Highlanders pay tribute to Zubeen Garg in Sonapur ahead of first home match
For the club, the visit carried weight beyond ritual. Sunday will be their first home match at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium since Zubeen passed away.
The squad placed a customised team jersey bearing Zubeen's name at the Kshetra, along with a club cap and a Gamosa.
GUWAHATI, March 14: The players of NorthEast United FC made a quiet, emotional stop on Thursday before the noise of match day takes over.
Before their preparations for Sunday's ISL clash against Jamshedpur FC at Sarusajai, the Highlanders drove out to Zubeen Kshetra in Sonapur to pay their respects at the memorial of Zubeen Garg, the Assamese singing legend who died last year.
For the club, the visit carried weight beyond ritual. Sunday will be their first home match at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium since Zubeen passed away, and the team wanted to mark that before stepping onto the pitch.
"We are playing our first game at Indira Gandhi Stadium since Zubeen left us," head coach Juan Pedro Benali said. "We couldn't honour him. It's our next game which will be dedicated to him. So we came here to give our respect and think about him."
The squad placed a customised team jersey bearing Zubeen's name at the Kshetra, along with a club cap and a gamosa.
Forward Parthib Sundar Gogoi, who grew up listening to Zubeen like most in Assam, said the visit felt natural. "Zubeen da loved football very much. We are here to seek his blessings ahead of our first home match and we will keep paying tribute to him through the game," Parthib told The Assam Tribune.
Later, the club shared an emotional message on its social media handles, remembering Zubeen Garg as a cultural force whose influence extended far beyond music.
“He was an icon, a revolutionary spirit, and the heartbeat of Assam, the Northeast, and millions across India. His passing has left a void that words can hardly fill,” the club said.
Referring to the large gathering at the Sarusajai sports complex during the singer’s last rites, the club noted that the grounds had witnessed the immense affection people held for him as thousands gathered to bid him farewell.
The message also recalled Zubeen Garg’s love for football and the region.
“Zubeen da had always spoken about his deep love for football, for the people, and for this land. As we prepare for our first home match of the season, it felt only right to seek his blessings. We visited Zubeen Kshetra to pay our tribute, carrying gratitude, memories and a promise to make him proud,” the club wrote.
The statement concluded with a tribute to the singer’s legacy.
“On Sunday, when we step onto the field, we will not walk out alone. We will carry his spirit with us. We will carry his legacy. We will play for the Northeast.”