The Kolkata Derby ❤️💚❤️💛

    Although Indian sports is defined by the achievements of the country in sports as such Cricket and Hockey, it would be wrong to say Football, the most popular game in the world, is not a majorly followed sport in the Indian Subcontinent. Various parts of India do not just watch football, they embrace football, they live football; especially those parts of the Northeast and the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka, and most especially, the city of Kolkata. This article showcases the biggest rivalry in Kolkata, the biggest rivalry in India, and one of the biggest rivalries in the entire world, of football; the famous encounter between the teams of Mohun Bagan AC (footballing department being called ATK Mohun Bagan) and SC East Bengal; the Kolkata Derby. 



Club Details : 

    Mohun Bagan AC was founded on 15 August 1889; 131 years ago (as Mohun Bagan Sporting Club). The president of the Club is Swapan Sadhan Bose and the football team manager is Antonio Lopez Habas (as on 15.02.2021). The team plays at the Salt Lake Stadium and the Mohun Bagan Athletic Ground which has capacity 85k and 22k respectively. The club logo and ground image are as follows: 





(Above : Footballing department logo) 



    SC East Bengal was founded on 1 August 1920; 100 years ago. The ownership of the footballing Club remains 76 percent with Shree Cement Foundation and remaining 24 percent with East Bengal Club Pvt. Ltd.; and the football team manager is Robbie Fowler (as on 15.02.2021). The team plays at the Salt Lake Stadium and the East Bengal Ground which has capacity 85k and 23.5k respectively. The club logo and ground image are as follows: 





The Heat in Kolkata : 

    In Kolkata, lots of clubs compete to be crowned the best team in the state competing against one another in the Calcutta Football League (CFL). Some of the most popular clubs that take part in the hustle for the cup are Calcutta FC, Taligaunge FC, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Dalhousie AC, Aryan FC, Bhawanipore FC, Eastern Railway FC and George Telegraph SC, but no team even comes closer to winning the league ahead of the two giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, who have been champions 30 and 39 times respectively. The Kolkata Derby is locally known as "Boro Match" (or 'Big Match' in Bengali). 



The Heat in India :

    Both the club's of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have established their dominance in the top tier league of India as well. Mohun Bagan have won the National League a record five times (National Football League thrice and the I-League two times). On the other hand, East Bengal have won the National League thrice, those being in 2000–01, 2002–03 and 2003–04 and became runners up 7 times, the most number of times by any Indian football club. They are the most successful clubs in India. 



Fanbase and Cultures : 

    Mohun Bagan AC ❤️💚 have the colours of Maroon and Sap Green that represent their team, while East Bengal ❤️💛 is represented by the colours of Yellow and Red. 





    The two teams have an enthralling history of over 100 years and when the teams play each other, two things you won't miss are entertainment and a humongous audience (unless it's lockdown). Both these clubs have huge and dedicated fan bases around the world. Both clubs represent specific classes of Bengali people. Mohun Bagan represents the people that exist in the western part of Bengal (known as Ghotis, Machas and The Mariners), while East Bengal primarily represents the people hailing from the eastern part of pre-independent Bengal province (known as Bangals, Lotas, Torch Bearers and The Red and Yellow Brigade). 





    Slogans from both parties have trended the internet and filled the grounds whenever the teams would take to the field. East Bengal fans chant "Chilam Achi Thakbo", "Amra Korbo Sringojoy", and "Hath-e moshal buke barood, Amra holam Lal-Holud" which means "Was, Are and Will Be", "We will win the throne" and "Torch in the hand, gunpowder in our hearts, we are the red and yellows" respectively. The Mohun Bagan supporters generally chant the slogans "Mariners". Otherwise they claim, "Amra holam Sobuj Maroon" which means "We are the Green and the Maroon". Both the teams use "Hail" before their names as a common slogan in its Bengali term, saying "JoyMohunBagan" or "JoyEastBengal". 





    Both clubs meet at least thrice a year, once in the CFL (Kolkata League) and twice in home and away fixtures in the national League. Otherwise, the teams keep meeting in the competitions of the Federation Cup, IFA Shield, Durand Cup and some other leagues. 





The Impact of ISL: 

    ISL or the Indian Super League is the top-tier football League in India and the 25th most entertaining league in the entire world according a recent survey of Bleacher Report (recent to the date 15.02.2021). It is truly awesome how this league has clenched such an impressive ranking despite being only 7 years old. Previously, the national League of India was the I-League which was initially named the National Football League or the NFL, which currently has become the 2nd tier football league falling down to the ISL. The media coverage and money involved, in continuation to the addition of foreign legends and absolutely modified structure of the league has made this happen. 



    Up and until the end of the 6th season of the ISL, the city of Kolkata was represented by Atletico de Kolkata or ATK who was the most successful team in the entire league having won the title three times already and qualifying 4 times for the semi-finals. Both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal used to play in the I-League then, which was jointly the first tier football league in the country back then. 



    On June 1, 2020; 8 months ago, a merger between the football section of multi-sport club Mohun Bagan and three times ISL winners ATK gave rise to a new club ATK Mohun Bagan which was formed with ATK holding 80 percent of all stakes while Mohun Bagan Athletic Club or MBAC holding 20 percent of the stakes. The club began to play from the 2020-21 ISL season. The new team has ATK in front of Mohun Bagan in the logo and the third jersey is the same as that worn by the former ATK team the previous season. This enraged the Mohun Bagan fans and they protested on social media with #RemoveATK. The campaign of protests still continue. 





    East Bengal also entered the most popular footballing league in India just a month before the season would start, although getting in some absolutely brilliant transfers. Their spots in the I-League was taken up by the third most popular club in Kolkata, i.e., Mohammedan SC, and the Delhi rising giants, Sudeva Delhi FC, thus, degrading the status of the I-League to the 2nd tier; although the club promotion and demotion between the ISL and the I-League has not been activated yet. 

Statistics : 

Total Meetings: 370 (Competitive: 328)

Top scorer: Bhaichung Bhutia (19)

All-time series:  

East Bengal: 129

Mohun Bagan: 120

Drawn: 121

(Competitive:

East Bengal: 122

Mohun Bagan: 94

Drawn: 112)

Largest victory: East Bengal 5–0 Mohun Bagan

29 September 1975

(IFA Shield Final)



International Championships: 

    Having conquered titles and hearts in Kolkata and India, the clubs will try to inflict their dominance in the international club championships starting with that of the continent they are born in. ATKMB will play the AFC Champions Cup and will represent India in it alongside Bengaluru FC, while FC Goa will represent the nation on the bigger stage of the Asian Champions League on account of topping the table the previous season. This will witness the inaugural participation of Indian Clubs in the biggest Asian Championships. 





    Whereas Mohun Bagan is yet to win a trophy in the international stages, East Bengal have won three international trophies. Their first ever international trophy was the Wai Wai Cup held in Nepal. Their second and their most famous triumph on international soil was winning ASEAN Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia and their third trophy was San Miguel International Cup held in Nepal. 



    It would be great to witness the famous Kolkata Derby in the Asian competitions and eventually the FIFA Club World Cup, and take the level of Football in India to its extremities. 



_ written and edited by Dibyendu Maji a.k.a. Kris. Initiated on 15th February, 2021. Last Updated 

02.07.2021. 

Image Credits : Wikipedia, Google, Instagram, SC East Bengal, ATK Mohun Bagan