Indian football changed forever when the Indian Super League (ISL) began in 2014. Its aim? To develop football in a country long labeled as having immense potential. At the same time, the sport saw a significant positive shift in financial investments in India.
For the first time, football began to look like a lucrative career prospect, with some players earning crores (₹) annually.
While there is no exact figure for the highest-paid player in the ISL (or Indian football as a whole), player valuations and previously reported salaries provide a good indication.
It’s no surprise that the highest-valued players in the Indian Super League are all foreigners, with the quality of international players improving every year.
In the early days of the ISL, teams operated in a franchise-like model, bringing in retired European players who were certified legends of the game. Alessandro Del Piero, Diego Forlan, Robert Pires, and Roberto Carlos were some of the big names who graced Indian football with their presence.
With their star power came high costs.
Del Piero played only in the inaugural season of the ISL in 2014, representing the now-defunct Delhi Dynamos. He arrived at 39, long past his glory days at Juventus.
The Dynamos reportedly paid ₹10.8 crores (according to Sportskeeda)to have the Italian star on their team, but he played just 10 games and made several bizarre demands—one being a personal photographer to follow him during matches.
To this day, Del Piero remains the ISL’s highest-paid player.
The man who made the “Berbatov Spin” famous, Dimitar Berbatov, joined Kerala Blasters in 2017 in what was touted as a huge move. The ex-Manchester United striker was signed for a reported ₹7.5 crores (per Sportskeeda) but his stint was underwhelming.
He scored just once in nine games for the club.
Another legend, Diego Forlan, played for Mumbai City FC in the 2016 ISL season and earned approximately ₹6 crores. While he didn’t lead the Islanders to the title, his contribution was far more significant than others on this list.
Forlan scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists in 11 games. Mumbai turned out to be his penultimate club; he later joined Kitchee in Hong Kong before hanging up his boots.
Today, Forlan has traded football for tennis and is currently playing professionally.
Robbie Keane joined ATK during the 2017-18 season when the league adopted a more structured format with additional games. Despite ATK—now Mohun Bagan SG—finishing second-last in the standings, Keane delivered a respectable performance, justifying his ₹6-crore salary.
The Irishman scored 8 goals in 11 games before leaving the club after one season.
Nicolas Anelka, a name familiar to Chelsea fans, joined Mumbai City FC in the first ISL season. The Frenchman, who scored 125 Premier League goals, was a marquee signing, earning a reported ₹5.4 crores.
However, his stint was marred by controversy, with rumors of internal rifts within the team. Anelka spent much of the season on the bench and scored just 2 goals in 13 appearances.
With clubs choosing to withhold the amount of money they spend on salaries and bonuses, it is next to impossible to determine how much each player exactly earns, even more so in 2024. Ten years have passed since the ISL started, and the days of a franchise model and flaunting high paychecks are gone.
Initially, the league would also take place for just 3–4 months. Today, it’s a 7-month affair, with 13 teams (with plans to increase more). Foreigners and Indians alike come over for months at a go, often with their families.
Anyhow, to get an idea of how much players might be earning, it’s safe to assume that those with the highest market valuation would be earning the most. Here are the 10 most valuable players of the Indian Super League in 2024 (according to Transfermarkt):
- Jamie MacLaren, Mohun Bagan SG – ₹12 crores
- Jason Cummings, Mohun Bagan SG – ₹8 crores
- Jesus Jimenez, Kerala Blasters – ₹7.2 crores
- Dimitri Petratos, Mohun Bagan – ₹7.2 crores
- Franca, Mohammedan Sporting – ₹6.8 crores
- Adrian Luna, Kerala Blasters – ₹6.4 crores
- Dimitrios Diamantakos – ₹5.6 crores
- Jon Toral, Mumbai City FC – ₹5.6 crores
- Hugo Boumous, Odisha FC – ₹5.6 crores
- Noah Sadaoui, Kerala Blasters – ₹5.6 crores
Of course, this doesn’t determine that the above-mentioned players are the highest-paid players in ISL because different factors come into play while determining market value—for instance, age, game time, and the country they are from.
There are Indian players who presumably earn more, thanks to their star power and following in India, and the fact that they are seasoned ISL veterans.
Names like Sunil Chhetri, Anirudh Thapa, Liston Colaco, Brandon Fernandes, and Gurpreet Singh come to mind because they are some of the best Indian players in the league. Plus, there are seasoned foreign veterans in the league, like Cleiton Silva of East Bengal, whose market valuation won’t be high because he is 37.
The Indian Super League has revolutionized football in India, attracting top talents and increasing the sport’s financial appeal. While determining the exact ISL highest paid player remains challenging due to undisclosed salaries, the league’s blend of high-value foreign stars and seasoned Indian players reflects its growing prominence. As the ISL evolves, it continues to raise the bar for football in India, paving the way for a more competitive and lucrative future.
