Nihal Sudeesh Explained

Nihal Sudeesh
Birth Date:18 June 2001
Birth Place:Kochi, India
Height:1.72 m
Position:Right winger
Currentclub:Punjab, (on loan from Kerala Blasters)
Youthclubs1:FA Cochin
Youthclubs2:Kerala Blasters
Years1:2019–2021
Clubs1:Kerala Blasters B
Caps1:2
Goals1:0
Years2:2021–2022
Clubs2:Indian Navy
Caps2:3
Goals2:0
Years3:2022–2023
Clubs3:Kerala Blasters B
Caps3:11
Goals3:4
Years4:2022–
Clubs4:Kerala Blasters
Caps4:13
Goals4:1
Years5:2024–
Clubs5:Punjab (loan)
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Club-Update:17:20, 12 April 2024 (UTC)

Nihal Sudeesh (born 18 June 2001) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Indian Super League club Punjab, on loan from Kerala Blasters.[1]

Career

Early life and career

Nihal was born in Kochi, Kerala on 18 June 2001.[2] Nihal joined the reserve squad of the Kerala Blasters FC in 2019 and represented the side in the 2019–20 I-League 2nd Division season before leaving the club for the Durand Cup side Indian Navy in 2021.[3] After quitting his job at Indian Navy, Nihal signed again for the Blasters' B team, where his performance in the 2022 Reliance Foundation Development League and in the 2022 Next Gen Cup earned him a promotion to the senior squad of the Kerala Blasters.[4] [5]

Kerala Blasters FC

2022–23: Debut season

In 2022, Nihal was included in the Kerala Blasters squad for the 2022–23 Indian Super League season.[6] He was one among the seven native players for the club for the season.[7] Nihal made his debut for the Blasters senior team in the Indian Super League on 23 October 2022 against Odisha FC by coming in as a substitute for Hormipam Ruivah in the 64th minute,[8] but the Blasters lost the match 2–1 at full-time. [9] He remained as an unused substitute for two months, and made his second appearance on 26 December in the returning fixture against Odisha as a substitute for Rahul KP in the 70th minute, which the Blasters won 1–0.[10] Nihal was acclaimed by the media and fans for his short-performance against Odisha.[11]

2023–24: Contract extension

After an impressive debut season, Nihal signed a thee-year contract extension with the Blasters till 2026.[12] He played his first match of the 2023–24 season on 13 August 2023 against Gokulam Kerala FC in the 2023 Durand Cup, which they lost by the score of 3–4 at full-time.[13]

Career statistics

[14]

Club! rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueFederation Cup/Super CupDurand CupAFCTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Kerala Blasters FC B2019–20I-League 22020
2022RFD League7474
Kerala Blasters B total9494
Kerala Blasters2022–23Indian Super League501060
2023–241010
Kerala Blasters total50101070
Career total1441010164

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022-10-06 . ❝ആ സ്ഥാനം നേടാൻ എല്ലായ്‌പ്പോഴും ഏറ്റവും മികച്ച പ്രകടനം നടത്തണം❞ : കേരള ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്‌സ് യുവ താരം നിഹാൽ സുധീഷ് . 2022-10-24 . Goal Malayalam Sports . ml . 24 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221024023704/https://goalmalayalamsports.com/kerala-blasters-young-player-nihal-sudheesh/ . live .
  2. Web site: Nihal Sudeesh Stats, News, Bio . 2023-01-17 . ESPN . en . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117171607/https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/351185/nihal-sudeesh . live .
  3. Web site: Santhosh . Aswathy . 2022-10-06 . Separated, then reunited- Nihal Sudeesh and his love story with Kerala Blasters . 2023-01-17 . thebridge.in . en . 4 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230104145329/https://thebridge.in/isl/separated-reunited-nihal-sudeesh-love-story-kerala-blasters-36011 . live .
  4. Web site: Nihal Sudeesh profile - Goals, Passes and more . 2023-01-17 . Indian Super League . en . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117180114/https://www.indiansuperleague.com/players/midfielder-163714-nihal-sudeesh-profile . live .
  5. Web site: Guha . Sayantan . "Can’t share in words how much I love this club" - Kerala Blasters FC's eternal fan and hottest prospect Nihal Sudeesh . 2023-02-26 . www.sportskeeda.com . en-us . 26 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226161531/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/news-can-t-share-words-much-i-love-club-kerala-blasters-fc-s-eternal-fan-hottest-prospect-nihal-sudeesh . live .
  6. Web site: Rayan . Stan . 2022-10-05 . Jessel Carneiro to lead Kerala Blasters in new ISL season . 2023-01-17 . sportstar.thehindu.com . en . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117171608/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/indian-super-league-2022-kerala-blasters-squad-players-jessel-carneiro-captain/article65972962.ece . live .
  7. Web site: 7 Malayalis in Kerala Blasters' 28-member squad for ISL 2022-23 . 2023-01-17 . OnManorama . 12 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012105145/https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2022/10/05/kerala-blasters-squad-2022-23.html . live .
  8. Web site: Ra . Anantaajith . Odisha FC 2-1 Kerala Blasters FC: Player Ratings as Pedro Martin seals comeback win for Juggernauts ISL 2022-23 . 2023-01-17 . www.sportskeeda.com . en-us . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117171608/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/odisha-fc-2-1-kerala-blasters-fc-player-ratings-pedro-martin-seals-comeback-win-juggernauts-isl-2022-23 . live .
  9. Web site: Sportstar . Team . 2022-10-23 . ISL 2022-23: Odisha FC wins it late against Kerala Blasters . 2023-01-17 . sportstar.thehindu.com . en . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117171610/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/isl-2022-odisha-fc-beats-kerala-blasters-2-1-ofc-kbfc-results-goals-scorers-indian-super-league/article66050360.ece . live .
  10. Web site: 26 December 2022 . ISL 2022-23: Kerala Blasters FC Jump To Third Place After Sandeep Singh's Late Strike . 17 January 2023 . . 27 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221227202250/https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/isl-2022-23-kerala-blasters-fc-jump-to-third-place-after-sandeep-singh-s-late-strike-news-248492 . live .
  11. Web site: നിഹാല്‍ സുധീഷ്; കേരള ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്‌സിന്റെ പുതിയ വജ്രായുധം... . 2023-01-04 . Samayam Malayalam . ml . 4 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230104133507/https://malayalam.samayam.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/nihal-sudheesh-kerala-blasters-fcs-new-sensation/articleshow/96691920.cms . live .
  12. Web site: Midfielder Nihal Sudeesh pens contract extension with Kerala Blasters FC till 2026 . 2023-05-12 . Indian Super League . en.
  13. Web site: 2023-08-13 . Kerala Blasters 3-4 Gokulam Kerala Highlights: GKFC beats KBFC to win Kerala Derby in Durand Cup 2023 . 2023-08-16 . Sportstar . en.
  14. Web site: India - N. Sudheesh - Profile with news, career statistics and history . 2023-01-17 . Soccerway . 3 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230103171026/https://int.soccerway.com/players/nihal-sudeesh/872818/ . live .