 Chemjong withNepal in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kiran Kumar Chemjong Limbu[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1990-03-24)24 March 1990 (age 35)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dhankuta,Nepal | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Bangladesh Police | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| –2008 | ANFA Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Machhindra | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2016 | Three Star | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Manang Marshyangdi | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | TC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Minerva Punjab | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | TC Sports Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Minerva Punjab | 29 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Dhangadhi | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Maziya | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Punjab | 27 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Bangladesh Police | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008– | Nepal | 107 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 September 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 September 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Kiran Kumar Limbu (Nepali:किरण चेम्जोङ लिम्बु ; born 20 March 1990), also known asKiran Chemjong,[3] is a Nepalese professionalfootballer who plays as agoalkeeper forBangladesh Police and theNepal national team.[4]
Born inDhankuta, Chemjong graduated from theANFA Academy and joined theMachhindra. After spending one year at the club, his impressive performances at Chemjong earned him a move to theThree Star Club in 2007. He has wonBritish Gurkha Cup andAaha Gold Cup Football Tournament. After being the best goalkeeper of south Asia of the time, Kiran was offered byTC Sports Club in January 2017. He played his first game for TC Sports Club in February 2017 and showed impressive performance, helping the club to win the match by 1–0.[5]
On January 23, 2018, he signed a deal with Hero I League club,Minerva Punjab for an undisclosed amount.[citation needed] He made his debut for the club in an away fixture againstNEROCA. He saved a penalty in the 50th minute againstEast Bengal, which was taken byKatsumi Yusa. He was adjudged as the hero-of-the-match for that fine save.[6] Kiran made total of 8 appearances for the club. He eventually won the2017–18 I-League with Minerva.[7]
In September 2022, he signed forI-League clubRoundGlass Punjab.[8][9] He was part of the team that clinched their second I-League trophy in2022–23 season, and gained promotion to2023–24 Indian Super League.[10][11][12]
Chemjong made his Indian Super League debut on 23 September, in their 3–1 away defeat toMohun Bagan in Kolkata.[13][14]
He is currently considered as the first-choice goalkeeper in Nepal. He has a height advantage over more senior keepers likeBikash Malla andRitesh Thapa. He has produced brilliant displays against oppositions bringing wide acclaims.[15] Chemjong played debut match for Nepal in a 3–2 victory againstMacau in2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers held inPhnom Penh,Cambodia, although he broke hisjaw in the match.[5] He debuted at the home ground in a 1–0 win againstAfghanistan during the2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification.[16]
In the2012 Nehru Cup, Chemjong won the man of the match award in Nepal's game withIndia.[17] His performance in the match earned praise from the Indian newspaperThe Hindu and from theMaldives head coachIstván Urbányi.[18]
On 26 March 2024, he earned his 100th international cap in a 3–0 away defeat againstBahrain during the2026 World Cup qualification, becoming the first Nepalese to achieve this feat. However, according to theAll Nepal Football Association (ANFA), he played his centurion match on 11 June later that year, which ended in a 2–2 away draw againstYemen in the same qualifiers.[19]
In 2015, along with Three Star teammate Bishnu Gurung, Chemjong paid a visit to malnourished children in an orphanage inPokhara, saying afterwards that it was a "day to remember".[20] On 31 August 2022, He married with his long time girlfriend Kanchan Niraula.[21]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 104 | 0 | |
Minerva Punjab/RoundGlass Punjab
TC Sports
Maziya S&RC
Individual
