AIFF Media Team
The Final Round of the 68th edition of the Santosh Trophy kicks-off on February 24 at the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri, West Bengal. While Uttarakhand take on Maharashtra in the opening game, last year’s runners-up Kerala cross swords with Mizoram in the other encounter of the day. Ten Teams have been divided into two groups of the five with the top two Teams from each Group advancing to the Semifinals.
While Group A boasts of defending champions Services, last year’s runners-up Kerala, last year’s semifinalists and four-time winners Maharashtra, high-flying Mizoram and Uttarakhand, Group B shelters most accomplished side in the championship West Bengal, last year’s semifinalists and eight-time winners Punjab, three time champions Railways, five-time champions Goa and Tamil Nadu.
The Final is slated to take place on March 9 at the same venue.
Roll of Honour
Bengal have won the Championship a record 31 times
1941,1945,1947,1949,1950,1951,1953,1955,1958,1959,1962,1969,1971,1972,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1981,1982 (Joint), 1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2009 and 2010.
Punjab have triumphed on 8 occasions.
1970, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2006 and 2007.
Kerala have bagged the Trophy 5 times.
1973, 1991, 1992, 2000 and 2004.
Goa have also won it 5 times.
1982 (Joint), 1983, 1989, 2005 and 2008.
Karnataka (formerly Mysore) have been crowned 4 times.
1946, 1952, 1967 and 1968.
Maharashtra (formerly Bombay) have been declared winners 4 times.
1954, 1963, 1990 and1999.
Andhra Pradesh (formerly Hyderabad) have finished best thrice.
1956, 1957 and1965.
Services have also won a hattrick of titles including last year.
1960, 2011 and 2012.
Railways have also won it 3 times.
1961, 1964 and 1966.
Delhi have managed to win it once.
1944
Manipur have also laid their hands on the coveted crown once.
2001
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TITS-BITS
Bengal have won the trophy six years in a row, that is from 1993 to 1998.
Bengal have also reached the Final most number of times, which is 43 (Champions - 31 times, Runners Up - 12 times)
Bengal recorded the highest margin of victory when they humiliated Tripura 18-0 back in 1974.
1974 was an eventful year where Inder Singh of Punjab recorded scoring maximum of goals, 23, in one single edition.
Punjab also recorded the highest margin of victory in the Final mauling Bengal 6-0.
N.Pugsley of Bengal and Inder Singh of Punjab holds the record of scoring maximum of 7 goals in a match. Pugsley achieved it in Rajputana in 1945 (Bengal won 7-0) and Inder Singh scored against Gujarat in 1974 (Punjab won 17-0).
Mohammed Habib of Bengal holds the record of scoring maximum of 5 goals in the Final against Services in 1969 Bengal won the match 6-1.
The first time penalties decided the fate of the Final was in 1985-86 at Jabalpur when Punjab beat Bengal 4-1 in shootouts.
The first time a Golden Goal was scored by Bhaichung Bhutia of Bengal they beat Punjab 2-1 in the Final in Madras in 1994-95.
David Williams is the only Foreigner since independence to feature in Santosh Trophy. He represented Tamil Nadu in 1977 and Bengal in 1979.
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