100 Years of Mohun Bagan’s Historic I F A Win

Today, Mohun Bagan celebrated the centenary of their historic 1911 IFA Shield win. Mohun Bagan (MB) was the first-ever Indian soccer club to have won the IFA Shield beating East Yorkshire Regiment by 2-1 on 29th July, 1911, a red-letter day in history of Indian sports.

Outside the MB club in Kolkata, the main gate has been built in the shape of the IFA Shield trophy, while the main stage for the celebration has been given the shape of a sail boat, the club's emblem. A glow-sign bearing the photograph of the “Immortal XI” of 1911 IFA Shield winning team was also erected outside the club. The header read “India’s first fight for Independence on the sports field.”

A commemorative cover duly authorized by the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, Government of India, would be released by the Governor of West Bengal. Mohun Bagan Ratna will be conferred posthumously on the Team Members of 1911. And the music album of the Bengali movie "Egaro" would be launched.

A number of exhibition matches were played in the club ground today. The first match between Mohun Bagan Junior Team & Mona Guin Memorial Football Camp is a significant one as Late Mona Guin was ex-captain of the MB football team and this year is his birth centenary.

And it was confirmed that Golden Ball winner of World Cup 2010, Diego Forlan of Uruguay will participate in an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan on August 1, 2010, as part of a reality show of a private TV channel. Earlier, legendary footballers like Pele, Roger Milla, Oliver Kahn had played against Mohun Bagan, and Diego Maradona visited the Mohun Bagan ground last year.