It’s now or never for Indian football

The 17th edition of FIFA Under-17 World Cup-2017 will be hosted across six Indian cities from October 6 to 28. Following the commencement of the countdown, and the extravaganza being round the corner, excitement is reaching a crescendo, which, inarguably is the first-of-its-kind atmosphere that prevails across the length and breadth of the country.

It will also mark a watershed occasion for Indian football, as a whole, as also go a long way in rekindling memories of a bygone era when the sport was second only to hockey in terms of national popularity.

The biennial international youth football championship will be contested by 24 countries. The 16th edition was hosted by Chile. Nigeria, the defending champion, is a five-time winner of the coveted trophy.

However, the African giant will not be defending the title having failed to make it to the final round. The mascot Kheleo, a clouded leopard, was unveiled on February 10, while the fixtures and the official slogan themed appropriately as ‘Football Takes Over’ were released on March 27.

The first edition was held in 1985 in China. Initially competition was held for only the Under-16 age-group. It was enhanced to 17 in the 1991 edition. In a landmark move, extra time period of 30 minutes was eliminated in 2011 in order to avoid player-burnout. Consequently, all knockout games progress straight to penalties if deadlocked at the end of 90 minutes.

The 17th edition consists of six groups with each comprising of four teams, which play each other to qualify for the pre-quarterfinal round. It will be the time when emotions will be more pronounced because the eliminations and heartbreaks will be regular features.

A major positive from this tournament is that it will provide a great opportunity for emerging footballers to showcase their skills and become the next generation of superstars. Some of those who played in the U-17 World Cup and went on to represent the senior national teams and won the FIFA World Cup, include extraordinary talents like Cesc Fabregas, Mario Gotze, and Ronaldinho.

I would like to also mention special talents like Neymar Jr, Anthony Martial, Kylian Mbappé and Dembele, whose feats were breathtaking in the U-17 championships and who all made the inter-club transfer market crazy while commanding huge fees.

Taken under any yardstick, this event serves as the perfect platform for young talents to set high standards and earn global glory. India is placed in Group ‘A’ with United States of America, Colombia and Ghana. This is a great opportunity for Indian youngsters to make the world notice their talent, considering that the entire football world will be catching up with the action that will be underway during the three-week period.

The Union Government, All India Football Federation (AIFF) and all the stakeholders are to be appreciated for hosting this prestigious event. In addition to the quest to deliver parading the most successful event, Indian footballers ought to remember that it will be a question of ‘now or never’ given the high-end stakes that will make or mar a team’s prospects.

Should the competition be considered a success, AIFF will next be bidding for the Under-20 World Cup, which will be the icing on the cake. Meanwhile, everyone involved with the beautiful game is keeping their fingers crossed and awaiting the dawn of the Red-Letter Day. (The Hyderabad-based writer is a former Indian football captain).

By Victor Amalraj