Aditya ChaudhuriThe royal club of the ISL and nicknamed the Nizams, Hyderabad FC are one of the latest clubs to have joined the Indian Super League.
Founded in 2019, Hyderabad FC had a tough start to the ISL, finishing their inaugural season at the bottom of the table. They bounced back strongly in their second year, finishing a respectable fifth, and now the Nizams will be looking to continue their march upwards as they look to cement their place in Indian football legacy.
Let’s look at Hyderabad FC’s squad for 2021-2022 season.
Hyderabad FC Goalkeepers
Lalbiakhlua Jongte
19-year-old Jongte started his career with Indian Arrows in 2018, making his debut for the team in the 2018-19 I-League season.
After two seasons with the Arrows, Jongte signed for Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Laxmikant Kattimani
Veteran Goan shot-stopper Kattimani made his professional debut for Clube de Desportos Vasco da Gama in 2008, and after a season with them, he moved to Dempo SC.
Kattimani spent seven seasons with Dempo, although during his time with the club he went on multiple loan spells with FC Goa in the ISL. Kattimani made his move to the ISL from the I-League permanent in 2017 when he moved to FC Goa, with whom he spent two seasons. After two seasons with FC Goa, one of which was spent on loan to Mumbai City FC, Kattimani moved to Hyderabad FC in 2019.
Gurmeet Singh
21-year-old Gurmeet Singh made his senior team debut with NorthEast United in 2019 in the ISL. Limited opportunities at NorthEast United saw Singh signed a three-year deal with Hyderabad FC in 2021, with whom he plans to take his career forward.
Hyderabad FC Defenders
Nim Dorjee Tamang
After spending his youth career with the Indian Air Force and Shillong Lajong, Tamang made his professional debut in 2014 I-League with Shillong Lajong.
Tamang spent three seasons with Lajong before making the move to the ISL with Pune City FC. Tamang spent two seasons in Pune before moving to NorthEast United in 2019. Tamang signed a three-year deal with Hyderabad FC in 2021, which will keep him at the club till 2024.
Chinglensana Singh
Born in Manipur, Singh was involved in the youth setup of multiple clubs from the age of seven. He spent time at the academies of Mahindra United, Air India, Tata Football Academy and Shillong Lajong, with whom he finally made his senior debut in the I-League in 2015.
After two years with the Shillong-based team, Singh made the move from I-League to the ISL, shifting to FC Goa in 2017. After three years with the Goan side, where chances were limited, Singh signed a two-year deal with Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Juanan (Juan Antonio González Fernández)
Spain international Juanan started his career as a graduate of the Mallorca youth academy before making his senior team debut in 2007 with Deportivo La Coruña’s B team. The centre-back spent two seasons with Deportivo B before moving to Real Madrid, where he spent two years with their reserve team.
Juanan moved to Fortuna Düsseldorf in Germany in 2011 and spent two seasons there before signing for Újpest in Hungary in 2013. Juanan spent the next two years with Recreativo, Leganés and Rayo OKC before moving to the ISL in 2016. He was a permanent member of the Blues, spending five seasons with Bengaluru FC, and even won the ISL title, the Federation Cup and the Super Cup with them. He signed for Hyderabad FC in 2021, leaving the Bangalore franchise after five successful seasons.
Akash Mishra
Graduate of the U Dream Football Academy, 19-year-old Mishra made his professional debut in 2017 with Indian Arrows.
Mishra spent two years with the Arrows before moving to the ISL with Hyderabad FC in 2020 on a three-year deal. Mishra had a stellar debut season, starting every game for the club, and even racked up the most number of tackles by a defender that season.
Dimple Bhagat
Hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Bhagat was a member of the Pune City youth academy before being signed up by I-League side Gokulam Kerala in 2018.
Bhagat made the move from the I-League to the ISL in 2020, signing for Hyderabad FC.
Asish Rai
After spending time in the Pune FC and Pune City youth academies, Rai made his senior team debut in the I-League in 2017 at the age of 19.
After an impressive stint with the Arrows, Rai was signed by Hyderabad FC, whose management was immediately impressed by the youngster’s talent. Rai currently has a deal with the club till 2023, and the Nizams will hope that Rai’s stability at the back helps them move closer to the ISL trophy.
Souvik Chakrabarti
A graduate of the Mohun Bagan academy, Chakrabarti signed up for Bagan’s senior team in 2009, although he had to wait for two years to make his professional debut.
Chakrabarti signed for Air India in 2012 and a season later he moved to Prayag United. He returned to Bagan in 2014 and spent three years with the club in his second stint. During this time, Chakrabarti spent loan spells in the ISL with Delhi Dynamos, and in 2017, he made the shift to the ISL permanent, signing for Jamshedpur FC. The following year, he moved to Mumbai City FC, with whom he spent two seasons before signing for the Nizams in 2020.
Nikhil Prabhu
After captaining the Maharashtra junior teams at the U16 and U18 levels, Prabhu made his debut with Mumbai FC in 2017.
Prabhu spent time with the Pune City U18 squad in 2018 before moving the Hyderabad FC in 2019. After spending a season with their reserve team, Prabhu made the move to the senior team in 2020.
A natural leader with promising talent, the Nizams will be looking at Prabhu as one of the future.
Pritam Singh
Hailing from Manipur, Singh was a member of the Shillong Lajong Academy before making his debut with their senior team in 2014.
During his time with Lajong, Singh spent a season on loan with NorthEast United in the ISL. Singh signed for Kerala Blasters in 2017, and after three years with the Blasters, Singh joined East Bengal in 2020. Lack of game time saw Singh move clubs once again, this time signing for Hyderabad FC in 2021.
Kynsailang Khongsit
20 year old defender Khongsit, a graduate of the Royal Wahingdoh academy, made his senior debut in 2017 in the Shillong Premier League with Shillong Lajong.
After three seasons with Shillong, Khongsit signed for Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Mark Zothanpuia
Born in Mizoram, 19 year old Zothanpuia started his career with the SAIL Bokaro U16 team in 2017 before moving to Pune City FC’s youth system.
After spending two years with the Pune City set up, Zothanpuia signed for Hyderabad FC in 2019. The youngster spent his first two seasons with Hyderabad’s reserve team before getting the senior call up in October 2021.
Hyderabad FC Midfielders
Mohammad Yasir
Yasir was a member of the Pune FC and Pune City youth academies and even led the Pune City U19 team to the IFA Shield in 2017.
Yasir made his professional debut the same year in the ISL with FC Goa. He returned to Pune City in 2018 and shifted clubs again in 2019, signing for Hyderabad FC.
At 23, Yasir is a promising talent and has already made multiple national team appearances.
Halicharan Narzary
Narzary got his professional career underway with Indian Arrows in 2010 in the I-League and after three seasons with the Arrows, he moved to Dempo in 2013.
During his time with Dempo, Narzary was loaned out to ISL clubs FC Goa and NorthEast United, and the Assamese midfielder made the switch from the I-League to the ISL permanent in 2016 when he joined NorthEast United. Narzary spent a season on loan with DSK Shivajians before moving to Kerala Blasters in 2018 for two seasons. In August 2020, Narzary signed a two-year deal with Hyderabad FC, which sees him at the club till 2022.
João Victor
Brazilian professional Victor was a member of the Náutico and São Caetano youth academies before making his senior debut in 2005 with Náutico. Victor left for São Caetano in 2008, but limited opportunities saw him move to Treze and Mogi Mirim the following two years.
Victor joined Uzbekistani club Bunyodkor in 2009. He later moved to LaLiga with Mallorca for a period of five years. The Brazilian left Spain to move to Cypriot club Anorthosis in 2015 and spent four seasons with them, making more than 100 appearances. He spent the next two years with Qatari club Umm Salal and Greek club OFI before signing for Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Hitesh Sharma
Born in Jalandhar, Sharma started playing at a young age and was a member of the Chandigarh Football Academy and Tata Football Academy.
Sharma made his professional debut in the I-League in 2016 with Mumbai FC before moving to ATK in the ISL in 2017. After three seasons with the Kolkata-based club, Sharma signed for Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Sahil Tavora
A graduate of the Sesa Football Academy and Brasil Futebol Academia, Tavora was handed his senior debut with his home club Dempo in 2015.
Tavora signed for FC Goa in the ISL in 2016 and then moved to Mumbai City FC the following year. Tavor moved to Portugal in 2018, spending a year with SC Alvarenga, before returning to India in 2019 with Hyderabad FC.
Edu García
Spanish veteran García was a graduate of the Real Zaragoza youth academy and went on to make his senior debut for their B team in 2009. After spending three years with the reserve team, García moved to Deportivo Ebro in 2012. The following season, he signed for SD Ejea, before returning to Ebro in 2014.
After spending two seasons with Ebro, García spent a season with Zaragoza’s senior team before moving to the ISL with Bengaluru FC. He spent a season in China with Zheijang Greentown in 2018 before returning to India with ATK, with whom he won the ISL title in 2019.
García signed for Hyderabad FC in July 2021.
Abdul Rabeeh
20-year-old Rabeeh spent his youth career in the AIFF Youth Leagues at the U16 and U18 levels before signing for Malappuram-based club Luca SC. A promising season with his home club saw Rabeeh catch the attention of the Hyderabad FC scouts, which eventually led to the Nizams signing the young Keralite.
Nikhil Poojary
Hailing from Mangalore, Karnataka, Poojary started his career with Ryan FC in Mumbai before spending time in the youth academies of Mumbai Tigers FC, Mumbai FC and East Bengal.
Poojary made his senior debut with East Bengal in 2016, and after two seasons with the Kolkata giants, he moved to the ISL with Pune City FC. Following a season with the Pune-based team, Poojary signed for Hyderabad FC in 2019.
Hyderabad FC Forwards
Rohit Danu
19-year-old Danu was a part of the AIFF Elite Academy before making it to the Indian Arrows senior team in 2018.
After two seasons with the Arrows, where he impressed all with his dribbling abilities, Danu was signed by Hyderabad FC in 2020 on a three-year deal.
Aniket Jadhav
Born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Jadhav was a member of the Pune FC academy and the AIFF Elite Academy. Jadhav even had a trial spell with English side Blackburn Rovers before making his professional debut with Indian Arrows in 2017.
Jadhav’s talent was immediately recognised, and Jamshedpur FC signed up the winger the same year. After spending four seasons with the Jamshedpur-based team, Jadhav moved to Hyderabad FC in 2021.
Joel Chianese
Australian veteran Chianese started his career at the youth setup of Sydney FC before making his professional debut in 2009 with Blacktown City. Chianese’s promising start saw Sydney FC sign up their former academy member in 2011, and after three years with the club, Chianese left for Sydney United.
Chianese spent the next two years on the move, playing for the Bonnyrigg White Eagles, Auckland City and Malaysian clubs Sabah FC and Negeri Sembilian FC. The Australian signed for Perth Glory in 2016, with whom he spent four seasons before moving to the ISL with Hyderabad FC in 2020.
Bartholomew Ogbeche
Hyderabad FC’s most decorated and experienced player and their captain, Ogbeche has played around the world in seven countries and also represented his country, Nigeria, at the 2002 World Cup.
A graduate of the Paris Saint-Germain academy, Ogbeche started his senior career with the Parisian club in 2001 and stayed with them for four years. During his time with PSG, he also had loan spells at SC Bastiais and FC Metz.
Ogbeche moved to the UAE in 2005, signing for Al Jazira, and moved to Spain the next year, signing for Alavés. He spent a season with Real Valladolid before moving to Cádiz in 2009. After a season with Cádiz, the Nigerian moved to Greek club Kavala before joining Middlesbrough in 2011. He continued to move clubs as he signed for Xerez, Cambuur, and Willem II in the following five years.
Ogbeche arrived in India in 2018, joining NorthEast United, before moving to Kerala Blasters the next year. After spending a season with Mumbai City FC in 2020, Ogbeche signed for Hyderabad FC in 2021.
Javier Siverio
A member of the Las Palmas youth academy, Siverio made his professional debut in 2016 with the Las Plamas reserve team. Siverio moved to Racing Santander in 2018, signing for their B team, before getting a call for their senior team after an impressive season. Siverio returned to Las Plamas in 2021, before moving to Hyderabad FC the same year.
Abhishek Halder
After graduating from the Pune City youth academy, Halder made his professional debut in the I-League for Indian Arrows in 2017.
The following season, Halder was selected for the Pune City reserve team. That same year, Hyderabad FC signed the Bengal striker on a long-term deal.
