AIFF spells out criteria for I-League marquee player

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) Friday spelt out the criteria for I-League clubs to have a marquee player from the 2014-15 season.

"A foreign recruit who has represented his country in any of the Continental Championships like the European Championship, Copa America, African Nations Cup, the Asian Cup, or the FIFA World Cup will be called a marquee player," the AIFF said in a statement.

The club can propose a player outside the aforementioned group with creditable record of representing a reputed international club in a reputed International League and should also have represented his senior national team.

In this case, the approval would be given by the AIFF's technical team before the club can contract the player as a marquee signing.

"Having a marquee player in every club will automatically enhance the quality of not only the League but also all players across the board. Spending the season with a World Cupper will help the players develop immensely," I-League chief executive Sunando Dhar said.

Previously the likes of Carlos Hernandez, who has been named in the provisional squad of Costa Rica for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, plied his trade with United SC (then known as Prayag United) in the 2012-13 season.

Other marquee players who have been part of the I-League since it was rechristened in 2007 are Trinidad and Tobago's World Cuppers Cornell Glenn (Shillong Lajong), Anthony Wolfe (Churchill Brothers) and Hernandez's teammate in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Michael Rodriguez, who was part of United Sikkim's squad in the 2012-13 season.