Hardik Bhatt
{{short description|Indian football player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Hardik Bhatt
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|04|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| height =
| position = Right back
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = ARA
| years1 = 2018–2019
| clubs1 = ARA
| caps1 = 1
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2020
| clubs2 = Bengaluru United
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2021–2022
| clubs3 = Hyderya Sports
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2022–2024
| clubs4 = Rajasthan United
| caps4 = 27
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023
| clubs5 = → Mumbai City (loan)
| caps5 = 1
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2024–2025
| clubs6 = Mumbai City
| caps6 = 1
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2025
| clubs7 = → Sreenidi Deccan (loan)
| caps7 = 9
| goals7 = 0
| club-update = 7:00, 2 March 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Hardik Bhatt (born 17 April 1997) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a right back.
Career
Bhatt started his career with ARA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/isl-2022-23-who-hardik-bhatt-mumbai-city-fc-s-new-signing|title=Who is Hardik Bhatt, Mumbai City FC's new signing?|publisher=sportskeeda.com|access-date=7 March 2023|archive-date=7 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213357/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/isl-2022-23-who-hardik-bhatt-mumbai-city-fc-s-new-signing|url-status=live}} In 2019, he signed for Bengaluru United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2020/im-determined-to-represent-india-in-the-world-cup-hardik-bhatt/|title="I’m determined to represent India in the World Cup" – Hardik Bhatt|publisher=footballcounter.com|access-date=7 March 2023|archive-date=7 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213357/https://www.footballcounter.com/2020/im-determined-to-represent-india-in-the-world-cup-hardik-bhatt/|url-status=live}} On 30 January 2023, he signed for Mumbai City on a six-month loan deal.https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-fc-complete-loan-move-for-hardik-bhatt-from-rajasthan-united He was mainly used as a reserve player by head coach Des Buckingham. He made his only appearance during his loan spell on 19 February 2023, starting in the last league game of the season where a heavily rotated Mumbai team lost 0-1 to East Bengal at home.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.in/football/report/_/gameId/653429|title=East Bengal 1-0 Mumbai City (19 Feb, 2023) Game Analysis - ESPN (IN)|website=ESPN}} With this loan spell, he won the first ISL League Shield of his career.{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/field/1044485/isl-how-mumbai-city-fc-forged-a-record-breaking-run-to-the-league-shield-title|title=How Mumbai City FC forged a record-breaking run to the League Shield title|publisher=scroll.in|access-date=7 March 2023|archive-date=7 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213349/https://scroll.in/field/1044485/isl-how-mumbai-city-fc-forged-a-record-breaking-run-to-the-league-shield-title|url-status=live}}
On 17 July 2024, following the expiry of his Rajasthan United FC contract, he returned to Mumbai City on a one-year contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-17 |title=Mumbai City welcomes back Hardik Bhatt |url=https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-welcomes-back-hardik-bhatt |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Mumbai City FC |language=en}} He made his second debut for the club at home against NorthEast United FC on 30 December 2024, playing the full 90 minutes in an eventual 0-3 loss for the club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.in/football/match/_/gameId/720002/northeast-united-fc-mumbai-city-fc|title=NorthEast 3-0 Mumbai City (30 Dec, 2024) Final Score - ESPN (IN)|website=ESPN}}
On 15 Jan 2025, Hardik joined I-League club Sreenidi Deccan FC on loan until the end of the season.https://x.com/MumbaiCityFC/status/1879446434405404978
Honours
Mumbai City
- Indian Super League (Premiership): 2022–23{{cite web|title=Mumbai City Lift The Hero ISL League Winners' Shield|url=https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-lift-the-hero-isl-league-winners-shield#:~:text=Mumbai%20City%20FC%20were%20presented,thoroughly%20dominated%20by%20the%20Islanders.|website=www.mumbaicityfc.com|access-date=19 February 2023|archive-date=21 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221081151/https://www.mumbaicityfc.com/news/mumbai-city-lift-the-hero-isl-league-winners-shield#:~:text=Mumbai%20City%20FC%20were%20presented,thoroughly%20dominated%20by%20the%20Islanders.|language=en|url-status=live}}