Mohun Bagan Super Giant — The Barefoot Team That Defeated an Empire

Aug 12, 2026

Mohun Bagan Super Giant — The Barefoot Team That Defeated an Empire

2 mos ago 13:24

Show notes

Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the Kolkata Derby, Indian football history and the 1911 IFA Shield are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club , exploring how one of Asia’s oldest clubs became a symbol of sporting and national identity. Founded in 1889, Mohun Bagan built its legend in 1911 when the largely barefoot Immortal Eleven defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment to win the IFA Shield under British rule. Chris traces that historic victory through stars including Shibdas Bhaduri, Abhilash Ghosh, Gostha Pal, Sailen Manna and Chuni Goswami . The episode also explores the fierce Kolkata Derby with East Bengal , the club’s roots around the Maidan, major matches at Salt Lake Stadium , and legendary figures including José Ramírez Barreto . Chris examines Mohun Bagan’s transition into the Indian Super League, the controversial ATK Mohun Bagan era, supporter protests, RPSG investment and the modern Mohun Bagan Super Giant identity. Current names including Vishal Kaith, Subhasish Bose, Manvir Singh, Liston Colaco and Sahal Abdul Samad connect more than 135 years of history to the present. It’s a story of football, colonialism, rivalry, identity and why Mohun Bagan remain one of Indian sport’s defining institutions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening!

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Why is Mohun Bagan's barefoot 1911 IFA Shield win so famous?

The history of Mohun Bagan's barefoot 1911 IFA Shield win: how ten shoeless Bengalis beat a British regiment and why the result still matters in Kolkata.

From Why We Love This Club · Aug 12, 2026

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