8 Emerging Indian Football Talents Who Caught Everyone's Eye

1. Suhail Bhat (Striker, Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

If you're the type to scroll Twitter during a match, chances are Suhail Bhat interrupted that doomscrolling. Coming off the bench with his team trailing, the 19-year-old Kashmiri striker scored with the sort of confidence that silences stadiums and ignites careers.

Raised through the Indian Arrows program, Suhail spent much of last year warming benches. But in the Super Cup? He was electric. 2 goals in 2 games, 0.81 xG per 90 mins, a shot every 22 minutes - he’s not waiting for permission With a calm demeanor and lethal instinct, Suhail played like he belonged. And the scary part? He’s just getting started.

2. Abhishek Singh (Left Back, Punjab FC)

The Super Cup often tests mettle, not medals. And Abhishek Singh, just 20 years old, showed he could handle both ISL pressure and physicality without blinking.

With every crunching tackle and clever interception, the Punjab FC left back proved that defensive brilliance can be as thrilling as a last-minute goal. 180 minutes vs top ISL wingers, 84% tackle success, 5 recoveries per game - he’s not just present, he’s proactive Raised in Punjab's academy system, Singh has taken the old-school grit and merged it with modern composure. Don’t be surprised if the national team selectors already have him circled in red.

3. Salahudheen Adnan (Winger, Kerala Blasters)

Imagine a winger with Neymar's unpredictability and the motor of a street footballer who never stops. That’s Salahudheen Adnan. The 21-year-old stepped onto the field like it was his backyard and defenders were just cones.

Blazing down flanks, nutmegging with intent, and drawing fouls like an art form - Adnan was poetry in motion. 10 successful dribbles, 5 chances created, 1 assist in the knockout stages - pure chaos, but calculated Born in Kerala and nurtured through Muthoot FA, Adnan’s story is as much about local roots as it is about big-league flair. Watch out: he’s the kind of player kids copy in gullies.

4. Ayush Chhetri (Midfielder, NorthEast United)

Ayush doesn’t shout. He doesn’t gesture. He doesn’t do flashy celebrations. What he does? Control games like a metronome with a brain.

At 21, the NEUFC midfielder looked like the calmest player on the pitch — always scanning, always one pass ahead. Like Busquets, if Busquets were born in Aizawl.

8 recoveries per game, 85% pass accuracy (under pressure), 5 duels won per match. Ayush reminds us that sometimes, silence is the loudest form of dominance.

5. Parthib Gogoi (Attacking Midfielder, NorthEast United)

You know when a player gets the ball and the crowd leans forward? That’s Parthib Gogoi. Every touch felt like something could happen. He didn’t just play the #10 role - he owned it.

Dropping deep, slipping in through balls, popping up at the edge of the box - Gogoi made defenders dance and goalkeepers guess.

1 goal, 1 assist 2.1 key passes per 90, 3 shots on target in just 2 games. He’s what you get when flair meets work rate. Not a bad combo, is it?

6. Imran Khan (Midfielder, NorthEast United)

At 29, Imran isn’t exactly emerging. But this tournament felt like a resurrection. Once tipped as the next big thing, he spent years drifting through clubs.

Then came the Super Cup. And Imran played like a man who had nothing to lose and everything to prove. 2 assists in 3 matches, most touches by an Indian midfielder in the Cup, 4 chances created per 90. He didn’t just get a second wind - he created a storm.

7. Gurkirat Singh (Forward, Mumbai City FC)

A bulldozer with finesse. Gurkirat Singh might not have gotten extended minutes in the Super Cup, but his reputation preceded him. When he did come on, he pressed like a madman and pounced like a panther. 3 goals in the 2023 Durand Cup, 0.55 xG per 90 in youth ISL, just 68 minutes in this Cup, but hungry for more. Give him minutes, then step back and enjoy the destruction.

8. Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia (Striker, Real Kashmir)

He didn’t play in the Super Cup. But sometimes, the ones just outside the spotlight shine brightest. Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia has been tearing it up in the I-League.

With 9 goals in 10 matches, this 23-year-old Mizo striker is a predator in the box. Watch his goals — it’s always one touch, one instinct, one roar. Top Indian scorer in the 2023–24, I-League A goal every 85 minutes, wins more aerial duels than most defenders dream of ISL clubs? Wake up. He’s knocking.

Final Whistle

The Super Cup 2025 wasn’t just a stage. It was a telescope into tomorrow. These eight young footballers aren’t just potential — they’re performance. From Suhail’s spark to Ayush’s steel, this new generation is blending style and substance like never before.

And for the first time, we don’t just have the eye test. We’ve got the data.

Want to see how we track these performances in real-time? Explore StepOut.ai — where football meets next-gen analytics.