Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour began amid chaos and vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium, but for former India players Dipendu Biswas and Syed Rahim Nabi, it still turned into the moment of a lifetime in Kolkata on Saturday.
Lionel Messi's brief appearance in Kolkata was marred by security breaches and crowd management issues, raising concerns about planning and coordination. Eyewitness accounts and social media footage reveal a chaotic scene with organizers and VIPs crowding the player, leading to his early withdrawal and subsequent protests.
East Bengal duo Surkumar Singh and Syed Rahim Nabi were left out of the 20-member Indian football squad for the international friendly against Hong Kong on January 14.
On August 16, 1980, the Kolkata football derby between arch rivals Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, played at the Eden Gardens (there was no Salt Lake Stadium then) witnessed a massive clash between the supporters of two teams, leading to 16 deaths.
To lend his support, Former Indian footballer Mehtab joined Mamata Banerjee's march for the protesting wrestler's.
McDowell Mohun Bagan routed Shillong Lajong 6-1 during the I-League encounter at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan, in Kolkata, on Tuesday.
India custodian Subrata Paul and midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi were the big signings by Mumbai franchise on day one of the two-day inaugural eight-team Hero Indian Super League domestic players draft held in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The best of Indian footballing talent will be up for grabs when the franchises of the Hero Indian Super League will vie to pick the players from the Domestic Player Draft in a three-day event which begins in Mumbai on Monday.
High on confidence but low on performance, India will look to put behind the recent reverses when they take on Chinese Taipei in their opening match of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifying tournament in Yangon on Saturday.
Playing their first International match at home after the Nehru Cup, India suffered a 2-4 defeat against Palestine in a friendly football game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Mohun Bagan avoided the relegation threat with a 2-0 win over Pailan Arrows in a rescheduled 11th round I-League fixture at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday.
Mohun Bagan's star players like Okolie Odafa, Tolgay Ozbey and Syed Rahim Nabi are free to leave the green-and-maroon brigade and play for some other clubs.
Versatile Indian footballer Syed Rahim Nabi feels their 168th ranking in FIFA chart is not a true reflection of the national team's capabilities.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri led by example scoring twice while Syed Rahim Nabi found the target once, as India posted a convincing 3-0 win over Maldives for their second victory in the Nehru Cup football tournament, in New Delhi on Saturday.
AIFF Player of the Year, Sunil Chhetri will lead India in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Kathmandu from March 8.
Star striker Sunil Chhetri struck twice as holders India defeated Maldives 3-1 in an entertaining semifinal to book a berth in the summit clash of the SAFF Football Championship in New Delhi.
India's winless run on its Portugal tour continued as they played out a goalless draw with Casa Pia AC in their fifth practice match at Casa Pia ground in Lisbon.
Striker Sunil Chhetri and Clifford Miranda scored two goals each as a rampaging India drubbed Bhutan 5-0 in their second league match to keep their semi-finals hopes in the SAFF Championships alive, in Delhi, on Monday. Chhetri scored in the 69th and 84th minutes while Miranda struck in the 44th and 58th, after Syed Rahim Nabi (29th) had given India the lead.
The Indian national team on Saturday played out a 1-1 draw with Portuguese third division outfit Odivelas Futebol Clube in the last practice match of their Portugal tour in Lisbon.
Barely a game into the Indian Super League and Mumbai City FC have been dealt a massive blow with skipper Syed Rahim Nabi ruled out for upto three weeks due to an ankle injury sustained during the team's opening match against Atletico de Kolkata.
A spirited East Bengal rode Beingaichho Beiokhokhei's double strike to register a 2-1 win over Chirag United in their round 24 I-League clash at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Tuesday.
East Bengal wasted opportunities galore as bottom-rung Sporting Clube de Goa held the local side 1-1 in their round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday.
India captain Bhaichung Bhutia will sign a year's 'contract' with East Bengal on Monday, the club's football secretary Santosh Bhattacharya said on Saturday even as the move evoked criticism from Mohun Bagan, who had suspended the ace striker.
Three goals and three red cards besides a couple of yellows marked a fairly exciting 16th round I-League clash as Sporting Clube de Goa downed Mumbai FC 2-1 at the Cooperage on Sunday to zoom to the top of the table back again.
Syed Rahim Nabi sparkled with a brace as East Bengal beat Mohun Bagan 3-0 and ended their 10-match winning steak, in the ONGC I-League at Yuba Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata on Sunday night.
JCT quelled a strong challenge from East Bengal to emerge 1-0 victorious in a ninth round ONGC I-League match at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on Saturday. With this victory, JCT have accumulated 12 points and are placed at the eighth place while the visitors too have 12 points to their kitty.
Ten-man East Bengal held Mohun Bagan to a 1-1 in their fifth outing of the ONGC I-League at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday night.
East Bengal picked up three valuable points with a solitary goal victory over Mahindra United in an I-league exchange in Kolkata on Sunday.
Mohun Bagan, already assured of the title, defeated Mohammedan Sporting 1-0, even as East Bengal slumped to another miserable 2-2 draw against Chirag United in the Kolkata Premier football league on Sunday.
India conceded a late goal and were held by Myanmar in the first leg of the 2008 Beijing Olympics football qualifier in Yangon.
Strikes from Syed Rahim Nabi and skipper Alvito D'Cunha in the first half settled the issue in favour of the Kolkata giants.
Madhab Das, Tarif Ahmed and Abdul Bashir also failed to make the squad for the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tie against Saudi Arabia.
The victory at home turf Salt Lake stadium took East Bengal to the second place in the league table.
Dudu Omagbemi, Edeh Chidi and Adewusi Adebayo scored a goal each as Sporting Clube de Goa won 3-2.
They were beaten by Kolkata Port Trust in the Kolkata Super Division.
Syed Rahim Nabi's late goal gave the defending champions a 1-0 victory and kept them atop the table in the National Football League.
The 1-1 draw left both teams in the relegation zone in the National Football League.
Syed Rahim Nabi scored a brace in a 3-1 victory in the National Football League.
\n\nA goal in each half gave the Kolkata side a 2-0 victory in the National Football League.
Syed Rahim Nabi's late goal gave the Kolkata side a 1-1 draw in the National Football League.\n\n
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