Focusing on grassroots is the way forward for Indian Football

Over the years in India, football at the grassroots level has often been neglected. However, the importance of developing grassroots cannot be undermined. With a population of more than 1.3 billion and a huge number of followers for the beautiful game, it is rather surprising for many that India does not have a competitive football team that can challenge the world elites.

Iceland with a population of only 3 lakh, has more coaches than India, that’s the kind of gap we are talking about. The response received for the franchise based tournament like the and with the successful hosting of the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, the country once famously described as a “sleeping giant’ of world football”, has finally shown that there’s huge potential for the sport.

But organizing these events are just not enough for the overall rise of this game in the country that is where grassroots development comes into play. Lack of infrastructure and training facilities is often the stumbling block for aspiring football players. The aim to have a world-class national team can only be realistic if everything starts at the grassroots level, with players being nurtured from an early age and also given proper exposure so that they develop into successful footballers. Indian football has a long way to go before it can be recognized amongst the world elites.

Today’s young generation is extremely passionate about the sport. Global leagues like the Premier League and clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, and other European clubs have a considerable fan base in India. European powerhouses like Germany & Spain have set a benchmark when it comes to grassroots development with players being nurtured from the very young age and hence, are reaping its benefits. Every child from five onward is considered a future professional.

Grassroots is Vital for India's Development Plans

Proper Infrastructure, professional coaching academies, structured training sessions, stringent coaching techniques, constant encouragement trials and tournaments for all ages is the way forward. By providing these facilities, it becomes easier to identify the right talent from a wider pool and also create an environment to strive for these youngsters. Grassroots football is the start of a child’s first introduction to the beautiful game.

It improves their technical ability over the period of time with sole focus only on development rather than winning. It tends to develop a mindset amongst budding players that they are not just taught passion, they are born with it. The benefits of sports education are limitless. Though the results are not imminent, it is definitely one for the future. After all, we all want our national team players to be classy, cultured, educated, skilled, intelligent and self-motivated.

A large number of local tournaments are held across India. However, due to lack of marketing activities, these tournaments fail to attain the required attention of local talents. Participating in such events would no doubt be beneficial for aspiring young talents as it provides them with an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of large crowds. Regular club selection trials are organized by local and national clubs in search of best young talents. However, many deserving players tend to miss out on such opportunities due to lack of updates and information.