Santosh Trophy: Most Successful Team in this Tournament

Santosh Trophy was first introduced in the year 1941. The trophy was named in honor of the Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh (the location is currently located in Bangladesh). At the time, he was the president of the Indian Football Association, the football governing body of Bengal, and also the person who donated the trophy.

Durand Cup, Rovers Cup, Kalinga cup, and many more were other trophies that clubs competed to take home. But the Santosh remained the top most coveted among them all.

It was the award where the states showcased their finest talent, and the public pinned them on their high expectations. States and teams were required to organize camps for weeks, with the top trainers. The top players were picked from the crowd.

The teams are now grouped into eight groups, each with three or four teams. The eight group winners are then picked, along with four seeded teams that do not have to compete in the qualifying phase, and these twelve teams are divided into three groups of three. The quarter-final stage precedes the semi-final and final stages.

Most Successful Santosh Trophy winning team?

Bengal has won the title record 32 times, beating second-placed Punjab which has been crowned on eight occasions.

Kerala has just won Santosh Trophy 2022 to take their tally to 7 times. The significance of the Trophy has dwindled over time. The National Football League, which began in 1996, is often credited for this.