| Santosh Trophy |
MATCH INFO
|
MATCH :
| West Bengal
V/s Kerala
|
COMPETITION : | Final
|
| DATE: | 31-12-2024
|
TIME:
| 7:30 PM IST (UTC +5:30)
|
STADIUM:
|
|
| West Bengal | Lineup |
Possible XI:
|
| Kerala | Lineup |
|
Preview: West Bengal Vs Kerala
The Santosh trophy final will be played at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
A month and a half, and 87 matches later, it all comes down to 90, or possibly 120 minutes or more at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad, where West Bengal take on Kerala in the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 final.
The two states that have rightfully earned the tags of Indian football hubs are no strangers to the pinnacle of the national championships, West Bengal gearing up for a record 47th final, while Kerala are on the verge of playing their 16th summit clash in the Santosh Trophy.
Both sides have shown form befitting of their stature in the tournament, winning nine of their 10 matches, while drawing one each.
Historically, Bengal have dominated at this stage, winning the Santosh Trophy 32 times, while Kerala are seven-time champions. In recent times, however, Kerala have had the edge over their eastern rivals, winning the 2017-18 and the 2021-22 titles by defeating West Bengal in the final.
Live Start Count
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About Santosh Trophy:
History
The National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy, or simply Santosh Trophy, is an inter-state national football competition contested by the state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the sport's governing body in India. Before the launch of the first national club league, the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the top domestic tournament in India. Many players who have represented India internationally, played in the Santosh Trophy. The tournament is held every year with eligible teams divided into zones, play in the qualifying round and can progress into the tournament proper.
The tournament was started in 1941 by the Indian Football Association (IFA), which was the then de facto governing body of football in India. It was named after the former president of the IFA, Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhury, the Maharaja of Santosh who had died aged 61 in 1939. The IFA later donated the Santosh Trophy to the AIFF, soon after its formation as the sport's official governing body in India, and since then AIFF has been organising the tournament. The trophy for the runner-up, Kamala Gupta Trophy, was also donated by the then president of IFA, Dr. S.K. Gupta, and it was named in honour of his wife. The third-place trophy, Sampangi Cup, was donated by the Karnataka State Football Association (then Mysore Football Association) and was named so in the memory of a renowned footballer, Sampangi, who was from Mysore. Until 2018, the tournament was organised as an individual competition, but since 2021, the AIFF rebranded it as the men's senior tier of National Football Championship for the regional teams of various age groups. In September 2022, it was announced that the tournament will be organized on zonal basis.
