Hyderabad: In just three days India lost her three gems. While Bollywood bade adieu to India's most recognised international actor Irrfan Khan on Wednesday, the nation suffered a double whammy on Thursday. First, in the morning evergreen Bollywood hero Rishi Kapoor breathed his last after a long battle with leukaemia, and in the evening India lost one of her footballing gems Chuni Goswami, a legend who played the game when India was considered to be the giant of Asian football.
Goswami was 82. He had been suffering from age-related illness. Due to his deteriorating health, he was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata and on Thursday at 5 pm the legendary dribbler passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Chuni Goswami with Brazil legend Pele The Kolkata footballer was known for his ball controlling skills. With his silky skills, he could evade formidable defenders from a small space. His ability to create space and move infield from difficult situations made him the best dribbler of his time. It will not be wrong to say that Indian football has never seen another dribbler like him after his retirement. Former India international and coach Subhash Bhowmick believes Goswami's dribbling skills so much fascinating that he was as good as Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho.
If he had lived in post-liberalisation India he would have been a marketing man's delight. His presence both on and off the field was bright. He was known for his brilliant body swerves and ability to avoid hard tackles. He played in an era when ball players were not protected by referees. With his shining presence on the field, he was shutterbugs' most loved person. He was immaculately dressed and a sensible orator.
Chuni Goswami with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee The 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning Indian football team captain, Goswami, wore many hats. Apart from being a skilful forward, he was a batting all-rounder for Bengal. He was one of the few players who excelled in more than one sport.
Apart from 1962 Asian Games gold, he also led India in 1964 Asia Cup silver in Tel Aviv.
But how well do you know Indian football's one of the finest footballers? Here we have put together 10 interesting facts about legendary dribbler, Chuni Goswami.
1. The world knows him as Chuni Goswami. But it was not his real name. His real name is Subimal Goswami. But he used the nickname, Chuni, whenever he played for India.
2. In 1962 Asian Games, he played a pivotal role in India's second Asiad gold medal win after 1951. He scored a brace against South Vietnam in the semifinal. Due to overwhelming performance in Indonesia, he was chosen as Asia's best striker in that year. In present-day Indian football, it is just unimaginable.
3. On 15th January 2020, Goswami celebrated his 82nd birthday. To make his birthday special India Post honoured the footballer with a commemorative stamp.
Throughout his life Chuni Goswami had been a true Mariner. 4. Just after his 1962 Asiad triumph, he got an invitation to train with Tottenham Hotspur, managed by the legendary coach Bill Nicholson. At that time, it was the biggest club in England. Tottenham won the first league-and-cup double of the 20th century and a year later, it became the first English side to win a European trophy. But Goswami rejected the offer and carried on playing for Mohun Bagan.
5. He was a one-club player. Since his debut for Mohun Bagan in 1954 till he retired in 1968 he played for the Kolkata giant. Throughout his career, he was a Mariner though he never received a single penny from the club. In 2005, recognising his contribution to the club, Mohun Bagan conferred the Mohun Bagan Ratna on him.
6. In the 1960s, East Bengal general secretary Jyotish Guha made an attempt to sign Chuni Goswami for the club. He offered him to buy a Fiat car, which just had hit the Indian market. A Fiat in that time used to cost princely Rs 14000.
7. Though he had not earned money from playing football, it was the sport which gave him a job. He joined State Bank of India in Kolkata in 1960 as an officer. Once talking about this he said, "my salary of Rs 450 in those days was more than what an IAS officer drew".
Chuni Goswami was a charming striker of Indian football team 8. Goswami formed India's most dangerous troika. The combination of late PK Banerjee, Goswami and Tulsidas Balaram is still considered the best ever in Indian football as they had telepathic understanding among themselves. They used to complement each other on the field with their dazzling ball skills.
9. He was an inside right. However, on his first day at Mohun Bagan, he had sported the club jersey on the advice of mentor Balaidas Chatterjee just after entering the dressing room. Mohun Bagan had a superstition that once a player wore the club jersey, he could not be discarded from the playing XI. Inside right Badru Banerjee was not replaceable. Robin Patra, on the other hand, had nothing to worry about since he was an inside left. And Goswami was an inside right. However, putting all equations into the waters, the club asked Goswami to play as inside left. Since his first day at the club, until he retired, Goswami was considered the best inside left in the country and one of the best of Asia. But he took the position more by an accident than design.
Chuni Goswami, PK Banerjee and Tulsidas Balaram 9. Alongside football, he played first-class cricket for Bengal. In the 1972 Ranji Trophy final, he captained Bengal against Mumbai. He also played for a combined East Zone and Central Zone team that defeated Gary Sobers-led West Indies in a tour game. Sobers was so impressed by Goswami's cricketing skill that the legendary all-rounder was taken aback to know that Chuni was an Indian football star.
