In India, several popular football tournaments captivate fans across the nation. The Indian Super League (ISL) stands out as the premier professional football league, featuring top domestic and international talent competing for glory.
The I-League, another significant competition, serves as the top tier of the Indian football league system, providing a platform for clubs to showcase their skills and vie for the championship.
The Santosh Trophy, an inter-state tournament organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), brings together state teams and government institutions in a battle for supremacy.
Read More: Ranji Trophy Winners List
Recent Santosh Trophy 2024 Winner
Services bagged their seventh Santosh Trophy title when they beat Goa by 1-0 in the final of the 77th National Football Championship at the Golden Jubilee Stadium on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
This match was played in front of more than 15,000 fans packed in the stadium. The deciding strike came from Shafeel PP of Services that proved decisive and secured the win.
This final was also attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey, and several other AIFF officials.
It was a match will all action and Goa’s goalkeeper Antonio Inacio da Silva showed his agility with a key save. This shot came from Samir Murmu in the sixth minute. Also, Mahammad Faheez of Goa tested Services’ goalkeeper Sayad bin Abdul Kadir with a long-range effort, which was comfortably saved.
Goa was not willing to go down without a fight and in the closing moments Mohamed Ali’s powerful header forced a strong save from Kadir, but the clearance fell short, leading to a scramble in the penalty area. It was chaotic in the penalty area even as Vellington Fernandes’ half-volley skimmed over the bar.
What is Santosh Trophy?
The Santosh Trophy is an inter-state national football competition in India, organized by the All India Football Federation, the sport’s governing body. State associations and government institutions compete in this prestigious tournament.
Prior to the establishment of the National Football League in 1996, the Santosh Trophy was considered the premier domestic football tournament in the country. Held annually, the competition features teams divided into zones, who must first compete in qualifying rounds to advance to the main tournament.
The current champions are Karnataka, who ended a 54-year title drought by winning the 2022-23 edition. This victory marked Karnataka’s first Santosh Trophy win since 1968-69, although they had previously secured four titles as the princely state of Mysore.
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Santosh Trophy Winner List from 1941–42 to 2023-24
West Bengal dominates the Santosh Trophy winners list, holding the top spot with 32 championships and 14 runner-up finishes, totalling 46 final appearances. They also achieved a remarkable streak of six consecutive titles from 1993 to 1999. Punjab comes in second, boasting 8 championships and 8 runner-up finishes, totalling 16 appearances in the finals.
Kerala ranks third with 7 titles, followed closely by Services with 6 wins. Both Goa and Karnataka have each secured 5 titles, while Maharashtra has claimed 4.
| Season | Winner | Score | Runners-up | Host City |
| 2023–24 | Services | 1-0 | Goa | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 2022-23 | Karnataka | 3-2 | Meghalaya | Riyadh |
| 2021-22 | Kerala | 1–1 (5–4 p) | West Bengal | Manjeri |
| 2018–19 | Services | 1-0 | Punjab | Ludhiana |
| 2017-18 | Kerala | 2-2 (4-2 p) | West Bengal | Kolkata |
| 2016-17 | West Bengal | 1-0 | Goa | Goa |
| 2015-16 | Services | 2-1 | Maharashtra | Goa |
| 2014-15 | Services | 0- (5-4 p) | Punjab | Ludhiana |
| 2013-14 | Mizoram | 3-0 | Railways | Siliguri |
| 2012-13 | Services | 0-0 (a.e.t.) (4-3 p) | Kerala | Kochi |
| 2011-12 | Services | 3-2 | Tamil Nadu | Odisha |
| 2010-11 | West Bengal | 2-1 | Manipur | Assam |
| 2009-10 | West Bengal | 2-1 | Punjab | Kolkata |
| 2008-09 | Goa | 0-0 (a.e.t.) (4-2 p) | West Bengal | Chennai |
| 2007-08 | Punjab | 1-0 | Services | Srinagar |
| 2006-07 | Punjab | 0-0 (a.e.t.) (5-3 p) | West Bengal | Gurgaon |
| 2005-06 | Goa | 3-1 (a.e.t.) | Maharashtra | Kochi |
| 2004–05 | Kerala | 3-2 | Punjab | Delhi |
| 2002-03 | Manipur | 2-1 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Kerala | Imphal |
| 2001–02 | Kerala | 3.2 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Goa | Mumbai |
| 1999-00 | Maharashtra | 3-2 | Kerala | Thrissur |
| 1998-99 | Bengal | 5-0 | Goa | Chennai |
| 1997-98 | Bengal | 1-0 | Goa | Guwahati |
| 1996-97 | Bengal | 1-0 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Goa | Jabalpur |
| 1995-96 | Bengal | 1-0 | Goa | Margao |
| 1994-95 | Bengal | 2-1 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Punjab | Chennai |
| 1993-94 | Bengal | 2-2 (5-3 p) | Kerala | Cuttack |
| 1992-93 | Kerala | 2-0 | Maharashtra | Kochi |
| 1991-92 | Kerala | 3-0 | Goa | Coimbatore |
| 1990-91 | Maharashtra | 1-0 | Kerala | Palakkad |
| 1989-90 | Goa | 2-0 | Kerala | Margao |
| 1988-89 | Bengal | 1-1 (4-3 p) | Kerala | Guwahati |
| 1987-88 | Punjab | 0-0 (5-4 p) | Kerala | Kollam |
| 1986-87 | Bengal | 2-1 | Railways | Calcutta |
| 1985-86 | Punjab | 0-0 (4-1 p) | Bengal | Jabalpur |
| 1984-85 | Punjab | 3-0 | Maharashtra | Kanpur |
| 1983-84 | Goa | 1-0 | Punjab | Madras |
| 1982-83 | Bengal and Goa (joint) | 0-0, (0-0) | – | Kolkata |
| 1981-82 | Bengal | 2-0 | Railways | Thrissur |
| 1980-81 | Punjab | 0-0, 2-0 | Railways | Cuttack |
| 1979-80 | Bengal | 1-0 | Punjab | Coimbatore |
| 1978-79 | Bengal | 1-0 | Goa | Srinagar |
| 1977-78 | Bengal | 1-1, (3-1) | Punjab | Kolkata |
| 1976-77 | Bengal | 1-0 | Maharashtra | Patna |
| 1975-76 | Bengal | 0-0, (3-1) | Karnataka | Kozhikode |
| 1974-75 | Punjab | 6-0 | Bengal | Jalandhar |
| 1973-74 | Kerala | 3-2 | Railways | Ernakulam |
| 1972-73 | Bengal | 4-1 | Tamil Nadu | Goa |
| 1971-72 | Bengal | 4-1 | Railways | Madras |
| 1970-71 | Punjab | 1-1, (3-1) | Mysore | Jalandhar |
| 1969-70 | Bengal | 6-1 | Services | Nowgong |
| 1968-69 | Mysore | 0-0, (1-0) | Bengal | Bangalore |
| 1967-68 | Mysore | 1-0 | Bengal | Cuttack |
| 1966-67 | Railways | 0-0, (2-0) | Services | Hyderabad |
| 1965-66 | Andhra Pradesh | 1-1, (1-0) | Bengal | Kollam |
| 1964-65 | Railways | 2-1 | Bengal | Guwahati |
| 1963-64 | Maharashtra | 1-0 | Andhra Pradesh | Madras |
| 1962-63 | Bengal | 2-0 | Mysore | Bangalore |
| 1961-62 | Railways | 3-0 | Bombay | Bombay |
| 1960-61 | Services | 0-0, (1-0) | Bengal | Kozhikode |
| 1959-60 | Bengal | 3-1 | Bombay | Nowgong |
| 1958-59 | Bengal | 1-0 | Services | Madras |
| 1957-58 | Hyderabad | 3-1 | Bombay | Hyderabad |
| 1956-57 | Hyderabad | 1-1, (4-1) | Bombay | Trivandrum |
| 1955-56 | Bengal | 1-0 | Mysore | Ernakulam |
| 1954-55 | Bombay | 2-1 | Services | Madras |
| 1953-54 | Bengal | 0-0, 3-1 | Mysore | Kolkata |
| 1952-53 | Mysore | 1-0 | Bengal | Bangalore |
| 1951–52 | Bengal | 1-0 | Bombay | Bombay |
| 1950–51 | Bengal | 1-0 | Hyderabad | Kolkata |
| 1949–50 | Bengal | 5-0 | Hyderabad | Kolkata |
| 1947–48 | Bengal | 0–0, (1–0) | Bombay | Kolkata |
| 1946–47 | Mysore | 0–0, (2–1) | Bengal | Bangalore |
| 1945–46 | Bengal | 2–0 | Bombay | Bombay |
| 1944–45 | Delhi | 2–0 | Bengal | Delhi |
| 1941–42 | Bengal | 5–1 | Delhi | Kolkata |
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Santosh Trophy has played a pivotal role in the development and growth of football in India. As one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious tournaments, it has provided a platform for state-level teams to prove their mettle and has fostered regional pride and competition.
Over the years, the Santosh Trophy has contributed significantly to the popularization and advancement of the sport, nurturing numerous players who have gone on to achieve national and international success.
You can also battle for supremacy by forming your own fantasy teams. Pick your players and take part in WinZO Fantasy Football league.
Further Read: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022-23 – All you need to know
FAQs about Santosh Trophy
Q) Santosh Trophy is related to which game?
A) Santosh trophy is associated with the sport of football. Santosh Trophy is an inter-state football tournament held in India each year.
Q) Which team has been the most successful in the history of the Santosh Trophy?
A) West Bengal is the most successful team in the history of the Santosh Trophy. They have won the championship 32 times and finished as runners-up 14 times, making a total of 46 final appearances.
Notably, they also achieved a remarkable streak of winning six consecutive titles from 1993 to 1999.
Q) How has Karnataka performed in the recent Santosh Trophy tournaments?
A) Karnataka recently broke a 54-year title drought by winning the 2022-23 edition of the Santosh Trophy.
Q) Who scored the winning goal in the Santosh Trophy 2023-24 final?
A) Shafeel P.P. scored the winning goal for Services with a powerful strike in the 67th minute.
Q) How many teams took part in the 77th Santosh Trophy 2023-24?
A) A total of 38 teams took part in the 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2023-24.
Q) Who are the defending champions of the Senior NFC for Santosh Trophy?
A) Services are the most recent champions, defeating Goa 1-0 in the 2024 final held in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh.
