Nallappan Mohanraj

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nallappan Mohanraj

| image =

| fullname = Nallappan Mohanraj

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|2|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India

| height = {{height|m=1.77}}

| position = Left back

| currentclub = Bengaluru United (head coach)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Sports Authority of India

| youthyears2 = 2006–2007

| youthclubs2 = HAL

| years1 = 2007–2012

| clubs1 = Mohun Bagan

| caps1 = 126

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2012–2013

| clubs2 = Pune

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2013–2014

| clubs3 = Mumbai Tigers

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 2014

| clubs4 = → Sporting Goa

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2015

| clubs5 = Atletico de Kolkata

| caps5 = 5

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2015

| clubs6 = →Bharat FC (loan)

| caps6 = 11

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2016

| clubs7 = Chennaiyin

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| years8 = 2017

| clubs8 = ATK

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| years9 = 2018

| clubs9 = Churchill Brothers

| caps9 = 14

| goals9 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2008

| nationalyears2 = 2011–2012

| nationalyears3 = 2011–2016

| nationalteam1 = India U19

| nationalteam2 = India U23

| nationalteam3 = India

| nationalcaps1 = 12

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalcaps3 = 14

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| medaltemplates =

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Nallappan Mohanraj (born 23 February 1989{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu) is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a left back. He managed Bengaluru United in the I-League 2.{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/sport/fc-bengaluru-united-appoint-former-india-player-mohanraj-as-head-coach/2459106/|title=FC Bengaluru United appoint former India player Mohanraj as head coach|work=The Print|agency=Press Trust of India|date=23 January 2025|access-date=14 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314171638/https://theprint.in/sport/fc-bengaluru-united-appoint-former-india-player-mohanraj-as-head-coach/2459106/|archive-date=14 March 2025}}

Early career

Born in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, Mohanraj started Playing for Sports Authority of India in Chennai. He went for the under-16 and under-19 state selections, and didn't get selected for either. After that, he went for a trial at the Tata Football Academy, and didn't get through. But Carlton Chapman, the assistant coach there, told me he had a good left foot, and sent him for a trial at (I-League 2nd Division side) HAL, Bangalore. Finally, the HAL coach Krishnaji Rao gave him chance.{{cite web|title=A happy homecoming for stars|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/05/28/stories/2009052851000800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223010221/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/05/28/stories/2009052851000800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2014|work=The Hindu|date=2009-05-28|accessdate=6 February 2014}}

Career

After his stint at HAL, Mohanraj signed for Mohun Bagan at the beginning of the 2007–08 season. He enjoyed a very successful stint with Mohun Bagan where he won the Indian Federation Cup in 2008, followed up with the ONGC Super Cup and runner-up in the I-League in 2009. In 2012–13 with Pune F.C. he picked up yet another I-League runner up medal.

=Sporting Goa=

On 5 February 2014 Mohanraj signed for Sporting Clube de Goa on loan from Mumbai Tigers as their club was disbanded.{{cite web|last=Km|first=Shekkeer|title=India International Mohan Raj joins Sporting Clube de Goa|url=http://www.footyshekkeer.in/2014/02/india-international-mohan-raj-joins.html|accessdate=6 February 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222144749/http://www.footyshekkeer.in/2014/02/india-international-mohan-raj-joins.html|archivedate=22 February 2014}} He made his debut for Sporting Goa on 16 February 2014 in the I-League match against Pune F.C. at the Balewadi Sports Complex in which he started and played the whole match and also earned a yellow card in the 66th minute as Sporting Goa drew the match 1-1.{{cite web|title=Pune FC vs. Sporting Goa 1-1|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/02/16/india/i-league/pune-fc/sporting-club-de-goa/1585393/|work=Soccerway|accessdate=16 February 2014}}

International

Mohanraj won the 2009 Nehru Cup with the India national team.

He was also the captain of the India U-18 team that toured Germany and played against the academy teams of VfB Stuttgart, FC Augsburg and Munich 1860, before participating in the 2008 AFC U-19 Championship tournament in Iran.

On 23 February 2011 Mohanraj played his first game for the Indian U23 team against Myanmar.