Kolkata: Gokulam Kerala FC have secured the services of experienced Brazilian forward Crislan Henrique da Silva de Sousa, popularly known as Crislan, ahead of the 2026–27 Indian Football League (IFL) season.
The 34-year-old striker joins the Malabarians with an extensive international career spanning Brazil, Portugal, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, bringing valuable experience from some of Asia’s competitive football leagues as well as European football.
A centre-forward, Crislan is known for his physical presence, attacking instincts and ability to operate as a focal point in the final third. Standing at 1.87m, the Brazilian left-footed striker has built a career across multiple footballing cultures and competitions.
Crislan began his senior career in Brazil and represented Athletico Paranaense, before making the move to Portugal with SC Braga. During his time in Portugal, he also represented CD Tondela and featured in European competition. His career includes UEFA Europa League appearances for Braga, where he scored once in five appearances. He also featured in the CONMEBOL Libertadores during his time with Athletico Paranaense.
His career in Asia has been particularly extensive. Crislan spent several seasons in Japan, representing clubs including Vegalta Sendai, Shimizu S-Pulse and Shonan Bellmare, before moving to South Korea, where he played for Bucheon FC 1995. He later continued his career in Thailand, including spells with clubs in the Thai football system.
The signing also continues the club’s Brazilian connection following the appointment of Carlos Eduardo Parreira as Head Coach of the Senior Men’s Team ahead of the 2026–27 IFL season.
Head Coach Carlos Eduardo Parreira said regarding the signing, “Crislan brings something very important to our team, experience. He has played in different countries, different footballing environments and at a high level. He understands the demands of playing as a centre-forward and knows how to compete. We believe his experience, character and attacking qualities will be very valuable to our team. We are happy to have him with us and look forward to seeing him contribute to our objectives this season.”
VC Praveen, Gokulam Kerala President stated, “We are pleased to welcome Crislan to Gokulam Kerala FC. His career across Brazil, Europe and Asia reflects the level of experience we wanted to add to our squad. We believe he will bring quality, maturity and a strong competitive mentality to our attack. With Carlos Eduardo Parreira leading the team, we are building a squad with the ambition and experience required to compete for the highest honours. We warmly welcome Crislan to the Malabarian family.”
Crislan will now join the squad as preparations continue for the 2026–27 Indian Football League season, with Gokulam Kerala FC targeting a strong campaign.
