5 Footballers who emerged out of Subroto Cup

For more than 5 decades now, Subroto Cup has been the breeding ground of young and upcoming talent in India. From the iconic Shyam Thapa years back to Uttam Rai most recently, the tournament has always gifted Indian football prodigal talents. Some of them in fact have gone on to achieve a lot more since being identified and bred at this tourney. In this anthology, we chronicle 5 such footballers:

#1 Robin Singh

Currently representing Delhi Dynamos in the second season of Indian Super League, this tall striker first made his mark at the pre-Subroto qualifying tournament in Chandigarh in 2005. While he was axed from his academy then, he was scouted by coaches from the famed Tata Football Academy soon. Since then, Singh has represented India at different levels and has also won the I League with Bengaluru FC last season.

#2 Sanju Pradhan

Hailing from Sikkim, Pradhan is considered one of India’s brightest young talents currently. Lest we add, he has done the deeds to support that claim. A winger, who now plies his trade for Salgaocar and North East United FC, Sanju has had an illustrious career already, having won 2 Federation Cups in 2009–10 and 2012 while he also has won 1 Indian Super Cup with Kolkata giants East Bengal in 2011.

#3 Dalima Chibber

In its 52nd edition, Subroto Cup introduced a separate tournament for girls; and this list, we thought would be incomplete without the mention of one of the best talents to emerge out to the event that year.

Dalima Chhibber, now an alumnus of Tagore Internation School, East of Kailash almost single handedly took her team to the final then. Since then she has represented the country at different levels and has anchored the Delhi senior womens team to their only semi final appearance in the senior nationals last year.

Additionally, she also has captained the Under 19 Indian team and dreams of playing professionally in Europe one day.

#4 Bruno Coutinho

One of the best Indian footballers of recent times, Coutinho was scouted by Paul Raj when he scored a hattrick in Subroto Cup back in 1986. Since then there was no looking back for the guy who was known as ‘the diminutive striker’.

After having captained the country, he also went on to receive the coveted Arjuna Award in 2001 for his services to the game.

#5 Baichung Bhutia

Perhaps the most celebrated star to emerge out of the game in country in recent times, Baichung Bhutia is also a product of the tournament. After having represented his school from Sikkim in 1992, Bhaskar Ganguly spotted him in a SBI organized camp and brought him to Kolkata for training in 1993. Young Baichung was all of 17 then.

The rest, as they say is history!