Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League
In this blog we are going to see about Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, The I-League is offering many opportunities as new clubs are starting up. For newcomers transitioning from semi-pro football to the I-League, the workplace environment seems fairly decent despite some issues.
Indian players in the league typically start with a monthly salary of around 60,000 INR. The clubs cover expenses for travel, accommodation, and food.
Foreign players in the I-League receive better financial packages, ranging from 180,000 to 300,000 INR monthly. They also get bonuses for signing on, scoring goals, and sometimes for making long-term commitments. However, not many foreign players commit to long-term deals with I-League clubs.
Bikash Yumnam (Rs 3.7 Million)
Bikash Yumnam is a professional football player from India and he is at the top of the list for Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He plays as a defender for the I-League team RoundGlass Punjab. In 2020, The Guardian named him as one of the 60 young footballers to watch. He started playing professionally in the I-League for the team Indian Arrows in February 2020, in a match against NEROCA FC which ended in a 0–0 draw. Earlier, Bikash was on the Indian U-16 team that reached the quarterfinals of the AFC U-16 Championship in Malaysia in 2018.
Arjun Jayaraj (Rs 3.5 Million)
Arjun Jayaraj is a professional football player from India, born on March 5, 1996. He plays as an attacking midfielder for SC Bengaluru, but he’s currently on loan from Gokulam Kerala he is in 2nd place in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, Arjun comes from Malappuram, Kerala, and honed his skills at this sport. He represented Calicut University and even won the All-India Championship with them.
During a match between his university team and Gokulam Kerala, Arjun scored a goal that caught the attention of Gokulam’s head coach, Bino George. Impressed by his skills, the coach signed him for the team.
Initially, in July 2019, it was announced that Arjun would join Kerala Blasters FC from Gokulam Kerala FC for a transfer fee of 21 lakhs rupees. Unfortunately, he suffered a ligament injury during pre-season training and missed the entire 2019-2020 season.
Later, on December 4, 2020, Kerala Blasters and Arjun Jayaraj decided to part ways mutually because Arjun aimed to have more playing time.
Bikramjit Singh (Rs 3.4 Million)
Bikramjit Singh is a professional football player from India. He is in the 3rd spot in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He currently plays as a midfielder for the I-League club Real Kashmir. When he was younger, Singh represented India in various youth teams – under-13, under-15, under-17, and under-19 – even captaining them. During this time, he played against teams like Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and VfB Stuttgart. He also got the chance to travel to the United States and England for exposure trips.
Singh was picked for the India under-23 team to play in the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers. His debut match for this team was against Uzbekistan U23 on March 27, 2015. He played the entire 90 minutes, but India lost the match 2–0.
C.K. Vineeth (Rs 3.4 Million)
C. K. Vineeth, an Indian former professional footballer who used to play as a forward, made some team changes in his career. He is in the 4th spot in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, In May 2020, he moved from Jamshedpur to East Bengal.
After that, Vineeth joined Chennaiyin FC on loan from Kerala Blasters. He also played in the AFC Cup 2019 as part of Chennaiyin, appearing in 13 matches, including 7 games in the AFC Cup. He was also in the Hero Super Cup 2019 final against FC Goa, where his team lost 2–1.
Vineeth started playing for the Indian national team on February 6, 2013, in a match against Palestine. He came in as a substitute for Clifford Miranda in the 85th minute, but unfortunately, India lost that match 4–2.
Baoringdao Bodo (Rs 3.2 Million)
Baoringdao Bodo is a professional footballer from India who plays as a winger for the TRAU football club in Manipur. He is in 5th place in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He made history by becoming the youngest player to ever represent India in senior-level football when he debuted in January 2017.
Originally from Assam, Bodo has played for India’s under-19 team and led the under-17 national team as their captain.
Gautam Ghosh, a former coach at the AIFF Academy, described Bodo as a highly talented player with a sharp understanding of football. Bodo is praised for his ability to play as a winger on either side of the field, as a playmaker, or even as a striker. His skills include being good in the air, creative thinking, and quick bursts of speed. Some media have compared him to Neymar, even calling him the “Indian Neymar Jr.”
Daniel Lalhlimpuia (Rs 3 Million)
Daniel Lalhlimpuia is an Indian professional footballer who currently plays as a forward for RoundGlass Punjab in the I-League. He is in 6th place in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He started his career with Bengaluru in 2016 after training at the AIFF Elite Academy.
Known as a promising player, Daniel was named captain of India’s under-20 team in 2015. His senior international debut was in September 2016 against Puerto Rico.
His journey in international football began in 2011 when he joined the India U16 team for the SAFF U-16 Championship. He scored two goals in that tournament, but India lost to Pakistan in the final. Later, he helped India qualify for the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship.
In 2013, he was part of the India U20 team for friendly matches in China and participated in the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers. Unfortunately, India didn’t qualify. Daniel was named captain for the 2015 SAFF U-19 Championship but faced another unsuccessful attempt at qualifying for the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship.
His senior national team debut was in a friendly against Puerto Rico in 2016, where India won 4–1. His first start for the national team was in a friendly against Cambodia in 2017, which India won 3–2.
Davinder Singh (Rs 2.94 Million)
Davinder Singh is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for the I-League club Namdhari FC and the India national team. He is in the 7th spot in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League On 17 August 2017, Singh was signed by Mumbai City of the Indian Super League. He made his professional debut for the club on 3 December 2017 in a league match against the Kerala Blasters. Singh started and played the whole match as Mumbai City drew the match 1–1 and won the Emerging Player of the Match award.
Singh was selected by India’s under-23 head coach Stephen Constantine in July 2017 for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers. He was eventually selected and played three matches during the qualifiers. The next month, Constantine called Singh up for the India senior side.
Afdal (Rs 2.85 Million)
Afdal VK is a 22-year-old striker from Malappuram, a place crazy about football. He is in 8th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, Back in 2013, he was among 12 teenagers from India who trained at Manchester United soccer schools. Now, after five years, he’s gaining attention at the national level due to his impressive performances for Kerala in the Santosh Trophy 2018.
Kerala faces a tough final match ahead. Afdal mentions, “We’ve been playing attacking football since the beginning. We’ve stuck to that and it has paid off. Everyone played well to reach this stage. We’ve beaten Bengal before, but they’re a strong team.”
The young striker, supported by his entire village, has big dreams. He says, “I’ve got offers from some small clubs. If I get an offer from a good club, maybe an ISL club, I’ll accept it.” But for now, his focus is on the Santosh Trophy, which Kerala hasn’t won for 13 years.
Lalkhawpuimawia (Rs 2.8 Million)
Lalkhawpuimawia, often called Mapuia, is a professional footballer from India. Is in the 9th spot among our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He works as a forward for Chanmari FC in the Mizoram Premier League.
In 2020, Mapuia signed a two-year contract with the Indian Super League team NorthEast United. However, he didn’t get the chance to play for them in the 2020–21 Indian Super League season. Finally, in the 2021–22 season, he made his debut for NorthEast United against Kerala Blasters FC on November 25, in a match that ended in a 0–0 draw.
Brandon Vanlalremdika (Rs 2.7 Million)
Brandon Vanlalremdika is a professional footballer from India who plays as a midfielder or winger for the Indian Super League club Punjab. He is in 10th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He hails from Mizoram and began his career with Aizawl.
He notably contributed as a goalscorer in a crucial I-League 2nd Division match that helped Aizawl secure promotion to the I-League after defeating Chanmari 4–2.
Vanlalremdika had his professional debut for Aizawl in the I-League on January 9, 2016, against the reigning champions, Mohun Bagan. Although he played for 80 minutes, Aizawl lost the match 3–1.
In 2021, he moved to Mohammedan Sporting, a Kolkata-based team. Brandon, under captain Nikola Stojanović’s leadership, and his team had a strong performance in the 2021–22 I-League season. They competed for their first national league title but ultimately finished as runners-up after a 2–1 defeat to Gokulam Kerala in the final.
Britto PM (Rs 2.65 Million)
Britto PM is an Indian professional footballer playing as a winger for the I-League club Rajasthan United. Is in the 11th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, Alongside his football career, Britto has been serving in the Indian Navy as part of the Indian Armed Forces since 2014.
He started his football journey in 2010 when Viva Kerala FC signed him for their youth squad from the U19 Kerala Team. Later, when Viva Kerala disbanded, Britto moved to Pune FC for the 2011-12 season and subsequently joined Quartz SC.
While serving in the Indian Navy, Britto represented Services in various football tournaments from 2014 to 2017, including the Santosh Trophy where they became champions twice. He also played in the 2015 National Games of India and Durand Cup during this period.
In 2018, Britto signed with Mohun Bagan and played a crucial role in the team’s title victory in the I-League 2019–20 season.
Aphaoba Singh (Rs 2.60 Million)
Ashangbam Aphaoba Singh is a professional football player from India. He is in 12th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He plays as a Centre-Forward, using both his right and left feet. Born on January 6, 2004, in Manipur, he’s known for his skills on the field. This article covers details about Ashangbam Aphaoba Singh’s life, including his career, family, height, weight, and more as of 2024.
Talking about his financial status, it’s often tough to pinpoint someone’s exact wealth and monthly earnings. According to various sources, Ashangbam Aphaoba Singh’s approximate net worth in 2024 is estimated to be around $265,000. This amount includes his assets and earnings accumulated over time from his football career.
Abhishek Singh (Rs 2.55 Million)
Abhishek Singh Plays football. He is in the 13th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, Abhishek studied Football Management and did internships with the Indian Super League, I-League, and AFC Champions League. He’s a big fan of Pedri and Barcelona, thinking they’ll win more trophies in the future.
Kean Lewis Rs 2.5 Million
Kean Lewis is an Indian professional soccer player who plays as a winger for the I-League team Sreenidi Deccan. He is in the second last position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He began his career at PIFA and was invited to try out at Leicester City’s academy when he was just 14. Later, he joined the youth teams of Mahindra United and Tata Football Academy.
In 2010, Lewis went to the United States for education and played for the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights. After graduation, he moved to Houston, Texas, joining the under-23 team of Houston Dynamo. He also had stints with Mexican club Inter Acapulco and the Laredo Heat in the Premier Development League.
In October 2020, Kean Lewis signed with Sudeva Delhi FC for the 2020–21 I-League season. He debuted against Mohammedan SC in January 2021. Lewis scored his first goal for the club in a match against Indian Arrows, leading his team to their first I-League victory.
Abhishek Ambekar Rs 2.45 Million
Abhishek Ambekar is an Indian footballer who plays as a defender for the I-League team Sreenidi Deccan. He is in the last 15th position in our Highest Paid Indian Footballer in I League, He started playing football while attending Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School in Thane. He represented his school, college, and state teams.
Ambekar was chosen to play for the Air India FC under-19 team, coached by former Indian player Godfrey Pereira. In 2017, he joined Minerva Punjab. He made his debut for Minerva in a match against Mohun Bagan in the I-League. His team drew the match 1-1, and he played the entire game. His contributions were significant as the team eventually won the I-League title, boosting Ambekar’s career.
