Chuni Goswami

Subimal "Chuni" Goswami (15 January 1938 – 30 April 2020) was an Indian professional footballer and first-class cricketer. As footballer, he played as a striker or winger, captained both the Mohun Bagan club and the India national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Asian players of all time. He also served as the Sheriff of Kolkata. Goswami scored 12 goals in 37 international appearances. He was an Olympian, represented India national team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He also led the team to achieve the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games, and earn the runners-up position at the 1964 AFC Asian Cup.

Playing for the India national team under coaching of Syed Abdul Rahim, Goswami was also a first class cricketer, playing Ranji Trophy for Bengal. He captained his team to the final of the tournament in 1971–72. On 15 January 2020, India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honour. Goswami's autobiography Khelte Khelte was published in 1982. Goswami was married to Basanti, who gave birth to their son. Goswami considered East Bengal legend Ahmed Khan as his idol. He also played tennis at the Calcutta South Club. He was a member of the CC&FC, and felicitated by the club, which is one of the oldest sports club in the world, founded in the late 18th century. He also served as president of Calcutta Veterans Club.

Chuni Goswami holds the distinction of playing for a single club, Mohun Bagan, throughout his club career despite numerous offers from other clubs including one reported offer from Tottenham Hotspur.

Club career Goswami joined the Mohun Bagan junior team in 1946 at the age of 8 years. He was a part of the junior squad up to 1954 and then graduated to the Mohun Bagan senior team. Mentored by club legend Balaidas Chatterjee, Goswami went on to represent Mohun Bagan in various foreign tours. He made his club debut on 29 May in the same year in Mohun Bagan's 3–0 win against Eastern Railway, in which he scored a goal. He continued playing for Mohun Bagan until his retirement in 1968. In the 1960s, Goswami and Jarnail Singh became two highest-paid players of the club; both of them captained the team respectively. Goswami captained Mohun Bagan in five seasons from 1960 to 1964. During his stay at the club, he won the Calcutta Football League six times, IFA Shield and Durand Cup four times.

International career

Chuni Goswami made his international debut for India in 1956 during the team's 1–0 victory over the Chinese Olympic team. He captained India to the Asian Games Gold Medal in 1962 and a Silver in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup in Tel Aviv and in the Merdeka Cup. Goswami, known for having incredible partnership with P. K. Banerjee and Tulsidas Balaram, is one of the "Indian football's holy trinity".

Career statistics International statistics

Chuni Goswami played in 37 "A" international matches having scored 12 times for the National team.

International goals Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Goals 26 May 1958 Korakuen Velodrome, Tokyo 1958 Asian Games 1 30 May 1958 Tokyo Football Stadium, Tokyo 1958 Asian Games 1 11 December 1959 Maharaja's College Stadium, Kochi 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification 1 30 April 1960 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta 1960 Olympic Qualifier 1 28 August 1962 Senayan Stadium, Jakarta 1962 Asian Games 1 1 September 1962 Senayan Stadium, Jakarta 1962 Asian Games 2 2 June 1964 Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv 1964 AFC Asian Cup 1 19 June 1964 Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Calcutta 1964 Olympic Qualifier 1 27 August 1964 Kuala Lumpur, Malaya 1964 Merdeka Tournament 1 29 August 1964 Kuala Lumpur, Malaya 1964 Merdeka Tournament 1

Honours Mohun Bagan Durand Cup: 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965 IFA Shield: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1967 Rovers Cup: 1966 Calcutta Football League: 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965

India Asian Games Gold medal: 1962 AFC Asian Cup runners-up: 1964 Merdeka Tournament runner-up: 1964

Bengal Santosh Trophy: 1955–56, 1958–59, 1959–60

Individual

Mohun Bagan Ratna Award: 2001 Banga Bibhushan: 2013

Records Top goal scorer of Calcutta Football League (with 145 goals)

Accolades Sportskeeda All time Indian Football XI

Cricket career Chuni Goswami made his first class debut for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy during the 1962–63 season. He was a Right Handed Batsman and a Right Arm Medium Pacer. After retiring from football, Goswami fully focussed on playing cricket for West Bengal. He appeared in two Ranji Trophy finals, losing to Mumbai each time. In the 1968–69 final, he scored 96 and 84; but Ajit Wadekar's century helped Mumbai win on first innings lead. Later, he led the Bengal cricket team to a 1972 Ranji Trophy final which they lost to Mumbai for whom Gavaskar and Shivalkar starred. Playing for Combined East and Central Zone team against the touring West Indies side in December 1966, Chuni Goswami took 8 wickets in the match as his team surprisingly beat the tourists by an innings. In his cricket career, which spanned up to the 1972–73 season, he played 46 first class matches, scoring 1,592 runs with one century and seven fifties, and took 47 wickets.

Managerial career Goswami later became team official of Mohun Bagan and went with Karuna Bhattacharya managed team to newly independent Bangladesh in May 1972, where they defeated Dhaka Mohammedan in first match, but lost to Shadhin Bangla football team in their last match. He later became director of Tata Football Academy in 1986, For the last few months, Goswami was suffering from underlying ailments with diabetes, prostate infection and neurological problems. His family confirmed that Goswami was admitted to a city hospital earlier in the day and died at 5 pm after a cardiac arrest.

Awards Goswami won numerous awards during his playing career as well as after retirement for his contribution towards Indian football. The prominent awards won by him are: 1963 – Arjuna award

2005 – Mohan Bagan Ratna

Legacy At the 123rd edition of the prestigious IFA Shield, best player of the tournament award was renamed as 'Chuni Goswami Memorial Award for the Best Player' in honour of Goswami.

Chuni Goswami Gate of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club in right, and Gate of the Calcutta Football Club of CC&FC, in Kolkata Maidan, December 2023. On 15 April 2023, iconic "Chuni Goswami Gate" was unveiled by former Indian international cricketer Sunil Gavaskar at the Mohun Bagan club headquarters in Kolkata, in memory of him.