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Gokulam Kerala Football Club is an Indian professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
club based in
Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second ...
,
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
. Founded in 2017, the club competes in the
I-League The I-League (known as Hero I-League for sponsorship ties with Hero MotoCorp) is the second-tier men's professional football competition of the Indian football league system. It is currently contested by 12 clubs across the country with the wi ...
, the second tier of Indian football league system. They won the 2020–21 I-League to become the first ever club from Kerala to win an I-League title, and became the first team to defend the I-League title in 2021–22 season. Gokulam is also the first club from Kerala to qualify for a continental competition, the
AFC Cup The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying ...
. Nicknamed ''Malabarians'', Gokulam Kerala represents the state of Kerala, predominantly its Malabar region. Affiliated with
Kerala Football Association The Kerala Football Association (abbreviated ''Kerala FA''), formerly the Travancore-Cochin Football Association, is one of the 37 Indian state football associations that are affiliated to the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The Kerala ...
(KFA), the club also competes in
Kerala Premier League Kerala Premier League is a state-level top football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Scoreline Kerala Premier League. Structu ...
, and clinched titles in 2017–18, and 2020–21.


History


Formation and early years (2017–2020)

Gokulam Kerala was founded in January 2017. On 20 September, after the second round of bidding invitations, the bid evaluation committee decided to award Sree Gokulam Group the right to field their team in the Hero I-League 2017–18 season onwards from Calicut, Kerala. Although the club did not have a good beginning, they went on to defeat clubs like
East Bengal ur, , common_name = East Bengal , status = Province of the Dominion of Pakistan , p1 = Bengal Presidency , flag_p1 = Flag of British Bengal.svg , s1 = Ea ...
,
Mohun Bagan Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, its football section is one of the oldest in India and Asia. The club is most notable for its victory over East Yorkshire Regim ...
and Minerva Punjab by the end of the season. Gokulam Kerala hired Spaniard
Fernando Santiago Varela Fernando Andrés Santiago Varela (born 4 June 1973) is an Argentine-born Spanish football coach. He is the current head coach of I-League 2 club Bengaluru United. Managerial career Fernando Varela is an Argentine-born Spanish coach. He is a ...
as head coach in March 2018. On 15 March 2018, Gokulam played the Super Cup qualifiers against
North East United FC NorthEast United FC is an Indian professional football club based in Guwahati, Assam that competes in the Indian Super League, the top flight of Indian football. The club was founded on 13 April 2014 during the inaugural season of Indian Supe ...
and was qualified with a 2-goal victory. In the pre-quarterfinals of the Super Cup on 1 April 2018, they were leading against Bengaluru FC by 0–1 until 60 minutes with a goal scored by the striker Henry Kisekka but Bengaluru scored a stoppage time goal which led to a defeat of 2–1. Gokulam in 2019, for the first time went abroad and participated at the
2019 Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup The 2019 Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup, also known as ''Sheikh Kamal Gold Cup 2019'', was the 3rd edition of Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup, an international club football tournament hosted by the Chittagong Abahani in association wi ...
in
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...
, where they qualified for the Semi-finals after finishing 2nd in Group B. Gokulam finished as semifinalist after losing 3–2 to
Chittagong Abahani Chittagong Abahani Limited ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম আবাহনী লিমিটেড), also spelled as Chattogram Abahani or Chittagong Abahoni, is a sports club based in Chittagong, Bangladesh. A wing of Abahani Limited wa ...
. Gokulam Kerala won their maiden title under the coaching of
Fernando Santiago Varela Fernando Andrés Santiago Varela (born 4 June 1973) is an Argentine-born Spanish football coach. He is the current head coach of I-League 2 club Bengaluru United. Managerial career Fernando Varela is an Argentine-born Spanish coach. He is a ...
, the 129th edition of the
Durand Cup The Durand Football Tournament, commonly known as Durand Cup, is an annual domestic football competition in India which was first held in 1888 in Shimla. Hosted by the Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS) and All India Football Federation ...
on 24 August
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, defeating
Mohun Bagan AC Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, its football section is one of the oldest in India and Asia. The club is most notable for its victory over East Yorkshire Regiment ...
2–1 in
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
.


2020–present

Gokulam Kerala won the 2020–21 I-League by defeating
TRAU FC Tiddim Road Athletic Union Football Club, or simply TRAU FC, is an Indian professional football club based in Imphal, Manipur, that competes in the I-League. The club made its I-League 2nd Division debut in the 2017–18 season. They promoted ...
in the final game. With 29 points from 15 games, they qualified for the 2022 AFC Cup group stage. In April 2021, Gokulam Kerala emerged as the champions of the 2020–21 Kerala Premier League, defeating
KSEB Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is an Indian public sector undertaking under the Government of Kerala that generates, transmits and distributes electricity in the state under government monopoly. Established in 1957, the agency comes und ...
FC 2–1 at the Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium. They began their
2021–22 I-League The 2021–22 I-League (also known as Hero I-League for sponsorship reasons) is the 15th season of I-League, last as the top tier of Indian football league system, since its establishment in 2007. All the matches are hosted in a bio-secure bub ...
season on 26 December with 1–0 win against
Churchill Brothers Churchill Brothers FC Goa, or simply known as Churchill Brothers, is an Indian professional football club based in Margao, Goa, that competes in the I-League, alongside Goa Professional League. Founded in 1988 in Margao, the club usually parti ...
. They later thrashed Real Kashmir by 5–1. After back to back wins in both the group and championship stages, the club clinched I-League title again in 2021–22 season, defeating Mohammedan Sporting 2–1 in the final game at the Salt Lake Stadium on 14 May, and became the first club in fifteen years to defend a national league title. At the 2022 AFC Cup group-stage opener, the club achieved a historic 4–2 win against
Indian Super League The Indian Super League (ISL) is an Indian professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Organised by the All India Football Federa ...
side
ATK Mohun Bagan ATK Mohun Bagan FC () is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The club competes in Indian Super League, the top flight of Indian football. The club, which was formed as a merger between the football section of ...
. Later, they were defeated 1–0 by Maldivian side
Maziya S&RC Maziya Sports and Recreation Club is a Maldivian professional football club based in Malé. They compete in the Dhivehi Premier League, the country's top division. The club was formed in 1996 and was promoted to the first division for the first ...
, 1–2 by Bangladeshi side
Bashundhara Kings Bashundhara Kings ( bn, বসুন্ধরা কিংস) is a professional football team based in Bashundhara Residential Area, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They clinched the title of the 2017 Bangladesh Championship League, the second tier of t ...
respectively, and knocked out of the tournament. On July 5, the club officially announced that they roped in former Cameroonian international
Richard Towa Richard Towa (born 16 November 1969) is a Cameroonian professional Manager (association football), manager and former Association football, footballer. He most recently managed I-League club Gokulam Kerala FC, Gokulam Kerala. Playing career He p ...
as new head coach. Due to not maintaining good form in league marches, the club parted ways with Towa and roped in Spanish manager in place of him.


Stadium

Gokulam Kerala FC plays all its home matches at the
EMS Stadium The EMS Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala, India. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium is currently home of I-League side Gokulam Kerala FC, together with Indian Women's League side Gokulam Kera ...
, which is located in the heart of Calicut city. West stand is the largest block and can accommodate most spectators. Capacity of the stadium is limited to 80,000. Gokulam Kerala previously played in
Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, also known as Payyanad Stadium, is an athletics and football stadium in Kerala, India, located about 7km from Manjeri and 12km from Malappuram. Overview The stadium is part of Malappuram District S ...
for the matches of
Kerala Premier League Kerala Premier League is a state-level top football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Scoreline Kerala Premier League. Structu ...
. They also used Kottappadi Stadium in Malappuram for training purposes.


Supporters

Kerala is a state known for its passionate football fans. Football in Northern Kerala (known as Malabar Coastal Region) has arguably one of the most passionate fanbase in the state. GKFC Battalia is the official supporters' group of Gokulam Kerala FC.


Rivalry


Rivalry with Kolkata clubs

Gokulam Kerala is known for pathbreaking the
Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
clubs,
Mohun Bagan Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, its football section is one of the oldest in India and Asia. The club is most notable for its victory over East Yorkshire Regim ...
,
East Bengal ur, , common_name = East Bengal , status = Province of the Dominion of Pakistan , p1 = Bengal Presidency , flag_p1 = Flag of British Bengal.svg , s1 = Ea ...
and
Mohammedan ''Mohammedan'' (also spelled ''Muhammadan'', ''Mahommedan'', ''Mahomedan'' or ''Mahometan'') is a term for a follower of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet. It is used as both a noun and an adjective, meaning belonging or relating to, either Muham ...
in some major matches in I-League and Durand Cup. Gokulam Kerala won the
2019 Durand Cup The 2019 Durand Cup was the 129th edition of the Durand Cup, oldest football tournament in Asia, since the tournament's founding in 1888. 16 teams competed in the tournament. The matches were played across three locations in West Bengal, namely ...
by defeating East Bengal in the semi-final and Mohun Bagan in the final. They also defeated Mohammedan in the deciding last match of
2021–22 I-League The 2021–22 I-League (also known as Hero I-League for sponsorship reasons) is the 15th season of I-League, last as the top tier of Indian football league system, since its establishment in 2007. All the matches are hosted in a bio-secure bub ...
to clinch their consecutive league title. Both the states, Kerala and
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...
, are two dominant powerhouses of Indian Football.


The Malabar Derby

Gokulam Kerala enjoyed an on-field rivalry with another Kozhikode based side
Kerala United FC Kerala United Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Malappuram, Kerala. Founded in 1976 as ''Calicut Quartz FC'', the club was an amateur and academy side during its early years. In December 2011, they announced intent ...
(previously ''Quartz Calicut''). The first Kozhikode Derby match took place in the group stage of 2017–18 Kerala Premier League, where Quartz Calicut were winners. First match after acquisition was in 2020–21 Kerala Premier League semifinal. The match ended goaless, and Gokulam won 4–2 on penalties.


Results


Crest, colours & kits


Crest

The club crest incorporates elements from historical
Theyyam Theyyam (/ t̪eːjjəm/; romanised: ''teyyam'') are Hindu ritualistic dance forms practiced in northern Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is also known as Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ or Tiṟa. Theyyam consists of traditions, rituals and c ...
, a famous ritual art form that originated in northern Kerala. It encompasses dance, mime and music. The crest was unveiled in January 2017, by chief minister
Pinarayi Vijayan Pinarayi Vijayan (; born 24 May 1945) is an Indian Communist politician who is the current Chief Minister of Kerala, serving since 25 May 2016. A member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), he is the longest-serving sec ...
and football legend I. M. Vijayan.


Colours

During the early days they used yellow and red coloured home kit. From 2018–19 season onwards, maroon was used as primary colour for home kit.


Kit evolution


Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors


Players


First-team squad


Gokulam Kerala FC Reserves


Honours


League

*
I-League The I-League (known as Hero I-League for sponsorship ties with Hero MotoCorp) is the second-tier men's professional football competition of the Indian football league system. It is currently contested by 12 clubs across the country with the wi ...
**Champions (2):
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
, 2021–22 *
Kerala Premier League Kerala Premier League is a state-level top football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Scoreline Kerala Premier League. Structu ...
**Champions (2): 2017–18,
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
**''Runners-up'' (2): 2018–19, 2019–20 *Kerala State Club Championship **''Runners-up'' (1): 2016–17


Cup

*
Durand Cup The Durand Football Tournament, commonly known as Durand Cup, is an annual domestic football competition in India which was first held in 1888 in Shimla. Hosted by the Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS) and All India Football Federation ...
**Champions (1):
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...


Invitational

* Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup **Semi-finals (1):
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...


Reserve team

*
Bodousa Cup The Bodousa Cup is an invitational football tournament in India, held across multiple venues of Assam and organised by Bodousa Sports Club annually under the supervision of Assam Football Association The Assam Football Association (AFA) is o ...
**Champions (1): 2019 *
Independence Day Cup The Independence Day Cup is an Indian football tournament held in Nagaon, Assam, organised by Nowgong Sports Association annually. It is the oldest and one of the most reputed football tournaments in Assam first started in 1947, days after the ...
**Champions (1): 2019 *Mayors Cup **''Runners-up'' (1): 2019


Women's team

*
Indian Women's League The Indian Women's League, known as ''Hero Indian Women's League'' for sponsorship ties with Hero MotoCorp is the women's top tier professional football league in Indian football. Founded in 2016, currently a total of 18 teams from across the c ...
**Champions (2):
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
, 2021–22 *
AFC Women's Club Championship The AFC Women's Club Championship is the top-tier women's football club competition in Asia. It involves the top clubs from countries affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Designed as pilot tournaments, the format will change i ...
** Third place (1):
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...


Technical staff


Current technical staff


Notable players

The following Gokulam Kerala players have been capped at '' full international level''. Years in brackets indicate their spells at the club.


Managerial history


Head coach's record


Season analysis


Statistics and records


Most appearances


Club captains


Top scorers


Performance in AFC competitions

*
AFC Cup The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying ...
: 1 appearance :: 2022: Group Stage


AFC Club Ranking


See also

*
Gokulam Kerala FC players ''Gokulam'' is a 1993 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by Vikraman. The film stars Jayaram (in his major Tamil debut) and Bhanupriya, with Arjun Sarja in a supporting role. It was released on 11 June 1993. Plot Chellappa li ...
* List of football clubs in Kerala *
Sports in Kerala Many sports are played by the people in Kerala including both traditional sports and sports from other countries. Association football is the most popular sport in Kerala, followed by cricket. Kerala Blasters are the most supported football cl ...


References


External links


Official


Gokulam Kerala FC official website
* * *


Others


Gokulam Kerala FC
at Soccerway
Gokulam Kerala FC
at GSA
Gokulam Kerala FC
at
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

Gokulam Kerala FC
at
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Gokulam Kerala FC
at WorldFootball.net
Gokulam Kerala FC
at the-AIFF.com {{Kerala Sports I-League clubs Football clubs in Kerala Association football clubs established in 2017 2017 establishments in Kerala