Defending champions Mumbai City will hope that they can repeat their domestic-double campaign from last year again as they kick off their campaign against the Gaurs.
Let’s take a look at Mumbai City FC‘s squad for 2021-2022
Mumbai City FC Goalkeepers
Mohammad Nawaz
The 21-year-old is a graduate of the AIFF Elite Academy and started off his professional career in 2018 with FC Goa.
Nawaz spent his first season with the Goa B team in the I-League 2nd Division and his strong performances earned him a senior team call-up. Nawaz had a stellar debut season with the senior team and spent three seasons with the Gaurs before Mumbai signed him up at the start of the 2021 season.
Phurba Lachenpa
A member of the Shillong Lajong academy, Lachenpa started his career with the Shillong Lajong team in 2015. He suffered a serious head injury in 2016 that saw him miss a significant portion of the season but returned as the team’s first choice keeper in the 2017/18.
Lachenpa spent another two seasons with Lajong before leaving for Real Kashmir, where he spent a season before signing up with Mumbai in 2020.
Vikram Singh
Singh was a member of the I-League 2nd Division squad Fateh Hyderabad FC before joining Mumbai City in 2020.
Mumbai City FC Defenders
Mohammad Rakip
21-year-old Rakip, a product of the AIFF Elite Academy, made his professional debut with Indian Arrows in the I-League in 2017.
After a promising season, Rakip was the first Indian U17 player to sign for the Indian Super League in 2017 when he joined Kerala Blasters. After a year with the B team in the I-League 2nd Division, he was promoted to the senior team in 2018 on the back of impressive performances.
Even though Kerala had an offer for Rakip in 2020, the Manipuri defender signed a two-year deal with Mumbai City in 2020.
Amey Ranawade
Another product of the AIFF Elite Academy, Ranawade was signed by DSK Shivajians in 2015 and after a season in which he didn’t get any game time, he moved to the ISL with FC Goa. Opportunities weren’t a lot at the Gaurs either, and the Mumbai youngster joined Mohun Bagan in 2018.
Ranawade returned to Goa for a year-long spell in 2019 before a short stint with Bengaluru United, following which Mumbai City signed him in 2020. His promising talent had the Mumbai team award him with a four-year deal in 2021.
Mehtab Singh
A product of the East Bengal youth academy, the 23-year-old from Punjab spent four seasons with the Red and Gold Brigade before joining Mumbai City in 2020.
Vignesh Dakshinamurthy
Born in Srirampura, Karnataka, Dakshinamurthy started his junior career with Ozone FC in the Bangalore Super Division.
After spending a season with Ozone’s senior team in the I-League 2nd Division, Dakshinamurthy was signed by Mumbai City in 2018.
Huidrom Singh
The youngster from Manipur made his debut with Imphal-based I-League side TRAU in 2017 before moving to NEROCA the following year.
Singh made the switch from the I-League 2nd Division to the I-League in 2019 when he signed for Gokulam Kerala.
After two seasons in the I-League, Singh made the move to the Indian Super League with Mumbai City in 2021.
Rahul Bheke
Veteran defender Bheke started his career at the youth academy of Mahindra United before making since senior debut with Air India in the I-League in 2011. After two years with Air India, Bheke spent a season with Mumbai Tigers and then moved to Mumbai FC in 2014.
Bheke spent two seasons with Mumbai FC before switching coasts to East Bengal where he had an impressive stint. He spent loan spells with ISL sides Kerala Blasters and Pune City FC before making the permanent move to the ISL with Bengaluru FC. Bheke slowly became an integral member of the Bangalore franchise and remained with the side for four years before moving to Mumbai in 2021.
Mandar Rao Dessai
Dessai graduated from the Dempo youth academy and joined their senior team in 2013, where he spent three seasons. While at Dempo, Dessai also made his ISL debut with FC Goa, whom he was loaned out to in 2014 and 2015.
Dessai made the permanent move to the ISL in 2016, signing on for Goa, and spent four seasons with them before signing for Mumbai City in 2020. Dessai currently holds the ISL record for most number of caps with 114.
Valpuia
The 21-year-old from Mizoram was a member of the Aizawl FC and made his senior debut with Aizawl in 2017.
Valpuia spent two seasons with the Aizawl-based team before signing up for Mumbai City in 2019.
Mourtada Fall
The Senegalese defender made his professional debut with Moroccan side Moghreb Tétouan in 2006. After spending six seasons with the side, Fall moved to Kuwait where he signed for Al-Arabi for a season. He shifted to Al-Salmiya the next season in the same league before returning to Moghreb Tétouan in 2014.
Fall spent two seasons with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca from 2015 to 2017 and spent one final season at with Moghreb Tétouan before moving to India in 2018. Fall made his debut with FC Goa in the 2018 season where he went on to win the ISL League Winners Shield and Super Cup in 2019.
Fall moved to Mumbai in 2020 and won the ISL title and League Winners Shield in his debut season.
Mumbai City FC Midfielders
Ahmed Jahouh
The Moroccan made his debut with Moroccan side Ittihad Khemisset in 2006 and was with the team for four years before moving to Moghreb Tétouan.
Jahouh shifted to Raja Casablanca in 2015 and spent a season with them before moving to FUS Rabat the following season. The 33-year-old moved to India in 2017 where he spent three seasons with the Gaurs before signing for Mumbai in 2020, winning the ISL title in his first season with the team.
Brad Inman
The Australian started his career with the youth academy at Newcastle United before making his debut for their senior team in 2009. Inman spent time away with League One side Crewe Alexandra on loan, making a permanent move to the Railwaymen in 2013. Inman amassed more than 100 caps for Crewe before moving to Peterborough United in 2016.
Inman spent time on loan at Rochdale between 2017 and 2018 and made a permanent move to the club in 2018. Inman returned to Australia in 2019 with Brisbane Roar before moving to India with ATK Mohun Bagan. The Australian was then signed by Mumbai City in 2021 on a one-year deal.
Raynier Fernandes
Mumbai-born Fernandes started his youth career at Air India in 2014 before making his senior team debut with Mohun Bagan in 2016.
After spending two years in the I-League, Fernandes made the move to the ISL with a move to his home team, Mumbai City, in 2018.
Rowllin Borges
The experienced Indian midfielder began his career at the youth team of Fransa-Pax in Goa and moved on to the junior academy of Sporting Clube de Goa in 2009.
Borges made his debut with Sporting in 2011 and spent five years with the Goa side in the I-League before moving the NorthEast United in the ISL. Borges’ versatility and skill saw NorthEast United make their first ISL semifinals in 2019 and he signed for Mumbai City the following season.
One of the finest midfielders in the country, Borges has two ISL titles to his name. He signed a new contract with the Mumbai team in 2021, extending his stay for another three years.
Cássio Gabriel
Brazilian midfielder Gabriel made his senior debut with Fluminense back in 2010. Since then, his career has taken him across several clubs, including the likes of Paulínia, Porto-PE, Esportivo-RS, Paysandu, Anápolis, Guarani, São Bento, Taubaté, Penapolense, Mirassol and Hajduk Split over the course of his eleven-year career.
Gabriel moved to the ISL in 2021, signing for Mumbai City on loan from Vila Nova.
Chanso Horam
20-year-old Horma is a graduate of Yarkhok United in Manipur. He signed his first professional contract in 2019 with NEROCA.
Horam spent a season with NEROCA before moving to the ISL with Mumbai City FC. Horam spent a year on loan with TRAU before returning to Mumbai City FC in 2021.
Lalengmawia Ralte
A graduate of the AIFF Elite Academy, Ralte made his professional debut in 2017 with Indian Arrows.
Two stellar seasons with the Arrows saw Ralte get roped in by NorthEast United in 2019. Ralte was a key member of the Highlanders’ squad, and during his time with them, he became the youngest captain in the history of the ISL, leading NorthEast United at the age of 20.
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Ralte was signed by Mumbai City FC on a five-year deal worth Rs 2 crore.
Naorem Tondomba Singh
After spending his youth career with Shillong Lajong and NEROCA, Singh made his senior debut in 2018 with NEROCA in the I-League.
The midfielder spent a season with NEROCA before signing for Kolkata heavyweights East Bengal in 2019. Singh moved to Mumbai City FC in 2020 on a multi-year deal.
Mumbai City Forwards
Igor Angulo
The 37-year-old Spanish veteran started his career at the youth academy of Athletic Bilbao in 1996 at the age of 12.
Angulo made his senior debut with Basconia before making his LaLiga debut with Athletic Bilbao in 2003. He spent five seasons with the Spanish side before moving to Écija in 2008. He spent the next few years with Numancia, Real Unión, Enosis Neon, Apollon Smyrnis, Platanias and Górnik Zabrze.
The Spaniard joined the ISL in 2020, signing for FC Goa, before moving to Mumbai City in 2021.
Gurkirat Singh
A graduate of the AIFF Elite Academy, 18-year-old Singh made his senior debut with Indian Arrows in 2018.
Following three seasons with Arrows, the left-back, who has also represented his country at the U16, U17 and U19 levels, signed for Mumbai City in 2021.
Pranjal Bhumij
A youth product of DSK Shivajians, Bhumij made his senior debut with the Shivajians in 2016 in the I-League.
After a season with the Pune side, Mumbai City signed Bhumij up as their developmental player. He currently has a contract with them until 2024.
Vikram Pratap Singh
19-year-old Singh, a graduate of the Minerva Punjab academy, made his professional debut with Indian Arrows in 2018.
After two seasons with Arrows, the teenager moved to Mumbai City in 2020, where he was a part of the ISL-winning squad.
Bipin Singh
Singh started his career at the young age of 13 with WAFA Wangoi Club and was a member of the Shillong Lajong youth academy.
Singh made his senior debut with Lajong in 2012 and after five seasons with the I-League team made his ISL move with ATK. He spent a season with the Kolkata team before signing for Mumbai in 2018. Singh scored the winning goal for the Islanders in the 2021 ISL final against his former club, ATK Mohun Bagan.
Ygor Catatau
Brazilian professional, Catatau started his career in 2015 with Maduureira.
Catatau has spent most of his career on loan with different clubs, having represented Barra da Tijuca, Boa Esporte, Vasco da Gama and Vitória. Catatau was loaned out by Madureira in 2021 ahead of the ISL season on a yearlong deal.
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