Rodriguinho leads Durand Cup 2026 scoring chart as tournament progresses in Kolkata

Rodriguinho heads the Durand Cup 2026 Golden Boot race with five goals as the 135th edition, which began on 25 July and runs until 23 August with the final to be held in Kolkata, moves through its group stage.

The competition kicked off on 25 July with this season’s first Kolkata Derby and has featured numerous high-scoring games and multiple hat-tricks as the group stage fixtures near completion and the playoffs draw closer. Teams including Shillong Lajong and Mohun Bagan SG have produced sizable wins, and several young Indian players have appeared on the tournament’s top scorers list.

SC Delhi’s recent Brazilian signing, Rodriguinho, scored five times in a 7-0 victory over Sri Lankan side Defenders FC, including three goals inside six minutes — at the sixth, eighth and twelfth minutes — a performance that put him atop the scoring standings. The club’s profile and attacking output were noted to have improved after his inclusion in the squad ahead of the new season.

Alaaeddine Ajaraie returned from a loan spell to rejoin NorthEast United FC and netted a hat-trick in their opening match against Bodoland SC. In the following game he added a brace, bringing his tournament total to five goals, equalling Rodriguinho’s tally.

Several players have reached three-goal tallies: Midul Doley scored a hat-trick for FC Raengdai in their opening fixture, Jamshedpur FC’s newest recruit Raynier Fernandes also produced a hat-trick in a statement win, and Mohun Bagan SG’s Manvir Singh has accumulated three goals. Basit Bhat and PV Vishnu have likewise recorded three goals apiece.

Other notable scorers include Marat Tareck (Russia), who has two goals for Odisha side Samaleswari Sporting, while East Bengal FC’s Bipin Singh and Jesin TK have each scored two goals under new head coach Antonio Lopez Habas. Suhail Bhat scored a late brace for the Mariners against South United FC in the last two to three minutes of play, and SC Delhi’s signing Hnamte, who joined from Chennaiyin FC ahead of the season, scored late against Jamshedpur FC to secure SC Delhi’s maiden victory over the Red Miners.

The Golden Boot contest remains active as the Durand Cup continues toward its 23 August final in Kolkata, with multiple players currently vying on similar goal totals and the knockout stages approaching.