As Kerala Blasters get set to take on Atletico de Kolkata for the second time in an Indian Super League final, we cannot but help pick out some personalities who have been integral in the Indian football competition over the years.
READ: ISL 2016 team news.
Stars of football have descended in India in the past three years and some of them have turned out to be instant favourites, while some veterans may not have been able to give their best, owing to their age becoming a serious handicap.
The likes of Helder Postiga, Iain Hume, Aaron Hughes, Sandesh Jhingan and of course Mohammed Rafi -- an ISL final veteran -- will be in action on Sunday at the JLN stadium Kochi. But some top shots will be missing.
List of personalities from the ISL franchisees missing the ISL 2016 final
Edel Bete
The first and foremost name that comes to mind when it comes to an Indian Super League final is that of the Cameroon-born Armenian goalkeeper. Bete, 30, played for Atletico de Kolkata in the final of the inaugural Indian Super League season and took home the trophy. Last year, he featured for Chennaiyin FC in the final against Goa and took the trophy home again.
Bete featured for FC Pune City this time around, and it was unfortunate that his team couldn't even enter the knockouts stage.
Antonio Habas
Let's face it. The Spaniard Habas is one of the best coaches in the Indian Super League. He guided ATK to winning the ISL in the inaugural season and then guided the team again to the semi-finals of the Indian football competition last year.
This time, however, it was a disappointing sight not to find the well-built, experienced gaffer not at the thick of things even during the ISL 2016 semi-finals. Maybe, the thought of taking over FC Pune City wasn't that great anyway. The Pune franchisee finished sixth this season.
Stiven Mendoza
The one-man army who guided Chennaiyin FC to their first-ever Indian Super League title last year, wasn't even available for ISL 2016 as he decided to carry on with Major League Soccer side New York City FC. Mendoza, who hails from Colombia, stole every possible attention last season in the ISL as he finished his season with a total 13 goals and also took home the golden boot.
Will the 24-year-old hotshot return to Chennaiyin FC next year? We can only hope.
Zico
Let's agree! We all miss the Brazil football legend not being a part of the action in the ISL 2016 final. His experience remains the integral reason why fans and players love him. After leading FC Goa to the knockouts of the Indian Super League in the inaugural season, Zico guided his side to the final of the Indian football competition last year.
His loyalty with FC Goa, even though they finished rock bottom this season, is a testament to the fact how Zico loves the Indian football side and heavily hopes for the development of the Indian footballers like Romeo Fernandes and Mandar Rao Dessai.
