The Super League will kick off tomorrow (September 7) for Kerala. 6 teams will enter the field in the battle to prove themselves as the giants of Kerala football. Let’s get to know those teams who are going to dance with football enthusiasm…

Malappuram FC

Malappuram FC is the sixth team out of the six teams participating in Super League Kerala. There are many reasons behind this, such as the team from Malappuram, which ranks first in the tradition of football Peruma, the team that amazes with the number of fans, and the star-studded squad. John Gregory, the most experienced coach in Super League Kerala, is the captain of Malappuram FC. Gregory was the head coach in the 2017–18 season when Chennaiyin FC won their second ISL title by defeating Bengaluru. He also managed to make Chennaiyin FC the Super Cup runner-up in 2019. After that, he came to be in charge of Malappuram FC. Former Chennaiyin FC technical director Cleophas Alex and Romanian native Dragos Firtulescu are in the co-coaching positions. Malappuram FC has a 27 member squad including 15 Malayali players. 7 of them are from Malappuram. Anas Edathotika from Kondotti, Fazalurahman from Thanur, Nandukrishna from Edarikode, V. Bujair from Edavannapara, Muhammad Nisham from Tirur, Muhammad Jasim from Kalpakancheri and Ajaykrishnan from Mancheri. The team also includes 6 foreign players. Ukrainian striker Pedro Mansi, who was the top scorer in the 2017-18 season when Chennai City won the I-League title, right-back Aitor Aldalur from Spain, attacking midfielder Joseba Beitia, Spain’s own star, Spanish centre-back Ruben Garces, Brazilian winger Sergio Barbosa and Spanish striker Alex Sanchez.

To Kochi today

Malappuram FC will take on Forsa Kochi in the opening match of Super League Kerala today. The team, which is practicing at the Calicut University Stadium, will leave for Kochi by road at 2 pm today. The Malappuram-Kochi match will be played at the Kalur Stadium tomorrow (September 7) at 7 pm.

‘Goat’ on Insta

Malappuram FC’s page is becoming the greatest of all time (goat) on Instagram if you look at the speed with which the number of followers is increasing. In a short period of time, Malappuram FC has gained close to one lakh followers on Instagram. Malappuram FC has the most followers among the 6 teams competing in Super League Kerala.

Number of followers of different teams on Instagram

Malappuram FC – 98.2 K

Calicut FC – 39.2 K

Kannur Warriors FC – 33 K

Forza Kochi – 30.4 K

Thiruvananthapuram Compens FC – 8.6 K

Thrissur Magic FC – 10.2 K

∙ Count till 6 pm yesterday.

Thrissur Magic FC

Thrissur has a habit of bursting into flames whether it is buried or buried. Thrissur Magic FC is a team that has emerged in Super League Kerala with the promise of blowing up the opposing teams as well. Italian coach Giovanni Scanu is making the strategy. Sathivan Balan, who won the Santhosh Trophy for Kerala as a team player, is the co-coach. Former Indian player CK Vineeth is the captain.

The foreign players in the team are Brazilian striker Marcelo Toscano, Brazilian defender Mailson Alves Veriato, and Cameroonian midfielder Bellac Herman. Three more foreign players will soon join the team.

14 Malayali players in the current 23 member squad. 5 of them are natives of Malappuram. PP Safneed, KP Shamnad, Jaseel, PA Ashif and K Vishnu Rajesh are from Malappuram. Also Jamie Joy, Arjun Makoth Mohanan, PC Anurag, VR Sujith and Yunus Rafique from Thrissur and Gifty P from Wayanad. Gratius, Mohammad Safnad, CK Vineeth from Kannur and P. Adil from Kasaragod also comprise the team. Thrissur Magic FC’s first match will be against Kannur Warriors at Payyanad Stadium on 9th night. Thrissur’s match with Malappuram FC on 20th at Payyanad Stadium.

Thiruvananthapuram Kompans FC

Thiruvananthapuram Kompans FC is the team that came to Super League Kerala with the crown of Football Peruma from the capital. Sergio Alexandre from Brazil is the head coach. Kali Alauddin from Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu is the co-coach.

Experienced Brazilian midfielder Patrick Motta is one of the main foreign players in the team. In addition to him, there are 5 Brazilian players in the team: Michael Americo (goalkeeper), Renan Januario (center back), Otmer Bispo (striker), Davy Kuhn (midfielder), and Marcos Wilder (striker).

There are 14 Malayali players in the squad. 6 people are natives of Malappuram. Shihad Nelliparamban from Mancheri Karakunn, C. Abdul Badish from Tirur, Akmal Shan from Mankada, P.M. Akshay from Pandikkad and Muhammad Shafi P. Vaishnav from Parappanangadi. Thiruvananthapuram Hornets’ first match is against Calicut FC at Kozhikode Corporation Stadium on 10th. The match against Malappuram FC is on October 2. Thiruvananthapuram Chandrasekaran Nair Stadium is the home ground.

Forza Kochi FC

After the start of ISL, Kochi has become the nucleus of Kerala football. The name of the team that has come to become a new force in Kerala football is Force Kochi FC from this city that has seen many games including Kerala Blasters. Co-owned by actor Prithviraj, the team is headed by Mario Lamos from Portugal. Former Indian player Jopaul Ancheri is the co-coach. The captain is Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, a native of Bengal, who is also a former Indian player.

Rodriguez Ayazo Luis Angel (Colombia – Center Back), Gabo Sianda Fefalo (South Africa – Striker), Rafael Augusto Santos da Silva (Brazil – Midfielder), Dorieltan Gómez Nascimento (Brazil – Striker), Said Mohamed Nidhal (Tunisia – Midfielder), Siri Omran (Tunisia – center back) is the foreign player in the team.

Out of the 26-member team, 18 are Malayalis. Arjun Jayaraj and K. Amin, natives of Mancheri, are members of the Malappuram team. Last year’s Santhosh Trophy Kerala captain Nijo Gilbert has also been included in the Kochi squad. The Forsa Kochi team’s first match in Super League Kerala is against Malappuram FC tomorrow at Kochi Kalur Stadium.

Kannur Warriors FC

Kannur Warriors FC is a team that hails from the land of fearless warriors. The head coach is Manuel Sanchez Murias, a native of Spain. Shafiq Hasan, a native of Wayanad, is the co-coach. Kannur Warriors FC’s trump card is Adrian Sardinero Corpa, a Spanish striker who was a player of Getafe team in the Spanish La Liga and has experience of hitting the ball against Messi.

Apart from Adrian, there are 5 foreign players in the 25-member squad. Alvaro Alvarez Fernandez (Spain – Center Back), Isair Gomez Alvarez (Spain, Winger – Striker), Eloy Ordonez Muniz (Spain – Winger), Ernest Rubis Lavsamba (Cameroon – Midfielder), David Grande (Spain – Striker).

There are a total of 10 Malayalis in the team. Four of them are natives of Malappuram. PA Ajmal from Chelembra, Liaqat Ali Khan from Perinthalmanna, NP Akbar Siddique from Kondoti and Muhammad Rishad Ghafoor from Veliyangode are present in Malappuram in Kannur Pada. Apart from them, Abin Antony from Pulluvila, Thiruvananthapuram, GS Gokul from Kolanchery, Ernakulam, TK Ashwin Kumar from Kannur Kunhimangalam, Muhammad Amin from Attur, Thrissur and P. from Ambalavyal, Wayanad. Malayali players Najeeb and CV Ajay are also in the team. The first match of Kannur Warriors is against Thrissur Magic FC at Payyanad Stadium on 9th. Kannur Warriors clash with Malappuram FC on 25th at Payyanad Stadium.

Calicut FC

If Malappuram has Areekode when it comes to football excitement, Kozhikode has Nainanvalappu. Calicut FC is a team anchored in this old port city where football fans flock to Kolkali and Dafmut. The head coach is Ian Andrew Gillan from Australia. The co-coach is BB Thomas Mutta, who has been selected as the coach of the Santhosh Trophy Kerala team this season.

The team consists of 6 foreign players and 17 Indian players. 9 of the Indian players have played in national competitions including the Santosh Trophy. Kervens Belfort, a dazzling striker from Haiti, is the team’s trump card. Belfort is also a player who has performed well for Kerala Blasters. Diakite Pape (Senegal – defender), Boubakar Sissokho (Senegal – midfielder), James Kote (Ghana – midfielder), Richard Osei Agyamung (Ghana – center back) and Ernest Bafo (Ghana – striker) are foreign players in the team.

There are a total of 15 Malayali players in the team. Four of them are from Malappuram. Muhammad Salim from Valanchery, Abdul Haku Nediyoath from Tirur, PP Muhammad Nishad from Nilambur, AK Muhammad Ashraf from Vengara. Captain Jijo Joseph, who won Santosh Trophy for Kerala in 2022, is also in Calicut’s midfield. Calicut FC’s first match against Thiruvananthapuram Kompans FC is on 10th at Kozhikode Corporation Stadium. Calicut FC match with Malappuram FC on 14th at Payyanad Stadium.