Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Antonio López Habas has returned to familiar ground, with reigning Indian Super League champions East Bengal naming the Spaniard as their head coach for the 2026–27 campaign. His arrival comes at a pivotal moment for the Kolkata club, who are preparing to defend their first-ever ISL League Shield while simultaneously navigating uncertainty surrounding their ownership structure.
The announcement was made directly by the East Bengal Club management, signalling that East Bengal’s partnership with the Emami Group — under whose stewardship they ended a 22 year wait for a national league title — has lapsed and is yet to be renewed.
Habas replaces Oscar Bruzon, the architect of last season’s historic ISL triumph, and brings one of the most accomplished coaching résumés in Indian football. The 69 year old is the only coach to have won both of India’s top tier domestic league competitions, with two ISL Cups, one ISL League Shield, and an I-League title to his name.
His most recent stint was with Inter Kashi FC, where he spent nearly two seasons after taking charge in 2024. He led the Varanasi club to the 2024/25 I-League title before departing late last season.
East Bengal have also appointed Carlos Agustín Fonseca Teijeiro as assistant coach. The Spaniard arrives with significant international experience and is expected to bolster the club’s technical set-up alongside Habas.
A defining figure since the ISL’s inception in 2014, Habas made an instant impact by guiding Atletico de Kolkata to the league’s first title. He later returned to win another championship in 2019–20. His coaching journey also includes spells with FC Pune City and ATK Mohun Bagan, whom he led to the ISL final in their debut season in 2020–21. Although they narrowly missed out on silverware that year, Habas returned midway through the 2023–24 season to spark an 11 match unbeaten run that culminated in Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s maiden League Shield — completing his sweep of major ISL honours.
Known for prioritising defensive structure, tactical discipline and rapid counter-attacking play over possession-heavy football, Habas has repeatedly proven that his pragmatic approach is a winning formula in Indian football.
