Indian footballers haven't graced the biggest stages of world football yet, but there have been plenty of instances where our national heroes of the sport brushed shoulders with some of the famous footballing names.
From Clarence Seedorf to Mark van Bommel, football stars from across the world have played alongside Indian players in the past, notably former ace striker Bhaichung Bhutia.
It is to be noted that since the likes of Diego Forlan and Roberto Carlos have played in the Indian Super League (ISL), we have excluded them from the list. Moreover, we have only included players that have played as teammates of Indian footballers together on the pitch, not off it.
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Here are the top five players:
#1 Zinedine Zidane
The current Real Madrid manager invited Bhaichung Bhutia for a charity match in January 2010. Bhutia played alongside Zidane and other stars of the footballing world for a Zidane XI against a Benfica All Stars side at the home of the Eagles, Estadio Da Luz. The match was organised to raise funds for the devastating Haiti earthquake that happened on 12th January 2010, and Bhutia managed to do what he loves doing: scoring a goal.
Bhutia found the net in an entertaining 3-3 draw after coming on as a second-half substitute. To play alongside a modern great like Zidane is an achievement in itself, and Bhutia decorated the occasion by scoring a goal. As a player, Zidane won the “holy trinity” of World Cup, European Championship and Champions League during his career with France and Real Madrid.
#2 Robin van Persie
Before taking to the pitch alongside Zidane in 2010, Bhaichung Bhutia played a charity match in 2008 for Goal 4 Africa, an initiative that was inspired by Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela dream of education for all. Bhutia turned out for the "Edu" team that squared of to Michael Ballack’s “Cation” team. Under the captaincy of Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf, Bhutia partnered Arsenal’s Robin van Persie in attack.
The then-Mohun Bagan striker showed his prowess in front of goal by netting a brace of goals past Brazilian goalkeeper Dida. That, however, was of academic interest as Bhutia’s team lost the match 9-6, but the Indian striker played the full ninety minutes.
#3 Eric Dier
Current India captain Sunil Chhetri had a stint with Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon in the 2012/13 season but failed to make much of a mark before returning home. Chhetri’s much-trumpeted move to Portugal soon hit realistic notes as he played with Sporting’s B side in the Portuguese second division. During his short spell, however, Chhetri featured alongside current Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder Eric Dier, albeit for a very short period of time.
Chhetri played a total of five minutes in two games in the Ledman Liga Pro with Dier, with Sporting B losing the first game against Freamunde before getting the better of Braga B two match days later. Chhetri's contribution in both the games was barely meaningful, but that gave him a taste of European football at least.
#4 Joao Mario
Joao Mario played a key role in Portugal’s Euro 2016 victory last year, but he started off his senior career in the lower reaches of Portuguese football. Mario, who now plays at Inter Milan, was a team-mate of Chhetri’s at Sporting B and therefore, played together with the Indian national team captain.
Like Dier, Mario’s time on the pitch with Chhetri was also minimal. Mario was on the pitch for Sporting B when Chhetri made his short appearances against Freamunde and Braga B, but that doesn’t quantify the experience India’s all-time record goalscorer gained during his exchanges with a future European champion.
#5 Kaka
Kaka also featured in the Zidane XI that played against a Benfica All Stars in 2010. The Brazilian, who is the last one to win the Ballon d’Or before the Messi-Ronaldo hegemony took effect, started the charity game and was joined on the pitch by Bhutia in the second half. Both Kaka and Bhutia found the net in the game that ended in an entertaining 3-3 draw.
Although Kaka was in the middle of the 2010/11 season with Real Madrid, he ensured he was part of the fundraiser game for the Haiti disaster, thus adding a touch of modern glamour to the match. Although Bhutia was a footnote in the event judging by the array of stars that participated, the Sikkimese star definitely made his mark by scoring a goal.
