Route to Resurgence via Pelé & Cosmos: Mohun Bagan's 1977 Season Was Special

The 1977 season for Mohun Bagan started with a big upset. ITI Bangalore, a team not even in the close proximity of Mohunbagan in terms of collective strength handed them a defeat in the Federation Cup final, and then the loss to archrival East Bengal put them off the CFL track. In fact, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal had squared off in 22 Kolkata Derby matches during the past seven years. Most of the time, they had lost, including a humiliating 5-0 loss in the 1975 IFA Shield final. They came victorious only in three occasions.
You can feel the heat if you are familiar with Kolkata Moidan. Several times, furious fans had attacked the club's officials.
Fans & players were in search of a moment of inspiration. And the club officials responded by inviting NY Cosmos to play a match against Mohun Bagan in Calcutta. So, on 24th September the newly crowned NASL Super Bowl Champions bolstering 'King of Football' Pele, Der Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer, Brazilian Carlos Alberto Torres & Italian Giorgio Chinaglia came to India. In a game at Eden Gardens in a soggy afternoon, Mohun Bagan took on a formidable New York Cosmos. Nobody, not even in their wildest dreams, had predicted a positive result in such a David vs Goliath-esque encounter. However, the match ended in a 2-2 draw, which does not reflet the whole upon picture. If one had to sum it up in a single sentence, it would be something like, "Cosmos had avoided a defeat thanks to a controversial penalty."
And the game would change the tone of Mohun Bagan like a penduam, landing the much anticipated triple crown (IFA Shield, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup) for the first time in Gostho Pal Sarani.
Mohun Bagan is, as they say, more than just a club; it's an institution.
And every blade of grass of that 125-year-old has witnessed a lot of fascinating stories, such as this.
Thank you for joining.
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[@akashkiran1465]

Rip legend Mohammad Habib❤

[@SpideronOfficial]

It was a draw 2-2 against Pele. This showed that how much talent India had but they made mistakes by choosing Olympics and Congress Government didn't gave any funds to improve football in India.

[@jayatibhattacharya3917]

Partha Sarathi Bhattacharya Great job done brother...keep Going Feeling Nostalgic .... Joy Mohunbagan ❤

[@VocalistArkodeep]

Excellent video on the Mohun Bagan vs New York Cosmos match! Thank You for such nice representation. Joy Mohun Bagan! 💚❤️

[@thecenterback]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@suranjitdas8936]

Among all the existing videos available right now on Mohun Bagan vs Pele, this one is better than the rest. Why referee Laxmi Ghosh awarded the penalty to Cosmos is still debated. Those were the golden days for my Mohun Bagan. Just look who were the club officials then - the great Dhiren Dey, CM Ray (Rayda), and many more respected people who, in their respective profession, were great achievers. There was talent aplenty then in the Calcutta maidan and they were the idols of the youngsters. We still remember them and recall their classy football. It is unfortunate that mass tv coverage (particularly the format and resources needed for telecasting a football match professionally were missing) arrived too late in our country. This is a great drawback I think. And that's why accurate documentation of Indian football history will always be incomplete. Nonetheless, thanks for making the video out -of-the-box way. Keep moving.

[@thecenterback]

Thanks a ton

[@somojochatterjee7438]

Jethu baba kaka der mukhe onek sunechi akhono suni kintu prothombar youtube e erom proper bhabe description deoa video pelam .Ashakori channel ta aro improve korben aro besi descriptive video deben . Amader ei generation er aro jana dorkar ar jokhon akhon etai madham toh tai hok . Onek bhule jaoa somoi er goti te hariye jaoa shonali muhurto gulo bapar e abar sobai januk je amader bharatiyo football ,banglar football Shudu national level e ba asian level e shimaboddho chilo naa bissher shera der sathe chokhe chokh rekhe cholto.Comment ta korar agge sotti emotional hoi porlam. Ager din e mohun Bagan league shield jitlo

[@thecenterback]

Viewers (and football fans) like you are the real inspiration for us ❤️

[@titaymukherjee8510]

Darun ❤️

[@SandipKuila007]

Joy Mohunbagan 💚❤️

[@O1dsch0Ol]

💚❤️

[@someguygaming9248]

Good channel! Just improve your vocabulary (no offence, just suggestions).

[@thecenterback]

Thanks for the tip

[@34pritammondal43]

What is this

[@travellerbabai41]

42 years Old Pele........

[@rikdhimansaha1618]

The amount of research 🔥❤️🫡