I-League 2018-19: Shillong Lajong relegated - 7 gifts to Indian Football from the Meghalaya side

#2 Eugeneson Lyngdoh

Lyngdoh was the costliest Indian player before the 2017-18 ISL season

Though he started his career with Randajied United, it was Shillong Lajong that made him the player he is today. He made his I-League debut with Lajong in the 2012-13 season and became the top-scorer for the club in the tournament, scoring four goals. He was retained by Lajong for one more season before Lyngdoh moved to his former club Rangdajied.

After watching his skills closely, Bengaluru FC signed the youngster in the 2014-15 season and the youngster justified the price by providing some scintillating performances throughout the season. He created history by scoring Bengaluru’s first ever goal in AFC Champions League qualifier against Johor Darul Ta’zim.

When he became the costliest Indian player before the 2017-18 ISL season after ATK signed him for Rs 1.1 crore, no one batted an eyelid. Every football fan by then knew the quality and talent that he possessed. But a Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) injury ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Lyngdoh was retained by ATK but new coach Steve Coppell didn’t have enough ‘courage’ to field him in the first XI, which ruled him out of the Indian squad for the AFC Asian Cup. Lyndoh played only 129 minutes for ATK this season, spread over five matches.