Mahesh Gawli
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-01-23) 23 January 1980
Place of birth Panaji, Goa, India
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 FC Kochin
2000–2003 Churchill Brothers
2003–2004 East Bengal 20 (0)
2005–2007 Mahindra United 35 (0)
2007–2015 Dempo 126 (1)
International career
2002 India U23
1999–2011 India 68 (1)
Managerial career
2019−2022 Indian Arrows (assistant coach)
2022−2023 India U20 (head coach)
2022− India (assistant coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mahesh Gawli (born 23 January 1980) is an Indian football coach and former footballer who played as a centre-back and represented India national football team on 68 occasions between 2000 and 2011.[1][2]

Club career

Gawli was born in Goa and began playing football at 8. Gawli’s talent was immediately spotted by the coaches at all age groups. He was a member of the Goa U-12 team that lost against Japan U-12 in 1991–92. He then joined the famed Tata Football Academy.

Gawli started his career at FC Kochin where he joined in 1998 after graduating from Tata Football Academy and won the Kerala League with them before moving on to Churchill Brothers.

He stayed there at Churchill for three consecutive seasons from 2000–2002 and won the Goa Professional League thrice with them. He also helped them secure the Runners-up medals in the 2001–02 season of National Football League (India) before moving on to Kolkata biggies East Bengal.

Gawli first tasted the National League success in 2003–04 season after moving into the East Bengal. He was also a member of the East Bengal team that won the prestigious 2003 ASEAN Club Championship in where he also scored a goal against Philipine Army, East Bengal completed a treble that season by winning the Kolkata League crown as well.[3]

After a successful three-year stint with the East Bengal, it was time for Mahesh to find his place in Mahindra United team. It was under Mahindra Coach David Booth that Gawli displayed his finest brand of football. He helped Mahindra win the NFL, Indian Federation Cup, Mumbai Football League and the IFA Shield and was part of the team that participated in the 2007 AFC Cup and went on to reach the last eight stage. Gawli won the best defender award in the 10th NFL for his stellar performances in Mahindra United colors.

Then it was like a homecoming for Mahesh as he moved from Mahindra to Dempo in 2007 and has become a pillar of strength in Dempo's defense.[4] Gawli has won two I-League titles with Dempo and is a regular starter for the club and forms a formidable partnership with another India international Samir Naik. He helped Dempo reach the semi-finals of 2008 AFC Cup and the pre-quarters in 2011 AFC Cup.[5]

International career

He represented India in the AFC U-16 Championship in 1996 held in Thailand and was included in the Asian All Star U-16 team. Gawli soon made his international debut in the pre-Olympic qualifier against Thailand in 1999 and cemented his place in the Indian team.

Mahesh has been representing India since 2001. With India, he won the LG Cup and several SAFF Cups. He was part of the historical Nehru Cup 2007 win in which he was the man of the match in the final against Syria. He was also an important part of the victorious India team at the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup.

He announced his retirement on 26 December 2011, almost 2 weeks after winning the 2011 SAFF Championship with India.[6]

International statistics

As of 2011[7]
India national team
YearAppsGoals
199910
200040
200180
200220
200330
200460
200581
200620
200770
200880
200960
201040
201190
Total681

International goals

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 December 2005Karachi, Pakistan Bhutan2–03–02005 SAFF Cup

Honours

East Bengal

Mahindra United

Dempo

India

India U23

Individual

  • Best defender of the I-league: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
  • 2007 ONGC Nehru Cup Final: Man of the Match
  • Dilip Sardesai Sports Excellence Award: 2008

References

  1. ↑ "Mahesh Gawli Profile". iloveindia.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  2. ↑ Ghoshal, Amoy (23 November 2016). "All time Indian XI". sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  3. ↑ Sengupta, Somnath (13 July 2011). "Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football: Part Four – Modern Era (1999—2011)". thehardtackle.com. Kolkata: The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Das, Shibashis (7 March 2022). "I-League 2: Looking back at when Dempo SC dominated Indian Football". footballexpress.in. Goa: Football Express India. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "THT Heroes Special: Mahesh Gawli - Indian Football's Defensive Stalwart". 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  6. ↑ ":::: The Aiff ::::". the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. ↑ Dey, Subrata. "Mahesh Gawli — International Appearances". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  8. ↑ Chaudhuri, Arunava; Stokkermans, Karel (2001). "Afro-Asian Games 2003". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Ho Chi Minh City Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
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