From club to club: Player pairs who've featured together across multiple ISL teams

New Delhi [India], July 17 : Football is a game built on partnerships and connections. No tactical approach can truly succeed without a deep understanding and strong bond between players on the pitch, as per the official website of the Indian Super League (ISL).

Sometimes it takes just a game to develop that connection, while sometimes it is developed over time. In either case, players who know each other will enhance each other's performances.

Hence, often we see clubs signing players in pairs or groups to not just secure a player but also a partnership. The Indian Super League over the years have seen player duos that have represented multiple clubs and carried forward their understanding from one team to the other.

The only pair in ISL to play together for four different clubs, Prabir Das and Jayesh Rane may not be the most obvious pairing that will come to your mind, but the duo shared so much more than just the dressing rooms. Intense work rate, tactical discipline, willingness to run up and down the field and an eye for a crucial goal contribution when required.

The duo's best campaign together came with ATK FC in the 2019-20 season when they played a key role on the right-hand side of the pitch for the Kolkata side as they won the ISL Cup. They continued their partnership with Mohun Bagan Super Giant but both saw their minutes reduced in 2020-21. The duo combined again at Bengaluru FC as they reached the ISL Cup final but Rane wasn't involved much. Das and Rane were reunited once again at Mumbai City FC as the duo played a part in helping the club reach the playoffs in 2024-25.

Sergio Lobera's trusted midfield men, Ahmed Jahouh and Hugo Boumous, combined to dominate midfields at every club they played together.

The two complemented each other brilliantly, Jahouh was the controller-in-chief, pulling the strings for his team while Boumous was the creative spark behind the front line, giving his team's play a definite edge in the final third.

The duo enjoyed resounding success playing together, winning the League Shield together at FC Goa and Mumbai City FC while also lifting the ISL Cup with the Islanders.

Probably the first name that will pop up in your mind when player duos of any kind in ISL are up for discussion. Prabir Das and Roy Krishna starred for ATK FC, then Mohun Bagan Super Giant and at Bengaluru FC.

Although the wing-back and striker duo were involved in just one goal contribution between themselves, the two shared an amazing chemistry on the field. The duo was often seen celebrating goals together and their joint celebrations became a trademark in Kolkata.

With Krishna scoring for fun during his Kolkata days, the duo got plenty of opportunities to showcase their bonding on the pitch. They won the ISL Cup together with ATK FC in 2019-20 and reached the final with Mohun Bagan Super Giant in 2020-21 and Bengaluru FC in 2022-23.

So, when Das and Krishna took the field for the same team, success was almost guaranteed.

A veteran and a junior combo, Harmanjot Khabra and Nishu Kumar played together at three different clubs, sometimes interchangeably, while a lot of times complementing each other.

Khabra was an established figure at Bengaluru FC, playing in midfield and full-back positions, where Nishu Kumar was blossoming as a full-back. Nishu slowly made the left-back role his own as Khabra thrived as a utility player in the squad. The duo played a key role in the Blues' ISL Cup-winning season in 2018-19.

The pair reunited at Kerala Blasters FC in 2021 but they didn't spend a consistent time together on the pitch owing to Nishu's injury. While Khabra operated predominantly as a right-back for the Blasters, Nishu regained his place in the left-back role as Khabra became a more peripheral figure.

The duo reunited at East Bengal FC, with Nishu going strong in the full-back position while Khabra shuttled between midfield and central defensive roles. The pair shared dressing rooms across the three different clubs at varying stages, yet their contribution to the teams that they represented remained solid.

Javi Hernandez and Roy Krishna were the attacking heartbeats of the three teams they represented in the ISL. Both joined the league in 2019-20 with ATK FC and helped the team win the ISL Cup. The duo combined for four goals during the season.

They continued their partnership for Mohun Bagan Super Giant next season as they finished second in the league and runners-up in the ISL Cup.

The duo reunited at Bengaluru FC in the 2022-23 campaign, where they combined for four more goals, taking the Blues to the Cup final.

A creative attacking midfielder and a lethal finisher, Hernandez and Krishna were made for each other, and it showed on the football field in different colours.

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