In the footsteps of Ronaldo

Happy days are here again or so it seems for Hyderabad football, albeit in the junior category. The developments in July come as a whiff of fresh air considering that India is to host the Under-17 World Cup next year. At least three young footballers from Telangana State, including a girl, are in the national news for their playing skills that are helping them knock on the doors of the higher league with their exploits on the ground.

Vishruth Pulluru, who is studying Standard XI in St Andrews School, was an integral part of the Indian team that participated in the Under-17 Futsal World Cup hosted by Paraguay from July 11 to 20.

Rising talent G Soumya is currently with the Indian team in Patiala’s SAI Centre, where a conditioning camp that has been underway since July 27 will continue till August 25.

However, a third player is making bigger waves with his prodigious dexterity that has seen him rub shoulders with the likes of Ronaldinho, in an event that has upped the popularity stakes of the beautiful game in India by several notches.

Indeed, if Premier Futsal has been a runaway hit and is here to stay, so has been the city’s very own
Mohammed Ahtesham Ali, who at a mere 19 years of age representing Goa 5s, entered the record books as the youngest player in the championship.

‘I am living my dream of making the sport my career. I have lived football since the time I was introduced to it. I would skip my meals to catch up with on-field action either in the neighbourhood or any distant place where I would get an opportunity to parade my talent,’ points out the beaming Ali, fresh from his successful debut at the national level alongside overseas stalwarts.

On how and where he honed his skills, Ali, who is a regular at Sports Coaching Foundation (SCF) in Masab Tank, points out, “I played for AG Office in the Rahim league. Our team finished as the runner-up in the ‘A’ league, which implies that I had a long stint this summer. That apart, I also turn up for Hyderabad 11 football team.”

Ali, a midfielder who aspires to represent the best of world class clubs abroad, acknowledges the role of his Sudanese coach-mentor, Md Salih, who trained him for close to three years at SCF as also the Foundation’s founder-Secretary, K Sai Baba. He met Salih as a freshly aspiring footballer when he was all of 14 years.

“I am indebted to my coach because he was the one who saw a spark in me and advised me to concentrate on developing an all-round approach to the game. Those pearls of wisdom are my inspirations and will remain so into all my playing days,” says the bubbling second year B Com student at Anwar-ul-Uloom College, in complete awe of his guiding force.

In a way, Futsal happened almost by a stroke of luck for him, providence, as he describes.“I chanced upon the official Premier Futsal post and wished to jump on to the exciting proposition. After giving my best shot, I ended up being a part of the Premier League.

“Having seen some of the celebrated players from across the globe in flesh and blood, from very close quarters, and the level of play that is prevalent all over, I must say that I have had first-hand experiences into the practicalities of going about my game. I will forever cherish those memorable learning experiences. The five-year toil has, in a way, started reaping dividends.

I am sure this is merely a beginning as I wish to pursue a full-fledged football career,” reflects the well-built youngster, fondly wishing to emulate his role-model Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently steered Portugal to its biggest Euro glory.