Barcelona beckons TS football teen

Hyderabad: He is frail in appearance and on first glance his body gives no impression that he is a footballer. That he is immensely gifted gets evidenced when he steps onto the football ground and starts dribbling.

Meet the Manipuri teenager (he hails from Thoubal) who is all set to take Telangana State to an envious position on the football map.

The second-year Intermediate student at Abhyasa International School in Toopran, Aneel Soibam is on the threshold of a career-changing turning point.

‘I took a liking for the sport when I was studying in third standard. There was a reasonably good football activity around and my uncle was active with a local club. These helped me immensely in cementing my preference for the sport over a period of time,’ explains Aneel, who is Barcelona-bound.

‘I have been fascinated by the Spanish style, which I find more charming than the sort dished out by Africans and Latin American giants. With an obsession to emerge as a midfielder of eminence, I find that tactically the Europeans seem endowed with natural flair,’ says the boy, who will turn 18 on December 28.

The trip has been made possible at the behest of Mohd Shamsuddin, whose city-based Sports Village, has been rendering yeomen service for budding footballers and tennis players.

Shamsuddin points out, ‘Aneel was selected purely on his potential by the famed Albert Viñas I Aliau when he was in Hyderabad last December. They have done well at International Smart football Academy in Football Salou in Barcelona.

This will be a great opportunity for the young boy in the Technifutbol international tourney where 500 teams from across the globe will participate from June 20 to July 2.

‘He has a chance to be scouted by European clubs. Aneel will be joining a professional club at Salou, once the tournament is completed,’ says Shamsuddin.

Aneel, whose appearance, including hairdo, is inspired by Neymar Jr, proved his supporters right when he turned up for GRFA (Hyd) in the Goa Super Cup.

‘I will remain indebted to my coach, Peter Siddique, who helped shape my approach, techniques and the mindset to win,’ he says while also acknowledging the encouragement provided by his college management.

June 20 when he will leave for Barcelona could well be a watershed day for Aneel Soibam, whose first role-model was David Beckham, and hopefully for Indian football on the whole, sooner than later.