Mumbai: The Hero Indian Super League, promoted by IMG-Reliance and Star India, on Monday announced the complete list of 49 international players to go into the next week’s “central player draft pool” to be held in Mumbai on August 21.
The lists includes a mixture of experienced footballers and young and promising talents from across the world with an average age of 28, having played 8,197 competitive matches in various leagues globally with an average of 186 appearances per player.
The 49 international players represent countries including Spain (9 players), France (8), Czech Republic (8), Brazil (5), Portugal (5), Colombia (4), South Korea (2), and one each from Argentina, Canada, Serbia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, England, Greece and Cameroon.
The scouting of international players’ for Hero Indian Super League, which will take place between October and November, was aimed at providing the opportunity for each club to fill in the key positions in their respective team.
Commenting on the international players’ participation, Andy Knee, Vice-President of IMG football, said: “We are thrilled with the calibre of international players who will be participating in the Hero Indian Super League this season.
“They have the quality, skill, determination and ambition to thrive in India and ensure a great playing product to entertain the fans. These players have committed to play in India given their excitement and belief in the future of Indian football.
“Our expert player team has scoured the global football player market to attract the best possible players at the agreed salary levels on behalf of the Hero ISL clubs.”
Hero Indian Super League will have a total of 56 international players, of which 49 will be picked through the international player draft.
The remaining seven were contracted directly by the four clubs — Delhi Dynamos FC (Mads Junker and Morten Skoubo), FC Pune City (Emanuele Belardi and Bruno Cirillo), Northeast United FC (Isaac Chansa and Cornell Glen), Atletico de Kolkata (Borja Fernandez), under the provision of signing maximum two international players by the clubs on their own.
