The 2023–24 season was the 104th season of East Bengal Football Club and their fourth season in the Indian Super League.
After parting away with head coach Stephen Constantine following a poor performance in 2022–23 season, East Bengal FC appointed Carles Cuadrat as the new head coach for Red & Gold Brigade.
East Bengal FC announced the departure of eleven players at the end of 2022-23 season, whose contract period ended and were not renewed, which included the five foreign players.
Meanwhile, the Red & Gold Brigade roped in Nandhakumar Sekar, Spanish midfielder Borja Herrera, defender Nishu Kumar, Spanish duo Javier Siverio, Saúl Crespo and Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Harmanjot Singh Khabra and Mandar Rao Dessai. After Durand Cup, East Bengal FC brought Jordanian defender Hijazi Maher in place of injured Jordan Elsey. East BengalFC also promoted few players from East Bengal FC Reserves, like Vishnu PV, Sayan Banerjee, Aman CK who were impactful for the team.
The season was comparatively better for Red & Gold Brigade compare to the last three seasons, where there was only disappointment.
East Bengal FC under the guidance of Coach Carles Cuadrat lifted the Kalinga Super Cup, first National level trophy in 12 years, finished Runners-up in Durand Cup, defeated arch rivals Mohun Bagan SG twice in the season, won back to back matches in ISL for first time in four season defeating Kerala Blasters FC and Bengaluru FC, the team was very much in the run to secure a playoff-spot for first time till last round.
The team also secured a spot in AFC Champions League Two preliminary stage following the Kalinga Super Cup triumph.
Durand Cup:
East Bengal FC was clubbed with Mohun Bagan SG, Punjab FC and Bangladesh Army in Group Stage. The Red & Gold Brigade defeated Mohun Bagan SG 1-0, Punjab FC 1-0 and played a 2-2 draw with Bangladesh Army. East Bengal FC qualified for knockout stage as group champions and defeated Gokulam Kerala in quarter-final by 2-1 and NorthEast United FC 2-2 (5-3 penalty shootout) in semifinals, but lost to Mohun Bagan SG by 1-0 in final.
Kalinga Super Cup:
East Bengal FC was clubbed with Mohun Bagan SG, Hyderabad and Sreenidhi Deccan in Group A. The Red & Gold Brigade defeated Mohun Bagan SG 3-1, Hyderabad FC 3-2 and Sreenidhi Deccan 2-1 to advance to knockout stage.
East Bengal finished a dominating performance to beat Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in semi-finals and defeated host Odisha FC 3-2 in extra time to lift a major trophy after twelve years.
Indian Super League:
East Bengal FC started their ISL campaign positively, with a draw and win at home, but then lost three consecutive matches, however, the worst phase went in second phase when Red & Gold Brigade lost six of the first eight matches. The team was very much in the run for playoff spot, but too much loss cost them the spot. The team won two back to back matches in must win situation, but lost the final round match to Punjab FC, which brought them to 9th place in ISL table.
East Bengal FC won 6, drew 6, lost 10 games. Scored 27 goals and conceded 29 goals. The team won 4 home matches and 2 away matches (Hyderabad FC & Kerala Blasters FC). Skipper Cleiton Silva scored eight goals. Nandhakumar Sekar scored five goals while Saul Crespo and Naorem Mahesh Singh contributed with four goals.
First Leg: defeated Hyderabad FC 2-1, NorthEast United FC 5-0, drew with Jampshedpur FC 0-0, Chennaiyin FC 1-1, Punjab FC 0-0, Odisha FC 0-0, Mohun Bagan SG 2-2, Mumbai City FC 0-0, lost to Bengaluru FC 2-1, FC Goa 2-1, Kerala Blasters FC 2-1,
Second Leg: defeated Hyderabad FC 1-0, Chennaiyin FC 1-0, Kerala Blasters FC 4-2, Bengaluru FC 2-1, lost to NorthEast United FC 3-2, Mumbai City FC 1-0, Jamshedpur FC 2-1, Odisha FC 2-1, FC Goa 1-0, Mohun Bagan SG 3-1, Punjab FC 4-1.
East Bengal FC Reserve Team:
East Bengal FC reserve team under the guidance of coach Bino George finished runners-up in 2023 Calcutta football League.
East Bengal was placed in Group B. The team finished group stage with 30 points and qualified for Super Six. East Bengal FC drew with Rainbow AC 0-0, BSS Sporting 1-1, Bhowanipur FC 1-1, defeated West Bengal Police FC 4-2, Kidderpore 2-0, Eastern railway 5-1, Wari Athletic Club 5-0, Railway FC 2-0, Police Athletic Club 2-1, Aryan Club 2-0, Calcutta Customs Club 1-0 and Geaorge Telegraph SC 4-0.
In Super Six Stage, East Bengal FC defeated Kidderpore SC 10-1, Diamond Harbour Football Club 4-1, Bhawanipore Football Club 3-0, Got Walkover vs Mohun Bagan SG and lost to Mohammedan SC 2-1 to finish Runners-Up in 2023 Calcutta Football League.
East Bengal Women’s Team:
East Bengal Women’s Team finished runners-up in Kanyashree Cup 2023-24 and finished sixth in Indian Women’s League.
Dipankar Biswas was the head coach of The Moshal Girls. Sanjida Akhter of Bangladesh became the first foreign player to play for East Bengal Women’s Team in 2024.
Kanyashree Cup 2023-24:
East Bengal FC finished Runners-up in Kanyashree Cup 2023-24. The Moshal Girls lost to Shreebhumi FC 2-1. In league phase, Moshal Girls defeated Jyotirmoy AC 3-0, Moitri Sansad 5-1, New Alipore Suruchi Sangha 2-0, while played a goalless draw with West Bengal Police SC in Championship Round. They topped Group A with 6 wins and one draw. They defeated Kalighat Sports Lovers Association 11-1, West Bengal Police SC 7-1, Amuzi Bally Gramanchal Krira Samity 5-0, Mohammedan SC 7-0, MATUA SNOSC 11-0, Invention FCC 3-0 (walkover) while played goalless draw with New Alipore Suruchi Sangha.
Indian Women’s League 2023-24:
The Moshal Girls finished the Indian Women’s League 2023-24 campaign at sixth place in 7 team competition with 4 points. They won and drew one match, lost 10 matches. Scored 8 goals and conceded 23.
In First Leg, East Bengal FC defeated Sports Odisha 2-0 but lost to Kickstart FC 3-1, Sethu FC 4-2, HOPS FC 1-0, Odisha FC 4-1 and Gokulam Kerala 4-0.
In Second Leg, The Moshal Girls played a goalless draw with Sports Odisha, while lost to Gokulam Kerala FC 5-1, Odisha FC 2-0, Kickstart FC 3-1, Sethu FC 2-0, HOPS FC 3-0 and Gokulam Kerala FC 5-1.
East Bengal FC U21 Team:
Reserve team head coach Bino George was also in charge of the developmental league squad, which participated at RFDL.
East Bengal FC finished Runners-Up after went down to Punjab FC 3-2 in the final of Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) 2024 at the Reliance Park in Mumbai. However, East Bengal FC already have qualified for Next Gen Cup which will be played at UK in July.
Earlier, East Bengal FC defeated Muthoot FA in semi-finals. They qualified for the national championship stage after finishing on top of Group C of National Group Stage with 9 points from four matches. The Moshal Boys defeated NorthEast United FC 1-0, Adamas United SA 2-0 and Home Missions FC 2-0 but lost to Delhi FC 2-0.
In Zonal Rounds, the Moshal Boys defeated Mohun Bagan SG 2-0 and Adamas United SA 3-0 and played 2-2 draw with Jamshedpur FC to win the in East Zone Championship Round.
The Moshal Boys finished third in regional qualification. They defeated Mohammedan SC 2-0, Odisha FC 2-1, Kalighat MS 2-0, played a goalless draw with Adamas United SA, 3-3 draw with Jamshedpur FC and lost to United SC by 1-0 and Mohun Bagan SG 5-1.
East Bengal FC finished the zonal level campaign with 18 points from 10 matches (5 wins, 3 draws and 2 loss) with a GD of +5 (scored 17 and conceded 12).
East Bengal U17 Team:
Under the guidance of coach Barun Sengupta, East Bengal FC finished U17 Youth League 2023-24 zonal campaign as Champion. However, the team was suspended from the league for registering over aged player. The team later won the Zonal Leg Of Dream Sports Championship.
U17 Youth League 2023-24 Zonal Leg:
East Bengal FC finished with 25 Points from 10 matches with 8-win, 1 draw and 1 loss. The Moshal Colts scored 27 goals and conceded 9.
East Bengal FC defeated Mohammedan SC 3-2, Mohun Bagan SG 4-0, Sports Odisha 6-0, Odisha FC 3-2, while lost to United SC 2-1 in First Leg.
In Second Leg, East Bengal FC defeated United SC 3-2, Odisha FC 3-0, Sports Odisha 2-1, Mohammedan SC 2-0 and played a goalless draw with Mohun Bagan SG.
Zonal Leg of Dream Sports Championship:
East Bengal FC U17 defeated United SC U17 in penalty shootout 1-1 (6-5) to win the Zonal Leg of Dream Sports Championship. With this win, East Bengal FC qualified for the National Stage.
Earlier, East Bengal FC U17 Defeated Adamas United SA U17 2-0 and Ariadaha Sporting Club U17 7-0 in Group Stage.
Dream Sports Championship is an AIFF Registered tournament.
East Bengal U15 Team:
East Bengal U15 team played under the guidance of coach Falguni Dutta. The team participated in AIFF Junior League 2023-24 Zonal Round.
East Bengal finished zonal round at Fourth place with 10 points from 10 matches. The Junior Red & Brigade Won 3, Drew 1 and lost 6 matches, scored 12 and conceded 16 goals.
In first leg, East Bengal FC defeated Mohammedan SC 3-1, Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy 2-0, played a 1-1 draw with Bengal Football Academy while lost to Mohun Bagan SG 2-0 and United SC 3-2.
In second leg, East Bengal FC defeated Mohammedan SC 3-1, lost to Bengal Football Academy 4-1, Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy 2-0, United SC 1-0 and Mohun Bagan SG 2-0.
East Bengal U13 Team:
East Bengal U13 team played the AIFF Sub Junior Youth League 2023-24 under the guidance of Suraj Singh Bisht. The team finished on top in Zonal round, but was eliminated in final round.
They finished at bottom of Group C final round. Playing at Capital Football Arena in Odisha, the sub junior Red & Gold Brigade played a 3-3 draw with Mumbai City FC, lost to Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy 2-1 and FC Madras by 3-2 to finish the campaign with 1 point.
Earlier, the Sub Junior Red & Gold Brigade finished the Zonal campaign at top with 25 points. They had won 8 lost one and drew one. Scored 56 goals and conceded 24.
In first leg, East Bengal FC defeated Bengal Football Academy 3-2, Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy 4-3, Mohun Bagan SG 2-0, United SC 3-2 and Mohammedan SC 6-2.
In second leg, East Bengal FC Played 5-5 Draw with Mohun Bagan SG, defeated Bengal Football Academy 5-2, Mohammedan SC 16-3, United SC 9-1, lost to Bidhannagar Municipal Sports Academy 4-3.
Picture Courtesy: East Bengal FC Media
