The Indian Super League (ISL) is one of the prime Indian football leagues. Winning ISL is a big deal for any club. Each team fights to its full extent to lift the ISL trophy. In the nine seasons of the Indian Super League, six teams have won the trophy. The first season of the ISL was in 2014, in which Atletico de Kolkata won the final defeating Kerala Blasters by 1-0 in a high-temperature match.

In the latest and ninth season of the Indian Super League (ISL), ATK Mohun Bagan beat Bengaluru FC in a penalty shootout in the final match and lifted the ISL 2022-23 trophy. Both the teams scored 2-2 after extra time which led the match into a penalty shootout and ATK Mohun Bagan won the penalty by a 4-3 score. This was the first ISL trophy of ATM Mohun Bagan and the closest they had reached was the 2020-21 final where Mumbai City beat them.

ATK Mohun Mohan winning brings new additions to the ISL winners list, earlier it was five teams and now its six teams won the Indian Super League. Let’s have a detailed look at each ISL winner from season 2014 to 2022.

ISL Winners List

Following is the list of winners, runners-up, and scores with respective Indian Super League seasons.

ISL 2022-23 Winner: ATK Mohun Bagan

After finishing third in the league stage the club have only chance and expectation in ISL. ATK Mohun Bagan played well and beat Bengaluru FC in the penalty shootout and won the crown of the Indian Super League season 2022-23. Earlier in 2019-20, ATK lost the final to Mumbai City by 2-1. 

The final between ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC was at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa. The last game was full of excitement and nervousness. After the full-time, both teams scored an equalizer of 2-2. Dimitri Petratos singly scored 2 goals for his team which led the team to be in the game. Eventually, in a penalty shootout, the Mariners won by 4-3.

ISL 2021-22 Winner: Hyderabad FC

Hyderabad FC has been one of the most promising teams in the Indian Super League. From finishing in last position in its debut season in 2019 to winning the ISL trophy in 2022, the club shows its potential. In the final, Hyderabad FC defeated Kerala Blasters FC 3-1 in the penalty shootout to clinch their maiden Indian Super League title.

Under the management of Manolo Marquez, Hyderabad performed well and finished second in the league stage. The club made 38 points from 20 matches and lacked five points from table toppers Jamshedpur FC. In ISL 2021-22,  the Nizam defeated ATK Mohun Bagan in the semi-finals with an aggregate of 3-2 to reach the final. 

For Hyderabad FC, there were two leading ones, the first one was striker Bartholomew Ogbeche who performed excellently and won the Golden Boot award for scoring 18 goals in 20 matches. The second hero was goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, who saved three penalties. The excellent performance of these two players led Hyderabad to their first ISL title.

ISL 2020-21 Winner: Mumbai City FC

Mumbai City is majorly owned by the world-class English Premier League club Manchester City. Ahead of the seventh season of the Indian Super League, the former coach of Goa FC Sergio Lobera was appointed the new manager of Mumbai City FC. The decision to hire Lobera turned out to be right and he guided the team to win their maiden ISL title by defeating ATK Mohun Bagan 2-1 at the Fatorda Stadium.

With 40 points Mumbai City FC ended the league phase level with ATK Mohun Bagan. The Islander has become the only team after Bengaluru in 2018-19 to make the top of the league and win the final in the same season 2020-21. With this rare achievement, Mumbai City got a direct spot in the AFC Champions League 2022 group stage.

ISL 2019-20 Winner: Atletico de Kolkata/ATK

After facing two disappointing ISL seasons, ATK takes a chance to re-appoint Antonio Lopez Habas as head coach for ISL 2019-20 season. Habas was a quick man and he found holes in the team and took some crucial steps to strengthen the team. He signed  David Williams and Roy Krishna from the Australian A-League which turned out to be true and ATK won 10 out of 18 games and scored 33 goals.

With great performances, Atletico de Kolkata made it into the final and defeated Chennaiyin FC 3-1 in the 2019-20 ISL final, with this win ATK became the first team to win Indian Super League thrice. In the finals, ATK goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya showed his class and made many saves for the team to win the title.

ISL 2018-19 Winner: Bengaluru FC

In the ISL 2018-19 season, Bengaluru FC was among the most favorite teams to win the title, the major season was football maestro Sunil Chhetri. However, in last season Bengaluru lost the final to Chennaiyin. But, Chhetri got back the spirit of the whole team for this season.

Under their new head coach Carles Cuadrat, Bengaluru FC performed as a show topper and was dominant to top league stages. Bengaluru FC won the ISL title by defeating FC Goa 1–0 in the final at Mumbai Football Arena. Bengaluru FC’s Rahul Bheke scored the magical winner goal from a corner in the 117th minute.

ISL 2017-18 Winner: Chennaiyin FC

In ISL 2017-18 season, All India Football Federation handed ISL the top-tier tag from Asian Football Confederation (AFC), replacing I-League. At the same time, AFC added two new teams into ISL, Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC were the two teams. In its debut season, Bengaluru FC reached the final but lost to Chennaiyin FC.

Chennaiyin FC defeated Bengaluru FC 3-2 to lift their second ISL title at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru under the guidance of John Gregory. The prime players who led Chennaiyin’s victory were Jeje Lalpekhluah, Jerry Lalrinzuala, and Dhanpal Ganesh.

ISL 2016-17: Winner: Atletico de Kolkata

Until this season the Indan Super League operated as a one-off competition with players from I-league. Indian Super League teams were coming from India’s premier football league on loan for a two-month time period.

In the 2016 season of the Indian Super League, ATK won the ISL trophy for the second time after defeating Kerala Blasters in a seat-edge penalty shootout. The game was being played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, Kerala in the presence of 80,000 football fans. ATK won the shootout by 4-3, and their goalkeeper Debjit Majumdar did a great job. 

ISL 2015-16: Winner: Chennaiyin FC

After working two years with Chennaiyin, Marco Materazzi was appointed as the full-time coach of the team. In the 2014 ISL season, Chennaiyin got a heartbreak lost in the semifinal. What could be more powerful to overcome the heartbreak than winning the ISL trophy in the next season? 

Chennaiyin FC defeated FC Goa 3-2 in a mouth-watering 2015 ISL final at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa. The hero of the season was Chennaiyin’s striker Stiven Mendoza who scored 13 goals and won the ISL Golden Boot award. Captivatingly, Chennaiyin FC was placed last in the league table during the beginning stage of the 2015 ISL season.

ISL 2014-15: Winner: Atletico de Kolkata

Atletico de Kolkata or ATK crowned as the first winner of the Indian Super League (ISL). ATK becomes champion by defeating Kerala Blasters 1-0 in the final with a stunning injury-time goal by Indian midfielder Mohammed Rafique. Football legends like Luis García, Alessandro Del Piero, Robert Pires, and Freddie Ljungberg were part of the first season of the ISL.

Atletico de Kolkata relied on their hard defensive performances under coach Antonio Lopez Habas’ tactical genius, while Kerala Blaster was majorly dependent on Canadian Lian Homan throughout the tournament. The ISL 2014  featured eight teams, each playing 14 matches during the regular season.

ISL Most Winners

The Indian Super League (ISL) is the top-tier professional football league in India. It was founded in 2014 and currently features 11 teams. The ISL is played on a home-and-away basis, with each team playing 20 matches in a season. The top four teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the playoffs.

The ISL has been a successful competition since its inception. It has attracted a large number of fans and has helped to raise the profile of football in India. The ISL has also been a boon for Indian footballers, as it has provided them with a platform to showcase their skills and compete against some of the best players in the world.

The most successful team in the history of the ISL is ATK Mohun Bagan. The Kolkata-based club has won the ISL title four times, in 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2022-23. ATK Mohun Bagan is also the only team to have won the ISL title four times in a row.

ATK Mohun Bagan’s success in the ISL is due to a number of factors. The club has a strong youth academy, which has produced some of the best players in the ISL. ATK Mohun Bagan also has a large fan base, which provides the team with a home advantage. Additionally, ATK Mohun Bagan has been well-managed by its owners and coaches.

Chennaiyin FC is the second most successful team in the ISL, having won the title twice, in 2015 and 2017. Chennaiyin FC is also the only team to have reached the ISL final four times.

Chennaiyin FC’s success in the ISL is due to a number of factors. The club has a strong squad, which includes a number of experienced Indian and international players. Chennaiyin FC also has a passionate fan base, which provides the team with a home advantage. Additionally, Chennaiyin FC has been well-managed by its owners and coaches.

Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, and Mumbai City FC have each won the ISL title once. Bengaluru FC won the title in 2018, Hyderabad FC won the title in 2022, and Mumbai City FC won the title in 2021.

The success of Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, and Mumbai City FC is a testament to the growing competitiveness of the ISL. All three clubs have strong squads and passionate fan bases. It is likely that these clubs will be among the contenders for the ISL title in the years to come.

The ISL is a relatively young league, but it has already had a significant impact on Indian football. The ISL has helped to raise the profile of football in India and has provided a platform for Indian footballers to showcase their skills and compete against some of the best players in the world. The ISL is also a popular competition among fans, and it is likely to continue to grow in popularity in the years to come.

Here is a brief analysis of the most successful teams in the ISL:

• ATK Mohun Bagan: ATK Mohun Bagan is the most successful team in the ISL, having won the title three times. The club has a strong youth academy, a large fan base, and has been well-managed by its owners and coaches.
• Chennaiyin FC: Chennaiyin FC is the second most successful team in the ISL, having won the title twice. The club has a strong squad, a passionate fan base, and has been well-managed by its owners and coaches.
• Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, and Mumbai City FC: Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, and Mumbai City FC have each won the ISL title once. The success of these clubs is a testament to the growing competitiveness of the ISL. All three clubs have strong squads and passionate fan bases.

It is likely that ATK Mohun Bagan, Chennaiyin FC, Bengaluru FC, Hyderabad FC, and Mumbai City FC will be among the contenders for the ISL title in the years to come. These teams have all invested heavily in their squads and have passionate fan bases. The ISL is a relatively young league, but it has already had a significant impact on Indian football. The ISL is likely to continue to grow in popularity in the years to come, and it will be interesting to see which teams emerge as the dominant forces in the league.

FAQ

Which team has won most ISL titles?

The most successful team in the history of the ISL is ATK Mohun Bagan. The Kolkata-based club has won the ISL title four times, in 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2022-23.