After IPL, ISL Win Gives Kolkata Fan Double Joy

First the Indian Premier League, and now the Indian Super League. It has been a great 2014 for Kolkata's sports fans. The Atletico de Kolkata team, the inaugural ISL champions, returned to the City of Joy, to celebrate with their fans.

Fans came out in thousands, and jostled for space in a shopping mall on Sunday afternoon, as the Indian Super League winning team arrived, with the trophy. Team co-owner Sourav Ganguly, coach Antonio Habas, marquee player Luis Garcia were all present on the occasion. But the loudest cheers were reserved for the man who didn't even play the final due to an injury, Fikru.

"Thank you everyone for supporting us. Three months ago we started this journey, and now we've finished as champions, this couldn't have been better. Under coach Antonio, we hope to win many more such titles", said Ganguly. (ISL: Garcia Lauds Rafiue for Final Heroics)

The ISL has been a hit, if one were to go by television ratings, and the crowds in attendance in the various stadiums across the country. But getting crowds back into stadiums to watch football was just one of the aims of this league. The real goal was to improve Indian football, and footballers.

"We are aiming at developing the footballing ecosystem of this country. Our real satisfaction will be when we can get India to become a World Cup playing nation", said businessman Harsh Neotia, one of the co-owners of the side. (Tendulkar, Ganguly Vow Support for Football)

The biggest challenge will be to sustain the league for the next 10 months, when the season will be off. But for now, Team Kolkata is basking in the glory of making history, becoming the first ever ISL champions.