Three years to glory: How Diamond Harbour FC rose to top-tier of Indian football

In the landscape of Indian football, where new entities rarely get to sit at the same table as the legacy clubs, Diamond Harbour FC has just shattered the status quo. In just three seasons, the Kolkata outfit has leapfrogged from the lower divisions to the promised land of the Indian Super League (ISL), that too by becoming the 2025-26 Indian Football League champions.

At the heart of this footballing fairytale is Kibu Vicuna, a man who has turned a project into a national phenomenon.

"We have to understand that in four years, we haven’t had a single player who has been with us throughout. So it was an incredible journey to build the team, very fruitful in personal terms and also in sporting terms," he told The Bridge.

Going full circle in Indian Football

Vicuna’s pedigree was never in question. Before arriving at Diamond Harbour, he had already left his mark on Indian football. His tenure at Mohun Bagan is still fondly remembered, having guided the Mariners to a dominant I-League title in 2019-20 that cemented his reputation as a master strategist.

His subsequent stint at Kerala Blasters brought him into the high-pressure cooker of the ISL, where he learned the nuances of managing expectations in the country’s biggest league.

"I remember that when I came to Diamond Harbor, the club was not going to play even in the first division of the Kolkata League. So people were saying that this guy is crazy, 'What is this guy doing in this club?'", the 54-year-old Spanish tactician says sheepishly.

His stint with the maroon & green half of Kolkata maidan gave him a glimpse into the passion and fervour that exists within the sport in the country, and gave him moments that he could draw from at Diamond Harbour.

"Mohun Bagan is like the Real Madrid of India. So being there, the pressure was huge. Every tournament that we were playing, the supporters and the management wanted to win. With Diamond Harbor, the pressure was similar in terms of we wanted to get the same results, but of course with fewer supporters, less media behind. But our goals, our objectives, were the same."

Vicuna’s Philosophy: ‘Press, and then press some more’

When asked about his philosophy, Vicuna, who is inspired by greats of the game like Pep Guardiola, Marcelo Bielsa, Vicente Del Bosque amongst others, keeps it simple.

"I like my teams to be proactive. We want to dictate the tempo of the game, play the ball from behind. And also a team that is aggressive with high pressing, trying to recover the ball as quickly and as high up the pitch as possible," said Vicuna with a glint in his eyes.

Diamond Harbour FC’s resilience became their calling card this season. They recovered from losing positions in nine of their thirteen league matches. Even in the title-decider against Dempo SC, trailing 0-1, the players didn’t panic.

With the rain pouring down in Goa, Hugo Diaz rose to the occasion in stoppage time, nodding home the goal that punched their ticket to the top tier.

Noting that the Spanish Way of playing possession football has shaped India’s grassroots over the last decade, Vicuna makes it aptly clear that he has assimilated a team based on his observations around different parts of the country.

"I like the mix that players from Kerala have between the tactical and physical sides of the game. Also, the speed and high tempo with which games are played in the north east. And of course, the passion of Kolkata football. I think right now the biggest clubs in India are the two Kolkata giants, and happily, we also reached the top level," he exclaimed proudly.

Taking the next step

The sheer velocity of Diamond Harbour FC's ascent is unprecedented. Having conquered I-League 3 and I-League 2 in back-to-back campaigns, they entered the 2025-26 season with only one objective — the top tier.

Through scouting talent that fits a cohesive vision, rather than just chasing big names, Vicuna has built a squad that values tactical discipline above all else but one thing, having fun on the pitch.

And when he isn’t gorging on his favourite mutton biriyani, the soft-spoken Spaniard is making moves to elevate the squad to the next level.

"We are here to stay in the Indian Super League. We know we are going to compete in every competition: the Durand Cup, the Indian Super League, the Super Cup. We also know that now it's going to be more difficult, but we are ready to take the fight to clubs with a lot more experience than us," Vicuna signed off.

As they prepare to step into the ISL, the question remains: Can they sustain this magic? But if the last three years are any indication, betting against Kibu Vicuna and his band of boys is a fool’s errand.