So it's Athletico de Kolkata who got their hands on the Indian Super League trophy at the end of a breathtaking and amazing two-and-a-half months of football in India. But who made the cut for the team of the tournament?
Goalkeeper: Subrata Paul
The battle for the best man in gloves is mainly between Subrata Paul, the custodian of the Indian national team and Jan Seda of the FC Goa franchise. I would pick Subrata Pal because sometimes he almost single-handedly kept Mumbai City FC in the games, and Jan Seda played a couple of more games in the semis.
Special praise also needs to go Atletico de Kolkata's Edel Bete who was absolutely brilliant in the final and pulled off some stunning saves to give ATK the title.
Defence:
Sandesh Jhingan: Arguably the best Indian player to perform in the ISL and had immense composure in the right side of the defense. Still only 21, he could well turn out to be a star for the national team.
Bernard Mendy: He was immense in the heart of defense, constantly trying to start counterattacks for his side Chennaiyin FC. He would be the perfect ball playing center back in the tournament.
Colin Falvey: The Irish footballer produced some absolutely stunning performances for the Kerela Blasters FC. On most of his days, he didn't let anything get past him.
Narayan Das: The Goan left back was a constant threat going forward and was never afraid to put in a tackle when it mattered in the defence. Got a big and bright future ahead of him.
Midfield:
Denson Devadas: A perfect Defensive Midfielder, constantly breaking up attacks and had the tactical awareness to protect his back four. He was instrumental in the success of Chennaiyin FC.
Borja Fernandez: The player with the most number of tackles in the entire tournament. Although Atletico de Kolkata struggled in the latter stages of the tournament, he always came out in top with his performances.
Elano: Most number of goals, most number of shots on target, the Brazilian simply was a class above the rest. He was magnificent with the freekicks, but was so unlucky to pick up an injury midway through the tournament.
Attack:
Andre Santos: Revamped to the left wing midway through the tournament, he was exceptional for the FC Goa team. Santos was a vital cog in the comeback of the Goans and provided the team with a few precious goals.
Ian Hume: Arguably the best forward in the league. Having a high work rate, he never gave the defenders a moment of rest. With 5 goals and 3 assists he was ruthless in front of the goal.
Fikru Teferra: Absolutely magnificent for the Atletico de Kolkata franchise, he always provided a threat to the defenders with his clever movement and was one of the most exciting players in the league.
Substitutes: Marco Materazzi, Edel Bete, Romeo Fernandes, Debabrata Das, TP Rehenesh, John Mendoza.
Manager of the Year: Zico
The legendary Brazilian has to be the manager of the tournament. FC Goa were at the bottom of the table midway through the tournament but he turned it around remarkably well and Goa finished an astounding 2nd in the league. He possesses a brilliant man management skills and implemented a few tactical masterstrokes in vital games.
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