ISL 2017: 7 former World Cup Winners who graced the tournament
The ISL has given us plenty of memories in just three short seasons. In a matter of three years, the league has gone from cricket-wannabe to a truly international competition, with this season's winners having the added incentive of joining the AFC Cup next season.
Over the course of these three seasons, the ISL has had its fair share of top International talent, with some of the world's best players making their way to the subcontinent owing to the massive amounts of money invested in the league along with being a part of something big in India the likes of which have never been seen before.
As a result of this mass spending and investment, in just three years, we have been lucky to witness true superstars of the game, something which was definitely unimaginable just a few years ago. Nonetheless, the system of marquee signings brought mainstream attention to the ISL which was just the push it needed to go global in every sense of the word.
The scouting of International talent brought Indian viewers players they may have never thought possible and some of these players were so good in their heyday that they even lifted the illustrious FIFA World Cup as active participants.
Out of the total seven World Cup winners to have played in the ISL, two each have played for the Delhi Dynamos and FC Goa. FC Pune City, Chennaiyin FC and NorthEast United FC have one member from the club each.
If you're wondering who they are, just take a look below.
#7 Joan Capdevila (NorthEast United FC)
Joan Capdevila is a name that often gets lost in the shuffle but his impact in the Spain squad was undoubted when the team won the FIFA World Cup in 2010. The defender played every game of the winning campaign for his country and surprisingly made his way to India in 2014, joining NorthEast United in the ISL. The defender will be fondly remembered for his sensational goals from left-back every now and then in the red of Spain. Capdevila even won the 2008 Euros with Spain making him one of the most decorated players from the side's squad.