City players to test their skills in Laliga U-16 event
Destiny seemed to have ensured that these nine players from the City would be part of the 16-member Indian team to play in the La Liga championship
HYDERABAD: Lal Bahadur Stadium in the City may have been a forgotten venue for major sporting events for a long time now!
But, when about 300 young football talent from across India and from the City showcased their skills at the venue in the selections organised by Grasshopper Sports to pick the under-16 team from India for the Laliga Youth Championship in Kuala Lumpur (from July 11) the local players Fawwaz Mohammed Khan, Amash Yousuf Subhani, Mohammed Abaan Hussain, Mohammed Agha Taha Qureshi, Mohammed Mahaboob Khan, Aiman Subhani, Armaan Hussain, Anzer Qureshi and Fahad Mohammed Khan might not have dreamt of playing in such a major like Laliga which happens to be the world’s first official youth football tournament endorsed and supported by Laliga, the premier Spanish football league and home to many clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
But, destiny seemed to have ensured that these nine players from the City would be part of the 16-member Indian team to play in the La Liga championship.
For the record, the Indian team comprises nine players from Hyderabad, three from Rajasthan, two from Maharashtra, and four from the North East.
And, interestingly, the head coach of the team is also the 38-year-old Agha Muzaffaruddin, coach-cum-manager of the team.
“It is never easy for the Indian team but I am sure the exposure will help the players a long way as they dream big and chase bigger goals,” says Muzafaruddin in a chat with ‘Telangana Today’.
“In the league we will be playing four matches before the knock-out phase begins and our first match is against Spain followed by Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand,” he said.
“Well, this is not the first time players will be there for the Laliga tournament. In 2023, we failed to get past the league phase. But again, if the boys live up to their expectations, then we can hope for some big surprises,” the coach said.
“The best part is that the Laliga is a premier platform for elite Asian youth teams to compete, network, and experience international football in a carnival-like atmosphere,” said Muzafaruddin, a former Sub-junior national player and someone familiar with the sport’s history in the City.
“The team has undergone rigorous training and looks in a pretty good mood to give off its best. Definitely, this championship should give a clear hint where this young talent is heading for,” he signed off.
