FOREIGN ASSETS: Bengaluru FC's foreigners perfectly complement their deep domestic roster

BENGALURU FC just played the first match of their I-League 2016-17 campaign, and they went in with a squad heavy on domestic talent. Among the first 18, they used only two foreign players.

Although the club puts a lot of emphasis on growing Indian talent and putting them at the forefront of their first team, they have 4 foreigners in their squad as is the norm in I-League. But unlike most of the clubs in the league, the overseas players don't form the crux of their attack, nor are they depended upon by the club to deliver results in key games.

The foreigners at BFC are rather a complimentary bunch who are as much squad players as the rest. And it shows how they are treated when it comes to picking the team. While in most I-League clubs the foreigners are almost always guaranteed a start, here they have to fight with Indian players for a place in the starting line-up.

How good the Indians at BFC can be became apparent when they made it to the AFC Cup final with an all-Indian attack. Here in I-League, though, they have signed a foreign striker; they are playing in the AFC Champions League qualifiers and need all the help they can get.

So let's take a look at BFC's four foreign players for the season, and try to assess how much of a help they can be for them.