Top 5 foreigners to play in Indian football

#1 Majid Baskar (Early 1980s)

Majid Baskar was the star of Indian football in the 1980s

Majid Baskar is one of the finest foreigners ever to ply his trade in India. Hailing from the Middle-East country of Iran, Baskar is still the yardstick when it comes to foreign footballers in Indian football. New players are always put to the question—‘Is he as good as Majid or not’ by both coaches and players.

Mainly playing as a ‘schemer’ or an attacking midfielder, Majid was known to be a player with sublime skills and unconventional thinking on the ball. His pace with the ball, skillful dribbling and trickery was something Indian audiences had never seen in the past. Sitting in the midfield and pulling the strings effectively and creatively, Majid was in the mould of a certain Juan Roman Riquelme. Even the hard-to-please Kolkata critics loved him, for a change.

Majid was part of the Iranian football team that played in the 1978 World Cup. He came to India to study in the Aligarh Muslim University and formed one of the deadliest partnerships with his friend from University, Jamshid Nasri. Majid played for a year for East Bengal and the next two years for Mohammedan Sporting and such was his impact that he’s known as the best foreigner ever to play in India.

Iran was going through a lot of turmoil in those days, and it took to Majid. After the Iranian Revolution, Majid got addicted to narcotics and could never replicate his ability on the football field. He tried in the other parts of India, remaining unsuccessful. He had a cult status due to his bohemian lifestyle and was loved by one and all.