You all may have heard about the famous Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri but have you ever heard of the rising star in Indian football Ishan Pandita? He has been phenomenal in the past few months as a forward for India and is one of the best prospects to lead the Indian national football team in future. While we all shower love and appreciate cricketers in India, we are still lacking in regard to support for our footballers. Players like Ishan Pandita have that binding energy which will turn you into a football fan if you are willing to watch just a few football matches. In this blog, we have covered everything you should know about Ishan Pandita, the rising star in Indian football.
Here are some interesting facts about Ishan Pandita you need to know!
1. Ishan Pandita was born in Delhi
Ishan Pandita was born on 26th May 1998 in Delhi. He is of Kashmiri descent but lived in Bengaluru and went to Spain in his teens in 2004 to play for various lower-division Spanish clubs. He is currently 24 years old and has returned to India to play for India national team in football.
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2. He is the first Indian player to play for a Spanish top-division club
Ishan Pandita is the first Indian footballer to play for the Juvenil side of a Spanish top-division club. He played for Alcobendas Juvenil, Almeria, Leganes and Gimnastic during his time in Spain. Pandita also played in Phillippines in his teens.
3. He currently plays for Jamshedpur in India Super League
Ishan Pandita currently plays for Jamshedpur in India Super League, and he signed with this football club in 2021. Before joining Jamshedpur, he was signed by FC Goa in India Super League. He has also played for Pobla Mafument and Lorca in the senior league before ultimately signing with Indian football clubs after his return to India.
4. Ishan Pandita made his debut for India in March 2021
Ishan Pandita earned his maiden call-up for India national team in March 2021 and ultimately made his debut on 25th March 2021 as a striker for India against Oman. He could not find an opportunity to score a goal in his debut game for India. The match was drawn between India and Oman, and both teams managed to score one goal each.
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5. He scored his first international goal against Hong Kong
Ishan Pandita scored his first goal in international football on 14th June 2022, a football match in which India won by a huge margin of 4-0. The game was a significant part of the 2023 AFC Asian Club qualification. Since then, he has been an integral part of India national team and played a significant role in the 2022 VFF Tri-Nation Series.
6. Ishan Pandita idolises Cristiano Ronaldo
Ishan Pandita is a huge fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and considers him his ideal. He also loves the football playing style of Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Gareth Bale. Ishan loves to play an aggressive brand of football which makes people cheer for him.