Mohun Bagan SG Under-23s, Under-21s, Under-17s, Under-15s, and Under-13s generally known as Mohun Bagan, is the reserve team and youth system of the Indian Super League side Mohun Bagan SG. The U-21 and the reserve teams are generally referred to as last stage of progression into the senior squad. The reserve team participates in the Calcutta Football League. Youth teams also participate in the RF Development League and the AIFF Elite League. The concept for a youth team was conceived and materialised under the leadership of Balai Das Chattopadhyay in 1944.
History Mohun Bagan collaborated with Steel Authority of India (SAIL) to establish a residential academy for youth development in 2002. On 20 July 2002 Mohun Bagan SAIL Football Academy was set up in Durgapur, and the primary objective of the academy was "Spot and Groom the Youth", with the best of training using modern techniques, tactics, physical and psychological conditioning, and related inputs, so that in near future, India could see them in the national platform.
In 2007 the club had appointed a famous Brazilian football expert Luiz Greco, as the Technical Director of the youth teams of Mohun Bagan SAIL Football Academy.
The academy teams won various trophies across the country. The academy's greatest feat was achieved in 2006 when the club's U14 team qualified for the Final Round of Nike Premier Cup (Under-14), a worldwide club tournament hosted by Manchester United, by beating East Bengal in the National Qualifier and Singapore Sports School in the final of South-East Asia Qualifier. Till then no Indian team had ever participated at the premier level since independence. The team faced some of the top clubs like Manchester United, São Paulo, Athletic Bilbao and Ferencvárosi in the group stage and, Brussels and Universidad Católica in the 17-20th place play-offs semi-finals and 19th place play-off final respectively. Unfortunately the team didn't win any match and ranked 20th in the tournament among the 20 qualified teams over the world.
From 2015 to 2018 the U-19 team participated in the prestigious IFA Shield, which was organised as an U-19 tournament due to the busy schedules of the clubs' senior teams. Mohun Bagan was the runners-up for two consecutive seasons, 2017 and 2018.
In 2017 the U-15 team defeated ATK by a record 13–0 scoreline in the opening match of AIFF U15 Youth League.
In 2019 the U-19 team also participated in a regional franchise-based Talent Hunt league called Zee Bangla Football League that featured the top 4 clubs of West Bengal (Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohammedan and Aryan) along with 16 franchise teams representing various districts of the state. The organisers declared both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal as the winners after the final match was abandoned due to fan unrest.
In 2020, after KGSPL, owners of ATK FC, disbanded ATK and acquired an 80% stake in the footballing section of Mohun Bagan, the youth academy team was disbanded for the next two seasons.
In June 2022, fresh trials were conducted under senior team head coach Juan Ferrando to set up new under-13, under-15 and under-18 teams, and UEFA Pro License holder Spanish coach Josep Maria Roma Gilbert was appointed from Al Hilal to take charge of the U-21 team. In the 2022–23 U-17 Youth Cup, the team failed to qualify for the knockout stages. The reserve team of Mohun Bagan participated in the Reliance Foundation Development League for the first time. This competition is predominantly for the under-21 age group, with five under-23 players allowed in the squad and three in the playing XI. They successfully secured a third place and qualified for Next Gen Cup where they ranked 6th. The reserve side also participated in the CFL Premier Division under the senior team's assistant coach Bastob Roy who replaced Gilbert from the new season.
As of the 2024–25 season, the Mohun Bagan Youths team participates in various age group Regional and National level tournaments -
AIFF Sub Junior League (U13) AIFF Junior League (U15) Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (U15) Indian Youth League (U17) Dream Sports Championship (U17) Chief Minister's Cup (U21/Reserves) Bhadreshwar Gold Cup (U21/Reserves) Reliance Foundation Development League (U21/Reserves) Calcutta Premiere Division (U23/Reserves)
U23 Squad
Performance record
Performance of Mohun Bagan in Calcutta Football LeagueSeasonResultPlayedWonDrawLoseGFGA20235th of 6 in super six15834331620247th of 13 in Group Stage12444281520256th of 13 in Group Stage 12624241420262nd of 13 in Group Stage321081
U21 Squad
Performance record
Performance of Mohun Bagan in Reliance Foundation Development LeagueSeasonResultPlayedWonDrawLoseReference 2022 Did not participate 20233rd15103220243rd of 5 in National Group146352025Champions201253 20264th of 6 in National Group20965
Performance of Mohun Bagan in Next Gen CupSeasonResultPlayedWonDrawLose2022 Did not participate20236th40222024 Did not qualify 2025 Not Held
U17 Squad
Performance record
Performance of Mohun Bagan in Youth LeaguesSeasonTournament Result Reference 2002–03NFL U-19?? 2003–04Not Held2004–05Champions2005–06Not Held2006–072008I-League U19 Semi Finals2009Not Held2010Championship Group Stage2011Group Stage2012I-League U20Group Stage20135th of 6th in Final Round2014I-League U19Group Stage 2014-156th of 8th in Final Round2015–16I-League U-18Group Stage 2016–17 Disqualified 2017–18Youth League U-18Zonal Group Stage 2018–19Elite League U-18Quarter Finals 2019–20 Abandoned 2020-21 Not Held2021-222022–23U17 Youth Cup Group Stages2023–24National Group Stage 2024–25Quarter Finals 2025–26U18 Elite League National Group Stage
U15 Squad
Performance record Performance of Mohun Bagan in U-15 Youth LeaguesYearTournamentFinal Position Played Won Draw Loss GF GA2005-06U-15 Nike Premier Cup Indian QualifiersChampions4400722006-07Semi Finals 3111922007-08Group Stage 2020222008-09 Disqualified 2015-16U-15 Youth LeagueZonal Round102171117 2016-17U-16 Youth LeagueNational Finals 138322442017-18 Nike Premier CupZonal Round106222672018-19 U-15 Hero Junior LeagueNational Group Stage961224162019-20League called-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic108203172020-21 Not Held2021-222022-232023-24Quarter Finals 1492326132024-25Quarter Finals 14111254222025-26AIFF u16 Junior LeagueNational Group Stage1410224312
U13 Squad
Performance record Performance of Mohun Bagan in U-13 Youth Leagues Season Tournament Result Played Won Draw Loss GF GA Top Scorer (Goals)2017-18 U13- Hero Sub Junior League Zonal Group Stage (3rd) 1034396Dip Mahata (4)2018-19Zonal Group Stage (2nd)8512135Miraj Mullick (4)2019-20 Abandoned 822459Ajoy Oraw(2)2020-21 Not Held2021-222022-232023-24 U13 AIFF Sub Junior League Group Stage (3rd)105233222Dipra Sarkar (10)2024-25 National Group Stage 138 1 44324 Shagnik Kundu (13)
Honours Global South-East Asia Qualifiers for Manchester United Premier Cup: 2006
National National Football League U-19 (1): 2004–05 Reliance Foundation Development League: 2024–25, 2023–24 Chief Minister's Cup (1): 2024–25 Dream Sports Championship U17: 2024–25
Regional Zee Bangla U-19 Football League (1): 2019 Bhadreshwar Gold Cup (1): 2024-25
Notable players
Sunil Chhetri Subrata Pal Sandip Nandy Subhankar Adhikari Abhash Thapa Pintu Mahata Deepak Tangri Souvik Chakrabarti Subha Ghosh Deep Saha Rahim Ali Sourav Das Akshunna Tyagi Sheikh Sahil Kiyan Nassiri Suhail Bhat Arsh Anwer Shaikh Lalrinliana Hnamte Mahroos siddiquee Nadim
Notes
References