The world of football has seen many brothers light up the sport and mesmerize the game with their skills. The dynamic English duo of Sir Bobby Charlton and Jack Charlton, who guided England to their only FIFA World Cup victory in 1966, are the best example of this. In India, it is not new to see brothers rocking the football stage. Some famous pairs who did it in the past are the legendary Pradip Kumar and Prasun Banerjee, goalkeepers Hemanta and Prasanta Dora, Climax and Covan Lawrence, and Mohammed and Shafi Rafi. Now let's see about the top 5 pairs of siblings in Indian football right now.
1. Michael Soosairaj and Michael Regin
The story of Michael Soosairaj and Michael Regin needs no introduction as much was talked about during Chennai City FC's ISL League title triumph this season. Coming from Eraviputhenthurai, a small village in Tamil Nadu, both Soosairaj and Regin lost their parents at a young age. However, that didn't deter their plans of pursuing football as their profession. Soosairaj bagged the 'Best Midfielder of the League' award in 2018 after his exploits in the I-League with Chennai City FC. ISL side Jamshedpur FC took note of his talent and roped him for the subsequent season. Michael Regin was a part of Chennai City FC's title-winning ISL League campaign although he had to sit out for a majority of the season owing to injuries. He also played as a defensive midfielder for the club in the first two matches of the Super Cup where they defeated ISL sides FC Pune City and Bengaluru FC.
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2. Nikhil and Vinil Poojary
Karnataka-based Nikhil and Vinil Poojary are one of the most popular sibling pairs in Indian football. Nikhil, the elder one, has had a distinguished career so far. He has plied his trade with many top-flight clubs including East Bengal and the then FC Pune City. The 25-year-old proved his talent in the Indian Super League and has also been in and around the Indian national team over the years. Currently, at Hyderabad FC, the versatile player will look to continue his energetic performances under Manolo Marquez. His brother Vinil Poojary too is one of the top performers at Churchill Brothers. The 23-year-old helped his side finish on top of the I-League standings in the first phase of the 2020-21 season. Unfortunately, Fernando Santiago Varela’s men missed out on the title by a whisker to Gokulam Kerala on the final day. Nevertheless, Vinil Poojary delivered yet another positive season and will be hoping to play in the ISL soon.
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3. Lallianzuala Chhangte and CVL Remtluanga
If you think Bengaluru FC is the only club in India which has siblings in its ranks, then you are mistaken. Delhi Dynamos have their sibling duo of Lallianzuala Chhangte and CVL Remtluanga. While the elder brother plays for their senior side in the ISL, the younger one plays for their junior team in the Hero Elite League. Lallianzuala Chhangte came through the youth setup of DSK Shivajians and became the second youngest Indian to score when he found the back of the net against Nepal in the 2015 SAFF Cup at the age of 18. Chhangte recently gave trials with Norwegian top-division club Viking FK but the negotiations broke down and he was unable to sign a contract. Remtluanga, on the other hand, scored five goals for the Dynamos in the Hero Elite League wherein they topped their group in the Delhi zonal round but faltered in the next round.
4. Rakesh Oram and Bekey Oram
A lot of women from Odisha have represented the country in various age groups and senior teams, but the men from the coastal state haven't found the same luck. But, the same can't be said about the sameOram brothers. Elder brother Rakesh Oram became the first player from Odisha to play in the ISL when Mumbai City FC signed the Sambalpuri-born player in the 2016 season. A regular in India's age-group teams, Rakesh made a total of 10 appearances for the Islanders in the third and fourth editions of the tournament, mainly coming on as a substitute. Bengaluru FC signed the talented midfielder for their 'B' team but an injury derailed his playing time in the 2018-19 season. Rakesh also signed for DSK Shivajians in the 2015-16 I-League season. Bekey, on the other hand, was a part of India's squad for the 2018 AFC U-16 Championships squad. Then only 14, Bekey was the youngest player in the squad and constantly created a menace for the opposition defenders. Bekey represented Bengaluru FC in the Hero Elite League, where they finished third in their group comprising East Bengal, SAI Guwahati, and Delhi Dynamos. Bekey is also a part of Bengaluru FC's Hero Junior League squad which topped the regional Karnataka zone with a staggering +74 goal difference.
5. Prabhsukhan Gill and Gursimrat Gill
Gursimrat was signed by Bengaluru FC at the onset of the 2018-19 season on a two-year deal from Northeast United FC. As a mainstay in their 'B' team, the left back helped them clinch the BDFA Super Division League title with a game to spare. His astute defending ensured Bengaluru FC 'B' conceded only three goals en route to topping Group A of the second division. Gursimrat made only one first team appearance for their senior side against Jamshedpur FC in the ISL but left the pitch early after seeing a second yellow. Prabhsukhan, on the other hand, was Indian Arrows' first-choice goalkeeper and made a total of 20 appearances in the I-League and Super Cup combined this season. His brilliant reflexes under the bar earned the AIFF Youth Developmental side 7 clean sheets. Prabhsukhan also won the 'Hero of the Match' award in the Super Cup Qualifier where they knocked out Kerala Blasters.
