’s time to see who actually wants it when the bright lights are dimmed.