Ashique Kuruniyan : Career, Net Worth, Awards & Family

Indian Football has witnessed many stories of rags-to-riches. One such story is about Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan.

Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan has just completed the 2024-25 season by winning the Indian Super League (ISL) with Mohun Bagan Super Giant. Known for his versatility, Kuruniyan plays on the left flank for the Mariners. Although Ashique usually plays as a left winger, he was sometimes utilised as a left wing-back by coach Jose Francisco Molina.
Kuruniyan began his professional career with the ISL side Pune City FC in 2017. In 2019, he signed a four-year contract with Bengaluru FC, a team he had long aspired to join. In June 2022, Kuruniyan moved to Mohun Bagan Super Giants, the club where he won his first Indian Super League (ISL). After a successful run with the club, it is now being reported that Ashique has signed a new four-year deal with Bengaluru FC and will play for ‘The Blues’ in the 2025-26 season.

Who is Ashique Kuruniyan?

Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan was born on June 14, 1997, in the football-crazy town of Malappuram, Kerala. He is one of India's most followed football players on social media. Becoming a football player has been a long dream for him. Ashique hails from a humble background, and his family's constant support helped him to become a footballer.

Ashique Kuruniyan Net Worth

The current market value of Ashique Kuruniyan is ₹1.4 Crore. Ashique Kuruniyan net worth has not been publicly disclosed. In 2023, the 28-year-old bought a luxurious Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. He also owns a football academy called the "AK22 Football Academy" in Mallapuram. As one of India's elite players, it is estimated that Ashique's net worth is a substantial amount, and with a long career ahead of him, it is expected to increase further.

What is Ashique Kuruniyan Salary?

As of 2025, Ashique Kuruniyan salary is approximately ₹91 lakhs, as reported by football salaries. He was the 10th highest-paid athlete in the Kolkata-based club. However, details of his salary following the recent move to Bengaluru FC are yet to be disclosed.

Player Styles and Strengths

Kuruniyan is widely regarded as one of the most versatile players in Indian football. He is a left winger who can also play as a left-back. With an athletic build, he is one of the fastest players in ISL. In his early days, he used to run 100m sprints, which enhanced his pace. Kuruniyan is a powerful runner with the ball who likes to glide past defenders. He is appreciated for his determination on the pitch. His dribbling skills and ability to score goals have helped his teams win matches. For India, he is used as a player who can play anywhere according to the situation. This highlights his passion and commitment to play for his country. His versatility allows him to adjust to any team.

Ashique Kuruniyan Family and Early Life

Kuruniyan grew up in a town renowned for its football. Playing football was a natural decision for him. But the finances weren't in his favour. He comes from a humble background. His father, Assain, worked at a shop, and his mother, Khadeeja, was a housewife. Ashique Kuruniyan Family includes seven people. Assain and Khadeeja have five children together, and Ashique is the youngest among them. According to Kuruniyan, his PE teacher was once looking for a winger in the school team, and since he had experience running 100-metre sprints, the teacher approached him. A young Kuruniyan later joined a football camp and shifted to the Malabar Special Police (MSP) Department Sports Hostel, where he learned the beautiful game. Later, Ashique started playing in the Sevens circuit.
In the eighth standard, Ashqiue had to drop out of school to earn for his family. He used to work to support his family. But he didn't give up on football. He used to play in small fields after his work. He gave a trial for Vision India, a scheme started by the Kerala Football Association, where he got selected. He trained for three years there. Kuruniyan then got selected by the SAIL Football Academy during the U-15 National Championship held in Jharkhand, after which a second-division club in the Delhi League offered him a contract. In Delhi, he played in the U-19 Hero I-League. After that, he moved to Pune, where Pune City FC scouted him to join their youth academy. Kuruniyan impressed his coaches everywhere he went, and in 2017, Pune City FC gave him a contract to play in the ISL.

Who is Ashique Kuruniyan Wife?

Ashique Kuruniyan wife is Aseela, a pharmacist from Malappuram, Kerala. The couple got married on September 5, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ashique Kuruniyan Career

One of the major highlights of Ashique Kuruniyan career has been his loan move to Spain's Villareal CF C in 2016. The then-19-year-old winger was loaned out to Villarreal C by his then-parent club, FC Pune City, for a stint in Spain.
Ashique Kuruniyan career as a professional footballer started with Pune City FC when he was promoted to the senior team in 2017. In 2019, Kuruniyan joined Bengaluru FC before moving to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in 2022. He has proven to be a great single team he's been a part of. Kuruniyan debuted for the Indian National team in 2018 against Chinese Taipei. Till now, he has donned the blue jersey 32 times.

Club Career

Ashique started at Pune City FC, but before he could show his talent, he was loaned out to Villareal CF's C team, which turned out to be the talk of the town at the time. Villarreal president Fernando Roig stated that the Pune FC academy youngster was picked by the La Liga side's youth team as the club saw potential in him. But soon, happiness turned into sorrow for Kuruniyan as he got injured and returned to Pune after a short-lived three-month stint.

In 2019, Bengaluru FC signed him for a fee of ₹75 lakh. His impressive performances caught the eye of many clubs, including Kerala Blasters, but it was finally Mohun Bagan Super Giant who signed him in 2022. After a successful stint with the club, Kuruyinan is now set to return to the Kanteerva as a Bengaluru FC player.

International Career

The Kerala-born winger has represented India in the Under-18 category in the Asian Champions Trophy. He was also selected in the Indian team for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-19 championships. During a match against Iraq in September 2023, Kuruniyan tore his ACL and was forced to sit out the entire season. Kuruniyan has been a great asset to the Indian team. He has scored 2 goals for them in his 32 appearances. He has also won 3 trophies with India.

Awards and Achievements

The 27-year-old has won many team trophies in his career. Talking about Ashique Kuruniyan awards and achievements, he is a two-time ISL Cup winner with Mohun Bagan Super Giant. He also won the 2024 Durand Cup with them. At the International level, he is a two-time Intercontinental Cup winner with India. Kuruniyan also won the South Asian Trophy in 2023.