2018–19 I-League


The 2018–19 I-League was the 12th season of the I-League, the top Indian professional football league, since its establishment in 2007. The season started on 26 October 2018 and is scheduled to conclude in March 2019. Unlike the Indian Super League, the I-League did not take a mid-season break during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Minerva Punjab was the defending champions having won the previous season. Real Kashmir joined as a promoted club from the I-League 2nd Division. Churchill Brothers, having been relegated the previous season, were given an exemption by the All India Football Federation for this season.
Chennai City FC were the champions for this season, winning the title on the last day. This was their first title win in the history of the club. The top scorer in the league was Chennai City FC’s Pedro Manzi, who finished the season with 21 goals.

Teams

Stadiums and locations

Personnel and sponsorship

Head coaching changes

Foreign players

On 20 June 2018, it was decided by the All India Football Federation that the number of foreigners for each I-League club will be kept six as previous season. Asian player quota is abolished. Clubs can sign maximum six players of any nationality.
Indian Arrows cannot sign any foreign players as they are the AIFF developmental team.
ClubForeigner 1Foreigner 2Foreigner 3Foreigner 4Foreigner 5Foreigner 6
Aizawl Léonce Dodoz Alfred Jaryan Ansumana Kromah Kareem Omolaja Richard Kasagga
Chennai City Mauro Boerchio Jozef Kapláň Roberto Eslava Néstor Gordillo Pedro Manzi Sandro Rodríguez
Churchill Brothers Nenad Novakovic Lorougnon Christ Remi Hussein Eldor Willis Plaza Anthony Wolfe Khalid Aucho
East Bengal Johnny Acosta Enrique Esqueda Kassim Aidara Toni Dovale Borja Gómez Pérez Jaime Santos
Gokulam Kerala Daniel Addo Fabien Vorbe Ejiogu Emmanual Andre Ettienne Marcus Joseph-
Minerva Punjab Caicedo Rodriguez Kalif Alhassan Juan Quero Mahmoud Amnah Roland Bilala
Mohun Bagan Aser Pierrick Dipanda Omar Elhussieny Sony Norde Yuta Kinowaki Kingsley Obumneme Henry Kisekka
NEROCA Aryn Williams Chencho Gyeltshen Eduardo Ferreira Katsumi Yusa Varney Kallon Felix Chidi Odili
Real Kashmir Abednego Tetteh Bazie Armand Gnohere Krizo Loveday Enyinnaya Mason Robertson Aaron Katebe
Shillong Lajong

League table

Results

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Willis PlazaChurchill Brothers21
1 Pedro ManziChennai City21
3 Enrique EsquedaEast Bengal9
3 Jobby JustinEast Bengal9
3 Sandro RodríguezChennai City9
3 Ansumana KromahAizawl9
7 Néstor GordilloChennai City8
7 Aser Pierrick DipandaMohun Bagan8
7 Felix Chidi OdiliNEROCA8
7 Laldanmawia RalteEast Bengal8
11 Marcus JosephGokulam Kerala7

Top Indian scorers

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Chennai CityIndian Arrows4–1 26 10 2018
Churchill BrothersShillong Lajong4–2 15 11 2018
Chennai CityShillong Lajong6–1 29 12 2018
Chennai CityGokulam Kerala3–2 4 1 2019
Chennai CityNEROCA3–3 11 2 2019
East BengalShillong Lajong5–0 14 2 2019

Cleansheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets
1 Bilal KhanReal Kashmir9
2 James KithanChurchill Brothers5
2 Prabhsukhan Singh GillIndian Arrows5
2 Rakshit DagarEast Bengal5
5 Shilton PaulMohun Bagan4
6 Bhaskar RoyMinerva Punjab3
6 Lalit ThapaNEROCA3
6 LalawmpuiaAizawl3
9 Nauzet SantanaChennai City2
9 Mauro BoerchioNEROCA2
9 Arshdeep SinghMinerva Punjab2
9 Shankar RoyMohun Bagan2
9 Gurpreet Singh ChabalAizawl2

Average home attendances

Team
East Bengal10272,69964,8679,95227,270
NEROCA10191,38329,9326,13519,139
Mohun Bagan10176,48662,6283,38817,649
Gokulam Kerala10148,23030,2462,13614,823
Real Kashmir992,44012,8572,79211,206
Chennai City1061,3819,8563,2536,138
Minerva Punjab1056,2398,5913,4705,624
Shillong Lajong1041,23114,6971,1074,123
Churchill Brothers1033,8673,7962,4173,387
Aizawl1028,8015,3248632,881
Indian Arrows1016,4974,5201001,640
Total10911,14,34964,86710010,223

Awards

Hero of the Match