Pritam Kotal

His 77th-minute goal was the only one in a 1–0 victory for Mohun Bagan.

He scored his second goal of his career, and second of the season on 20 May against Royal Wahingdoh.

His goal was the first of two as Mohun Bagan won 2–0.

He came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Aiborlang Khongjee as Mohun Bagan won 2–1.

Pritam Kotal (প্রীতম কোটাল; born 8 September 1993) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters and the India national team.

Born in Uttarpara, West Bengal, Kotal began playing football at the age of four after being inspired by his uncle, who was also a footballer.

He then began his youth career with Chirag United before playing for the West Bengal youth team.

As well as by providing two goals, Kotal also helped Mohun Bagan to win their first ever I-League title, and thus Mohun Bagan became the first side from Kolkata to win the title, since the inception of league in 2007.

Kotal also played for Wari in 2009.

After spending time with the India under-19 side, Kotal joined the All India Football Federation's development I-League side, Pailan Arrows (current Indian Arrows).

He played in six matches during his debut 2011–12 season for the side.

After Pailan Arrows disbanded and before the 2013–14 season, Kotal signed with Mohun Bagan.

He made his debut for the club on 23 October 2013 against Salgaocar.

In July 2014, it was announced that Kotal would be among 84 Indian players who would be a part of the 2014 ISL Inaugural Domestic Draft, being available on loan from Mohun Bagan.

On 22 July 2014, he was drafted in the fifth round of the draft by Pune City.

He made his debut for the club in the Indian Super League on 18 October against Mumbai City FC.

Despite starting the match, Pune City lost the match against their Maharashtra rivals 5–0.

After his first season at the club, Kotal said that the experience of playing in the Indian Super League really helped him, that he played as a left back for all the games he played, and playing with the former Inter Milan defender Bruno Cirillo really helped him to improve his style of play.

Kotal scored his first goal for the club on 7 February 2015 against Pune.

Kotal returned to Pune City for the 2015 season, but he played only two matches in that season.

Kotal played the 2015-16 I-League campaign, and played his first match of the season against Aizawl on 9 January 2016.

Kotal scored an own goal in that match, thereby Aizawl getting an equalizer.

But after the final whistle, Mohun Bagan went on to win the match 3–1.

Kotal played his first continental match on 27 January, when he played the East zone preliminary round 1 match of the 2016 AFC Champions League's qualifying play-off match against Tampines Rovers FC on 27 January 2016, which they won 3–1 after final whistle.

Mohun Bagan after was redirected to 2016 AFC Cup, when they failed to make it to the group stages of the 2016 AFC Champions League.

Kotal played his first AFC Cup match against South China AA on 9 March, where they won the match on a big margin of 0–4.

Kotal later that season left the club on loan for his second spell at FC Pune City, and from there, he went on to play for Atletico de Kolkata in the 2016 ISL season.

He returned to the club after winning the 2016 Indian Super League title with Atlético de Kolkata for the 2016-17 I-League season in early 2017.

On 14 June 2016 it was announced that Kotal had signed with Atlético de Kolkata (later ATK) on loan for the 2016 Indian Super League season.

He made his debut for the side on 2 October against Chennaiyin FC.

Kotal started in the match and played the whole 90 minutes, as Atlético de Kolkata drew 2–2.

Kolkata had a breakthrough season as they went on to qualify for the knockout stages of the season.

Kolkata faced Mumbai City in the semi-finals, and progressed through to the final on an aggregate score of 3–2 from both legs.

During the second leg of the semi-final against Mumbai on 13 December, Kotal was involved in a brawl that broke after the final whistle of the game.

He said that he was mildly injured during the scuffle, and felt a sensation of blindness.

He later confirmed that he was fine.

Kolkata then went on to face Kerala Blasters FC in the final match of the season, which they won 4–3 on penalty shootout, after the match drew 1–1 after the full time and extra time.

He scored his first goal for the club that season against Mumbai FC on 8 March 2017, where he opened the scored sheet in the 12th minute of the match, which concluded in a 2–2 draw after the final whistle.

Kotal played his last match for the club against Chennai City FC on 30 April, which ended 2–1 with Mohun Bagan taking the three points of the match.

Kotal then left the club to join Delhi Dynamos on a permanent deal.