League & Shield 1954

Club career
Manna started his playing career for Howrah Union, then a club in the 2nd Division Kolkata Football League, in 1940.Aafter turning out for the club for a couple of seasons, he joined Mohun Bagan in 1942 and continued playing for the club for a period of 19 years, till his retirement in 1960. During this period, he was the Captain of Mohun Bagan from 1950 to 1955.[2] It is to be noted that during his 19 years career in Mohun Bagan, he reportedly earned only Rs.19[5] (roughly USD 0.5 based on existing exchange rates). As a defender, he was known for his anticipation, covering and a strong free kick.

He graduated from the Surendranath College, an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta.

International career
Sailen Manna was a part of the Indian Football Team for the 1948 London  Olympics, where Indian lost to France by a margin of 1-2.[5] Under Manna's captaincy, India won the Gold Medal in the 1951 Asian Games and also won the Quandrangular Tournament for four consecutive years from 1952 to 1956.[2] In 1953, the England Football Association rated him among the 10 best skippers of the world in its yearbook.[3] Manna was also the captain of the Indian team in 1952 Olympics and a member of the 1954 Asian Games.