Subhash Bhowmick, who has seen Chuni Goswami in action, asserted that the legend was the greatest footballer to have donned the national colours.
Subimal 'Chuni' Goswami passed away at the age of 82 due to a cardiac arrest in Kolkata on Thursday evening.
Bhowmick recollected the fine memories with the footballer. "People are saying that Chuni da was one of the greatest footballers. I want to assert that he is 'not one of the greatest' but undoubtedly the 'greatest'. He was the greatest sportsperson in the country. He remains unparalleled. He has led India in football and his state to the Ranji Trophy final. No other sportsperson has ever done it," said the former striker to Goal.
Bhowmick believes that his greatest achievement was to fire India to the Asian Games gold medal in 1962.
In 1962, Goswami was awarded the Best Striker of Asia gong for his heroics with India. In the next year, he received the Arjuna award from President Rajendra Prasad. He was the third footballer to get the award.
Bhowmick believes that Goswami would have plied his trade in Europe if he was a player of the current generation. In fact, he was offered a trial from Tottenham Hotspur which he declined after consulting with Mohun Bagan's assistant secretary Dhiren Dey.
"If Chuni Goswami was a player of this generation, then the European clubs would have signed him in a jiffy. He was a flash of lightning," signed off Bhowmick.