Mumbai City FC defender Mandar Rao Desai tops the list of ISL most appearances with 128 appearances in the Indian Super League for FC Goa and the Islanders. Among the overseas players, defender Tiri has the most appearances (110) in the top-tier football league.
Since its inception in 2014, the Indian Super League has seen stalwarts like Roberto Carlos, Alessandro del Piero, Elano, Nicolas Anelka and many more, all of whom graced the football league for a season or two. There are few players who have stood the test of time and kept playing in the ever-evolving and expanding football league over the last eight seasons.
Below is the list of players who have had the most ISL appearances.
ISL most appearances: Top 10 list
| Rank | Player | Apps | Playing from | Club(s) |
| 1 | Mandar Rao Dessai | 128 | 2014 | Goa, Mumbai City |
| 2 | Narayan Das | 126 | 2014 | Goa, Pune City, Odisha, East Bengal, Chennaiyin |
| 3 | Lenny Rodrigues | 125 | 2014 | Pune City, Bengaluru, Goa, ATK Mohun Bagan |
| 4 | Harmanjot Khabra | 121 | 2014 | Chennaiyin, Bengaluru, Kerala Blasters |
| 5 | Pritam Kotal | 119 | 2014 | Pune City, ATK, Delhi Dynamos, ATK Mohun Bagan |
| 6 | Amrinder Singh | 117 | 2015 | Atlético de Kolkata, Mumbai City, ATK Mohun Bagan |
| 7 | Sunil Chhetri | 114 | 2015 | Mumbai City, Bengaluru |
| 8 | Rahul Bheke | 110 | 2015 | Kerala Blasters, Pune City, Bengaluru, Mumbai City |
| 9 | Tiri | 110 | 2016 | Atlético de Kolkata, Jamshedpur, ATK Mohun Bagan |
| 10 | Sandesh Jhingan | 107 | 2014 | Kerala Blasters, ATK Mohun Bagan |
Mandar Rao Dessai – 128 ISL appearances
Starting his professional football career with Goan side Dempo SC, Mandar Rao Dessai was first loaned out to FC Goa in 2014, where he played in the Indian Super League. His impressive performances led the Gaurs to avail his services on loan yet again the following season. However, with the league only running for a few months, it wasn’t until 2016 that Mandar found a place with Goa. Since then, he has been loaned to Bengaluru FC once before moving to one-time ISL winners Mumbai City FC. The 30-year0-old is counted among the most reliable Indian defenders and has also played two games for the Indian national football team.
Narayan Das – 126 ISL games
A product of Tata football academy, Narayan Das moved to Indian Arrows – then Pailan Arrows – in 2012 before making loan appearances with Dempo SC. He was a regular in I-League before FC Goa loaned him in 2014, and he became a regular face in the Indian Super League. Narayan Das moved to SC East Bengal in 2016 before the now-defunct ISL side FC Pune City in the same year. ISL’s short league meant he kept moving back and forth to East Bengal in-between seasons before FC Goa drafted him in 2017. He has plied his trade with Delhi Dynamos and eventually Odisha FC as well before two-time ISL champions Chennaiyin FC roped him in 2021. A left-back by position, Das has 29 caps in the Indian football team.
Lenny Rodrigues – 125 ISL appearances
A veteran of Indian football, midfielder Lenny Rodrigues has been on the domestic football scene for 14 years now. Starting his professional career with Goan club Salgaocar FC, Lenny has played in I-League clubs Pune FC, Churchill Brothers and Dempo SC before FC Pune City bought him in 2014. Since then, he has played for Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC and is currently playing for ATK Mohun Bagan. A defensive midfielder, Lenny Rodrigues, has 22 national caps.
ISL most appearances: Overseas players
| Rank | Player | Appearances | Playing from | Club(s) |
| 1 | Tiri | 110 | 2015 | ATK, Jamshedpur, ATK Mohun Bagan |
| 2 | Juanan | 92 | 2017 | Bengaluru, Hyderabad |
| 3 | Ahmed Jahouh | 91 | 2017 | Goa, Mumbai City |
| 4 | Edu Bedia | 87 | 2017 | Goa |
| 4 | Marcelinho | 87 | 2016 | Pune City, Hyderabad, Odisha, ATK Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United |
| 6 | Eli Sabiá | 85 | 2016 | Chennaiyin, Jamshedpur |
| 7 | Memo | 83 | 2016–2021 | Delhi Dynamos, Jamshedpur, Chennaiyin |
| 8 | Mourtada Fall | 81 | 2018 | Goa, Mumbai City |
| 9 | Bartholomew Ogbeche | 77 | 2018 | NorthEast United, Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City, Hyderabad |
| 10 | Hugo Boumous | 74 | 2017 | Goa, Mumbai City, ATK Mohun Bagan |
Tiri – 110 ISL appearances
Spanish defender Tiri is one of the leading foreign players with most appearances in the Indian Super League. A product of the Spanish football club Cadiz, Tiri has played for Atletico Madrid (now ATK Mohun Bagan.), from where he was brought in by Atletico de Kolkata in 2015. Tiri won the ISL in 2016 and has since been a regular in the league. He has played in Spanish side Marbella FC as well, but the ball-playing defender will be remembered for his stint with Jamshedpur FC. He is now back with ATK Mohun Bagan.
Juanan – 92 ISL games
Unlike Tiri, Juana hasn’t been a part of ISL since the very beginning. Prior to his move to Bengaluru FC in 2016, Juanan had previously played for Spanish sides Deportivio la Coruna and Real Madrid Castilla, German football Fortuna Düsseldorf and many others. In 2021, Juanan moved to current ISL champions Hyderabad FC and has since been an important cog in the Nizams’ wheel.
Ahmed Jahouh – 91 ISL appearances
One of the many imports that helped Sergio Lobera build an identity with FC Goa in 2017, Morocco’s Ahmed Jahouh has proven to be instrumental in the midfield. Jahouh has played for Moroccan clubs like Moghreb Tetouan, Ittihad Kalba, Raja Casablanca and FUS Rabat. He won the ISL title with Mumbai City in his first season with the Islanders in 2020. A defensive midfielder by trade, Jahouh is known for his inch-perfect long passes from the defensive third. He has provided 13 assists and scored three goals in 41 appearances for Mumbai.
Special mention – David James
One of the legends of English football, David James was one of the many star names that were brought in to play ISL during the inaugural edition. Having previously played for clubs like Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth and more, Kerala Blasters were happy to land an experienced signing in the goalkeeping position in 2014. James was the player-manager with the Tuskers and took them to the ISL final in the inaugural season itself. He would later come to Kerala Blasters for a second managerial stint in 2018 but was later sacked in 2019 following a string of poor performances.
FAQs
What is the longest unbeaten run in ISL history?
FC Goa has the record making the longest unbeaten run in ISL history. It happened in ISL 2020-21 when they went 13 matches and qualified for the ISL playoffs.
Which is the fastest goal in ISL history?
ATK Mohun Bagan striker David Williams has scored the fastest goal in ISL history. He had netted the ball just 12 seconds into an ISL game against Hyderabad FC in the 2021-22 season.
