Mumbai City FC are the most successful team in Indian Super League (ISL) history with four trophies to their name. 

The Islanders have won the ISL League Shield and ISL Cup twice with all of these triumphs coming in the last four seasons. 

The Mumbai side will go into the season as defending ISL Cup winners after beating Mohun Bagan SG in the final in Kolkata. However, the Mariners pipped them to the ISL League Shield title on the last day of the league season, beating them at home. 

Once again the Mariners are expected to be a big hurdle between Mumbai CIty FC and silverware with increased competition from other quarters too. 

Petr Kratky will be in charge of his first full season with a proper pre-season under his belt having already secured a trophy for his team. It will be interesting to see how he builds on the success that Mumbai City FC have been enjoying in recent times. 

Season	Outcome
2014	7th Place (Did not qualify for semi-finals)
2015	6th Place (Did not qualify for semi-finals)
2016	1st Place (Lost in the semi-finals)
2017-18	7th Place (Did not qualify for semi-finals)
2018-19	3rd Place (Lost in the semi-finals)
2019-20	5th Place (Did not qualify for semi-finals)
2020-21	League Shield Winners (ISL Cup winners)
2021-22	5th Place (Did not qualify for semi-finals)
2022-23	League Shield Winners (Lost in the semi-finals)
2023-24	2nd Place (ISL Cup Winners)

The Islanders sent their reserve team in the Durand Cup as they were preparing for the new season in Thailand.

Team Composition and Transfer Dealings

Mumbai City FC for the second summer in the row have seen significant changes at the club with several key players leaving and being replaced by some big signings. 

Captain Rahul Bheke, midfielder Apuia, midfielder Alberto Noguera and striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz were the biggest stars to leave but the Islanders brought in Brandon Fernandes, Jeremy Manzorro, Jon Toral, TP Rehenesh, Nikolaos Karelis, Hitesh Sharma and Sahil Panwar to reinforce their squad. 

With Rehenesh’s arrival, there will be a big battle for the goalkeeping position with Phurba Lachenpa who has been excellent in goal for the Islanders. Tiri and Thaer Krouma are favourites to play at centre-back but Panwar’s arrival gives Kratky the option to use Mehtab Singh in his preferred centre-back position instead of the left-back role he was used in last season. The likes of Valpuia and Sanjeev Stalin are options in full-back positions. 

Manzorro, Brandon and Toral will make a great midfield three but it will be interesting to see if Kratky plays both his foreign midfield options together with Jayesh Rane and Hitesh Sharma also available for Kratky. 

Chhangte, Vikram Partap Singh and Bipin Singh will carry most of Mumbai City FC’s attacking threat out wide with Karelis expected to start up top on his own. 

Players In

Thaer Krouma (Re-joined Mumbai City FC) Details
Supratim Das (Joined from Reliance Foundation Young Champs) Details
Hitesh Sharma (On loan from Odisha FC) Details
Hardik Bhatt (Joined from Rajasthan United) Details
Sahil Panwar (Joined from Odisha FC) Details
Nikolaos Karelis (Joined from Panetolikos GFS) Details
Daniel Lalhlimpuia (Joined from Punjab FC) Details
Jon Toral (Joined from OFI Crete FC) Details
Jeremy Manzorro (Joined from Jamshedpur FC) Details
Jayesh Rane (Joined from Bengaluru FC) Details
TP Rehenesh (Joined from Jamshedpur FC) Details
Noufal P.N (Joined from Gokulam Kerala) Details
Brandon Fernandes (Joined from FC Goa) Details 

Players Out

Amey Ranawade (Out on Loan to Odisha FC) Details
Apuia (Joined Mohun Bagan SG) Details
Gurkirat Singh (End of Contract) Details
Jakub Vojtus (End of Contract) Details
Mohammad Nawaz (End of Contract) Details
Naocha Singh (End of Contract) Details
Bhaskar Singh (End of Contract) Details
Rowllin Borges (End of Contract) Details
Tondomba Singh (End of Contract) Details
Alberto Noguera (End of Contract) Details
Vinit Rai (End of Contract) Details
Jorge Pereyra Diaz (End of Contract) Details
Rahul Bheke (End of Contract) Details 

Key Players

Lallianzuala Chhangte: The best Indian player in ISL for last season, Chhangte signed a contract extension to commit his future to Mumbai City FC. He has been a player transformed with the Islanders and will once again be key to their hopes of winning silverware this season. Chhangte his double figures for goals in each of the last two seasons and the expectation will be that he surpasses those tallies in 2024-25. 

He will have new players around him but the added creativity of Brandon, Toral and Manzorro should only help Chhangte. 

Vikram Partap Singh: Vikram had a breakthrough season scoring eight goals for the team and there will be added expectations from him in 2024-25 to get even better and reduce the burden from Chhangte’s shoulders. If he and Chhangte can add to their tallies of last season, expect Mumbai City FC to be there or thereabout again this season. 

Coach

Petr Kratky: An astute tactician, Kratky steadied the turbulent Mumbai City FC ship exceptionally well last season to help them win the ISL Cup and also miss out on the League Shield by a whisker. The Czech head coach also made Mumbai City FC a more solid defensive unit while retaining their attacking edge. 

A coach who likes to control the ball, Kratky will be able to have a greater imprint of himself on the team after a full pre-season and having brought in the players of his choice. 

Fixtures

The Islanders begin the season where they finished the last one as they travel to Kolkata to face Mohun Bagan Super Giant in a blockbuster opening match before they travel to Jamshedpur for their second away match of the campaign. Their first home match is on October 2 against Bengaluru FC. 

They end 2024 with an away trip to NorthEast United FC.

Full Mumbai City FC Fixtures