Top five attacking duos in I-League history

1. Ranti Martins & Beto (Dempo: 2007-2011)

Best-ever pairing in the I-League: Ranti Martins (left) and Beto

The timeline here only mentions four years as the Nigerian Ranti Martins and Brazilian Beto only played four seasons together in the I-League but their actual association at Dempo was for six years, a period in which they won almost everything in Indian football but, more importantly, also took the Goan club to newer heights in the continent. In fact, at one stage this combination, which was described recently by Beto as ‘magical’, was up there with the very best strike-forces of the continent as they took Dempo to the semi-finals of the AFC Cup in 2008.

Beto would usually operate just behind Ranti in a 4-4-1-1 and got the best out of the Nigerian, making him one of the best foreign strikers in Indian football. There were periods when Dempo had another striker besides the Nigerian, forcing Beto to drop in midfield but this pairing was at its best when Beto was playing in the hole behind his mate Ranti. In their final campaign together, the duo had a combined return of 47 goals, a statistic unlikely to be matched in the near future. The two won four league titles together at Dempo and nearly took the Goan club to the Asian Champions League also. Their interplay was a joy to watch even for neutrals and they remain the benchmark for any attacking duo that aspires to be the best in Indian football.