Jamshedpur FC's 'teenage sensation' Gourav Mukhi has been grabbing all the headlines after he scored against Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava Stadium within minutes of coming on from the bench.
The Indian Super League (ISL) website even proclaimed him to be the youngest ever goalscorer and also awarded him the emerging player of the match. But is the player from Dhatkidih Harijan Bustee, really 16-years-old?
Back in 2015, Jharkhand won the Sub-Junior National Football Championship title by defeating Goa 8-3 in the finals . But subsequently, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stripped Jharkhand of the honours and also imposed a fine of Rs. One Lakh after it was revealed that up to five of the victorious team's players were overage.
Gourav Mukhi was one of the five players who confessed that they were overage after the AIFF called them up for a national team camp.
Mukhi has been in fine fettle throughout this season as he banged in six goals in 10 appearances in I-League second division for Jamshedpur FC Reserves. Along with Mobashir Rahman and Vishal Das he was one of the three players to be promoted from the Reserves before this edition of ISL.
Head coach Cesar Ferrando handed him some valuable playing time during their pre-season in Spain as well. He did not disappoint his coach, scoring two goals against Mostoles Balompie in Madrid.
ISL is a senior level professional tournament and Mukhi deserves all the credit for his brilliant performance against Bengaluru but conferring the title of the 'youngest ever goalscorer in ISL' might need some more fact-checking.
The match commentator of Star Sports even went on to the extent of claiming that Mukhi was only 11-years-old when the ISL started in 2014, which clearly isn't the case.
The youngest player to make an appearance in the ISL continues to be ATK's Komal Thatal and the youngest goalscorer is Chennaiyin FC's Jerry Lalrinzuala.
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