Bijoy Varghese
{{Short description|Indian football player}}
{{Indian name|Bijoy|Varghese}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Bijoy Varghese
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Bijoy Varghese
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|3|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala, India
| height = 1.84 m
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2017–2018
| youthclubs1 = Kovalam FC
| youthyears2 = 2018–2020
| youthclubs2 = SAI Thiruvananthapuram
| years1 = 2020–2023
| clubs1 = Kerala Blasters B
| caps1 = 15
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–2025
| clubs2 = Kerala Blasters
| caps2 = 6
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2023–2024
| clubs3 = → Inter Kashi (loan)
| caps3 = 10
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2025
| clubs4 = Inter Kashi
| caps4 = 12
| goals4 = 0
| club-update = 13:31, 28 January 2025 (IST)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Bijoy Varghese (born 14 March 2000) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender.
Club career
=Early life and youth career=
Bijoy was born in Pulluvila, a coastal village located in the Thirivananthapuram district, Kerala. Bijoy started playing football during his school days and was a member of his school football team.{{Cite web|date=8 June 2021|title=First Talk with Bijoy Varghese {{!}} Kerala Blasters|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4XGqZl7Q70|access-date=22 December 2021|website=YouTube|publisher=Kerala Blasters FC|language=Malayalam}} He initially played as a striker and later switched into central defensive position. At his 15, Bijoy joined Kovalam Football Club and played for their youth team. In 2018, he became part of the Kerala team who reached in the finals of the International School Championship, where he won the best defender of the tournament award. After his performance for the Kerala team, Bijoy was selected into the Indian team for Asian school Championship. He was later selected into the SAI football team that participated in the youth league held at Shillong. Bijoy was included in the final squad of Kerala team for the 2019–20 Santosh Trophy. However the tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in India.{{Cite web|title=Final round of Santosh Trophy postponed over coronavirus concerns|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/santosh-trophy-cancelled-final-round-2019-20-coronavirus-concerns-indian-football/article31029335.ece|access-date=2021-12-22|website=Sportstar|language=en}}
= Kerala Blasters =
In 2021, he was signed by the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters to his first ever professional contract and were put into their reserve side. After an impressive performance in the 2020–21 season of Kerala Premier League, Bijoy was promoted to the club's senior side in that year itself to participate in the 2021–22 ISL season.{{cite tweet|title=ഉയരങ്ങൾ തേടി മുന്നോട്ട് 💪🔝|number=1455905430295564291|accessdate=19 November 2021|user=KeralaBlasters|date=3 November 2021|author=KeralaBlastersFC|trans-title=Climbing up the ranks 💪🔝}} He made his debut for the Blasters against Delhi FC in the 2021 Durand Cup match on 21 September 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-21|title=Durand Cup 2021 Live Commentary: Delhi FC vs Kerala Blasters|url=https://khelnow.com/football/durand-cup-2021-delhi-fc-kerala-blasters-bfc-indian-navy-live-commentary/|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Khel Now|language=en-US|archive-date=29 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929021343/https://khelnow.com/football/durand-cup-2021-delhi-fc-kerala-blasters-bfc-indian-navy-live-commentary|url-status=live}} which they lost 1–0 at full-time.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-22|title=Delhi FC reach Durand Cup quarterfinals with 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/delhi-fc-reach-durand-cup-quarterfinals-with-1-0-win-over-kerala-blasters-7527087/|access-date=2021-11-19|website=The Indian Express|language=en|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922170953/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/delhi-fc-reach-durand-cup-quarterfinals-with-1-0-win-over-kerala-blasters-7527087/|url-status=live}} Bijoy made his Indian Super League debut on 19 November 2021 against ATK Mohun Bagan FC, which they lost 4–2.{{Cite web|title=ISL 2021-22 Highlights ATK Mohun Bagan vs Kerala Blasters: ATKMB opens campaign with 4-2 win; Boumous scores brace on debut|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/2021-2022/news/isl-2021-22-atk-mohun-bagan-vs-kerala-blasters-live-score-streaming-roy-krishna-boumous-sahal-vazquez-atkmb-kbfc/article37577667.ece|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Sportstar|language=en|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119192201/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/isl/2021-2022/news/isl-2021-22-atk-mohun-bagan-vs-kerala-blasters-live-score-streaming-roy-krishna-boumous-sahal-vazquez-atkmb-kbfc/article37577667.ece|url-status=live}}
On 21 April 2022, the Blasters announced that they have extended the contract of Bijoy until 2025.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-21 |title=Bijoy Varghese extends contract with Kerala Blasters |url=https://khelnow.com/football/isl-indian-super-league-kerala-blasters-bijoy-varghese-contract-extension/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Khel Now |language=en-US}} He was given a New Jersey number 21, which the club had retired after Sandesh Jhingan's departure in 2020.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-21 |title=Bijoy Varghese extends contract with Kerala Blasters till 2025 |url=https://keralablastersfc.in/bijoy-varghese-extends-contract-with-kerala-blasters-till-2025/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Kerala Blasters FC |archive-date=23 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423091512/https://keralablastersfc.in/bijoy-varghese-extends-contract-with-kerala-blasters-till-2025/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2022 |title=Bijoy Varghese inherits Sandesh Jhingan's retired No. 21 shirt at Kerala Blasters |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/indian-super-league/top-stories/bijoy-varghese-inherits-sandesh-jhingans-retired-no-21-shirt-at-kerala-blasters/articleshow/90985679.cms |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=The Times of India |language=en}} He made his first appearance in the 2022–23 Indian Super League season against Hyderabad FC on 26 February 2023 as a substitute for Hormipam Ruivah in the 85th minute but the Blasters lost the match 0–1 at full-time.{{Cite web |title=Kerala Blasters FC vs. Hyderabad - Football Match Summary - February 26, 2023 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/653433 |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Bijoy made his first appearance of the season in the 2023 Indian Super Cup match against reigning I-League champions RoundGlass Punjab FC, where he made it to the first team,{{Cite web |date=2023-04-08 |title=Kerala Blasters starts Hero Super Cup campaign with 3-1 win against RoundGlass Punjab |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/sports/football/hero-super-cup-2023-kerala-blasters-lead-1-0-against-roundglass-punjab-in-first-half-1.8462266 |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}} and the Blasters won the match 3–1 at full-time.{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=P. K. Ajith |date=2023-04-08 |title=Super Cup 2023: Kerala beats Punjab 3-1; Bengaluru held 1-1 by Deccan |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/kerala-blasters-beats-roundglass-punjab-bengaluru-fc-draws-sreenidi-deccan-fc-super-cup-2023-group-a-news-result/article66714936.ece |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=sportstar.thehindu.com |language=en}}
After making just two appearance in the previous season, Bijoy played his first match of the 2023–24 season in the 2023 Durand Cup group stage match against Gokulam Kerala FC on 13 August 2023, which they lost 3–4.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-13 |title=Kerala Blasters 3-4 Gokulam Kerala Highlights: GKFC beats KBFC to win Kerala Derby in Durand Cup 2023 |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/kerala-blasters-vs-gokulam-kerala-live-score-kbfc-v-gkfc-updates-kerala-derby-streaming-goals-durand-cup-2023-highlights/article67190233.ece |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Sportstar |language=en}}
==Inter Kashi (loan)==
On 1 September, Kerala Blasters announced that Bijoy has been loaned out to Inter Kashi on a season long deal.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=KBFC CONFIRM MULTIPLE LOANS |url=https://keralablastersfc.in/kbfc-confirm-multiple-loans/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Kerala Blasters |language=English}} He made his debut for the club on 28 October against Gokulam Kerala which ended in 1–1 draw.{{Cite web |title=I-League: Inter Kashi rally to hold Gokulam Kerala |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/sports/football/2023/10/28/i-league-gokulam-kerala-versus-inter-kashi.html |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=OnManorama}}
Career statistics
= Club =
{{updated|matches played till 15 December 2023}}{{Cite web|title=India - B. Varghese - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/-/803880/|access-date=2021-11-19|website=int.soccerway.com|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119192149/https://us.soccerway.com/players/-/803880/|url-status=live}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|AFC !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="4" |Kerala Blasters
| rowspan="3" |Indian Super League |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=DurandCup|Appearance(s) in Durand Cup}} | 0 | colspan="2" |– | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23
|1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=SuperCup|Appearance(s) in Super Cup}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |– | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=DurandCup}} | 0 | colspan="2" |– | 2 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total
!6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| rowspan="1" |Inter Kashi (loan)
| rowspan="1" |I-League |10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |– | colspan="2" |– | 10 | 0 | |||
| colspan="3" |Career total
!16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Kerala Blasters
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|803880}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|bijoy-varghese}}
- [https://www.indiansuperleague.com/players/defender-157117-bijoy-v-profile Bijoy Varghese] at Indian Super League
{{Kerala Blasters FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varghese, Bijoy}}
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Indian men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Kerala
Category:Kerala Blasters FC Reserves and Academy players
Category:Indian Super League players
Category:21st-century Indian sportsmen