Episode Summary
Hosts
Graham Dunn, Jamie Rooney
Jamie Wilson
Guest(s)
Release Date
1 June 2023
Duration
70 min
In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney continue their double header with Mohun Bagan 1911 — one of football’s most powerful and historic stories.
While the world remembers trophies, this tale is about liberation. In colonial India, football was more than sport; it was a statement. On 29 July 1911, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, playing barefoot, stunned the British Army’s East Yorkshire Regiment 2–1 to win the IFA Shield — becoming the first all-Indian team to defeat a British side in a major competition.
The victory transcended sport. It united a colonised people, ignited nationalist pride, and symbolised resistance through skill, courage, and dignity. The discussion explores how football arrived in India through British regiments, how Bengali clubs like Mohun Bagan embraced the game, and how this single match helped inspire a broader sense of cultural and political awakening.
Key players such as Shibdas Bhaduri, Abhilash Ghosh, and Rajendranath Mukherjee became household names across Bengal, remembered as heroes who struck a symbolic blow for independence decades before 1947.
The episode also considers the legacy of that moment — how the 1911 IFA Shield remains a sacred chapter in Indian football, and how Mohun Bagan went on to become one of Asia’s most storied clubs. Over a century later, the echoes of that barefoot triumph still reverberate through Kolkata, the subcontinent, and the global game.
Takeaways
Mohun Bagan’s 1911 victory represented more than sport — it was national defiance.
Playing barefoot, they overcame social, political, and physical odds.
The win united Indians across caste, class, and religion.
The 1911 IFA Shield final remains a cornerstone of India’s football identity.
Mohun Bagan became immortal — the “Immortal Eleven” of Indian sport.
Mohun Bagan 1911: The Immortal Eleven
In 1911, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club achieved one of the most extraordinary victories in football history — defeating the East Yorkshire Regiment 2–1 to lift the IFA Shield, and in doing so, igniting a nation’s pride.
Playing barefoot against booted British soldiers, the Indian side overcame every obstacle — from colonial prejudice to physical disadvantage — through skill, courage, and unity. Captain Shibdas Bhaduri equalised after Mohun Bagan fell behind, before Abhilash Ghosh struck the winning goal in front of a stunned Calcutta crowd. The moment transcended sport: it became a symbol of defiance, pride, and national awakening.
At a time when India was under British rule, the win resonated far beyond the pitch. Newspapers across the subcontinent declared it a victory for all Indians. The “Immortal Eleven,” as they became known, proved that football could be a tool of resistance — a space where skill and belief could challenge empire.
Their style of play was free-flowing and brave, using quick passes, technical intelligence, and relentless energy. Though lacking boots or modern training, they demonstrated finesse and tactical awareness that stunned their British opponents.
Mohun Bagan’s legacy endures as a cornerstone of Indian football. The club, now over a century old, still celebrates 29 July as Mohun Bagan Day, honouring the heroes who changed both sport and history.
The 1911 victory was not just a football triumph — it was a national statement. A barefoot team from Bengal reminded the world that greatness isn’t granted by power, but earned through spirit, unity, and belief.
Main Topics
Iconic Moments
The 1911 IFA Shield final and Mohun Bagan’s historic victory
Football as resistance: sport under British colonial rule
Key figures: Shibdas Bhaduri, Abhilash Ghosh, Rajendranath Mukherjee
The birth of Indian football identity and nationalist pride
How Mohun Bagan’s legacy shaped future generations
The symbolic power of barefoot players defying empire
29 July 1911: Mohun Bagan defeat East Yorkshire Regiment 2–1
Eleven Indian players, mostly barefoot, lift the IFA Shield
Shibdas Bhaduri’s equaliser sparks national pride
Abhilash Ghosh scores the winning goal before a stunned Calcutta crowd
Victory celebrated as a triumph of identity and resistance
Notable Manager
Notable Players
Shibdas Bhaduri, Abhilash Ghosh, Rajendranath Mukherjee, Bhuti Sukul, Sudhir Chatterjee, Hiralal Mukherjee, Manmatha Ganguly, Neelmadhab Bhattacharya, Revati Mohan Bose, Kanu Roy, Hemchandra Sarkar
Style of Play
2-3-5 formation, short passing play, individual expression, tactical improvisation, high teamwork, psychological resilience
Mohun Bagan’s 1911 side were pioneers of improvisation and heart — a team that fused local technique with courage and instinct. Playing largely barefoot against regimented, booted British soldiers, their style was fluid, reactive, and rooted in individual expression rather than rigid structure.
Using what was effectively a 2-3-5 formation, the team relied on short, quick passes, positional rotations, and an uncanny sense of balance and touch on rough pitches. Captain Shibdas Bhaduri orchestrated play from the inside-left position, directing attacks with vision and flair.
Their defensive line, led by Rajendranath Mukherjee and Sudhir Chatterjee, was resilient and resourceful — absorbing pressure through timing and anticipation rather than physical dominance. Mohun Bagan’s transitions were fast and instinctive, breaking down the disciplined British back line with precise combination play and bursts of pace down the flanks.
Beyond tactics, their style embodied resistance. Every tackle, pass, and goal carried symbolic weight — a refusal to be intimidated. The team’s technical control and improvisation proved that Indian footballers could outthink, outplay, and outfight the colonial elite.
Mohun Bagan’s victory wasn’t simply about tactics or formation — it was the triumph of spirit over system, artistry over arrogance, and identity over oppression.
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