India could be one of the greatest footballing nations on Earth, argues Aaditya Rao, 15 — but only if they stop wasting the potential of their young players.
What unites the major cities of Europe with the slums of Mumbai? In both places you will find no shortage of passionate young footballers, full of talent and drive. But why is it that in the most populated country of all, there’s only been one player who’s played in the UEFAThe Union of European Football Associations is the organisation that administers football tournaments in Europe. Champions League?
Why? Opportunity. In India, there is a lack of opportunity, a lack of understanding that sports is a valid career, a dream that can and should be strived for. Football isn’t just a hobby. It is a form of hope for millions and a chance to escape from poverty. In India, there is a stigmaA mark of shame or disgrace that sets a person apart from others. In the 16th Century, it referred to a literal mark branded into the skin. attached to striving for professional football. When a child says they want to play professionally, their dream is ripped from their mouth instantly, and the idea of even entertaining such a dream is considered a disgrace.
Furthermore, we seem to neglect the massive problem in Indian youth football that denies chances for young players: age fraud. In an U14 tournament in India, 87 out of 126 players were found to be lying about their age, denying the rightful players the opportunity to play.1
I was fortunate enough to leave India when I was young, or like the others, my dreams would have been suppressed because of the nationwide craze of achieving good marks, getting into a good college and landing a safe job. I have seen the dreams of young players get crushed because of the lack of facilities and support. In Europe, young players are exposed to professional settings at a young age. But in India, we play on fields destroyed with mud and debris.
It all starts from the foundation of sports, the culture and the tradition. As a football player from India but currently playing in Singapore, I can say that I escaped. I escaped a reality in which my dreams would be crushed by the demands of others and corruption in youth football. Despite being the most populated country in the world, we fail to push our youth to compete in sports.
Former FIFAThe Federation Internationale de Football Association is the world’s highest governing body of association football. president Sepp Blatter called India a “sleeping giant for world football”. But he doesn’t know of the atrocities at the core of Indian youth football, from under the table payments to age fraud to a simple lack of organisation.2
As an aspiring football player, I feel the weight of carrying the dreams of the people who I know were robbed of opportunities by their own country. It is time to restore youth dreams, build our own philosophy in football, and build pitches that will nurture talent and won’t injure them due to negligence.
There are millions of aspiring players in India. All they ask for is a chance, and an opportunity to prove their existence in the football world.
Interested in submitting your own Student Voices article or video? Find out more here.
Keywords
Uefa – The Union of European Football Associations is the organisation that administers football tournaments in Europe.
Stigma – A mark of shame or disgrace that sets a person apart from others. In the 16th Century, it referred to a literal mark branded into the skin.
Fifa – The Federation Internationale de Football Association is the world’s highest governing body of association football.
- (Siddarth Sriram, 2024)
- (The Straight Times, 2023)
Cite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
