Chennaiyin FC, the two-time Indian Super League winners, have recruited former Indian Super League winner Mohammed Rafique to a two-year contract ahead of the new season.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who made headlines in the inaugural season of the ISL after scoring the game-winning goal in stoppage time to give Atletico de Kolkata the title, will be a valuable addition to the Chennaiyin FC midfield.
Experienced ✅
Versatile ✅
Coming to Chennai ✅@14mdrafique is our newest machan! 💙🙌🏼#AllInForChennaiyin #VanakkamRafique pic.twitter.com/Qk7vCGnX0y— Chennaiyin FC 🏆🏆 (@ChennaiyinFC) June 16, 2022
The Kolkata-born player has also represented his country on 12 occasions, including two friendlies, scoring one goal and assisting on two occasions. Rafique won the 2018 Intercontinental Cup and a Tri-Nation series with the Blue Tigers in 2017.
Rafique made his professional debut in 2012 with United SC, where he spent two I-League seasons making 38 appearances and scoring three goals before joining East Bengal. In the first season of the ISL, he was loaned out to ATK. Since then, he has appeared in 65 ISL games, scoring one goal and one assist.
Aside from ATK, he has played for three other ISL clubs, the most recent of which was SC East Bengal, for whom he appeared in 31 matches over the last two seasons.
He played 16 times for the Red and Gold Brigade in the 2021-22 ISL, providing one assist and clocking 1075 minutes on the pitch.
Rafique has also represented East Bengal in the AFC Cup and Federation Cup throughout his four seasons in the I-League.
From 2018 to 2019, the India international played for Mumbai City FC for two seasons. He appeared in 17 league games with the Islanders, as well as one Super Cup game.
In 2016, he spent a year on loan at Kerala Blasters FC, where he played a key role in the club’s runners-up status.
