One of India’s best goalkeepers, Subrata Paul, has officially retired from professional football as confirmed by AIFF on their official X account. Nicknamed “Spiderman” for his impressive performances between the sticks, the veteran’s career spanned 16 years where he also made 65 appearances for India.
Paul captained the Indian national team under head coach Stephen Constantine during the 2018 World Cup, when India made it to the second round. He started out with Mohun Bagan, as a graduate of the Tata Football Academy, hailing from Sodepur in West Bengal.
Subrata Paul, India’s “Spiderman” retires aged 36
Back when India had qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup, he made 35 saves in the entire tournament that catapulted his status as one of the best players for the national team. He made 16 saves alone against South Korea, who attempted 20 shots and defeated India 4-1.
Subrata Paul was the fourth Indian footballer to play for a foreign footballer, signing for FC Vestsjælland in the Danish Super League. His last appearance came for Mohun Bagan in the AFC Cup, which was a mere 14 minute cameo and his only appearance of the season.
The 36-year-old’s last regular season was with Hyderabad FC in 20/21 where he made 10 appearances in the ISL season. Over his career, he played for East Bengal in the I-League, Mohun Bagan, Hyderabad FC, Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United and Mumbai City FC in the ISL amongst several other clubs, and leaves a lasting legacy on Indian football for generations to come.
