India kicks start FIFA World Cup preparation for the 2022 event in Qatar

India kicks start FIFA World Cup preparation for the 2022 event in Qatar

Four Croatians, one Frenchman and a Moroccan share one common goal in Qatar. All of them are working together to turn the football dreams of expatriate Indian youngsters of playing for the national team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar a reality.

The four led by head coach Slaven are football coaches oversee the training of 200-odd Indian footballers at Absolute Sports Academy in Doha Qatar.

India has never qualified for the football mega piece event and the event to be held from four years’ time in Qatar offers a slim hope for the Asian country, which has been continental powerhouse in the 60 and early 70’s wining two Asian Games gold medals and one Bronze medal in 1970.

The All India Football Federation is also looking to groom kids from other countries with their foreign scouting programme.

Absolute Sports Academy in Doha Qatar is yet to join the programme but aim to do in the coming months, an official said.

A joint programme between Sports Authority of India and All India Football Federation, the Overseas Scouting Project will target potential talent in countries with a substantial Indian population.

The India Under-17 football team for the 2017 World Cup in India had a Canadian who has opted for an Indian passport in Sunny Dhaliwal and Namit Deshpande, who was scouted from New Jersey in USA.

The Overseas Scouting Project conceptualized by Abhishek Yadav, who serves as the Director of Scouting at All India Football Federation, was launched by the All India Football Federation and Sports Authority of India with the Under-17 World Cup in mind which India hosted.

All India Football Federation President Praful Patel stated that they were surprised with the project’s accomplishments in a short period of time and that the federation wishes to continue with the said programme for other age groups as well.

Safeer Rahman, Qatar Indian Association for Football General Secretary, a football promoter hailing from the Indian state of Kerala and a long time Qatar resident said: “Absolute Sports Academy is the one and only academy in Qatar under Indian management. The boys train aged between 6 to 15 years train at Al Jazeera Academy on all days of the week.”

He informed that the Academy was formed in 2016 and with the schools in Qatar closing for the summer break the academy has embarked on a week-long summer exposure trip to Armenia.

The Under-10 and Under-15 teams from the academy will play at the Vanadzor Summer Cup in Yerevan, Armenia in the tournament which ends July 13. The tournament is being held in cooperation with the Football Federation of Armenia.

The two teams feature 18 budding talents and will be supervised by Uefa licensed coach Hayk Hakobyan for the duration of the trip. The Absolute kids will also see the sights of Yerevan, in addition to meeting with members of the Indian community in Armenia.

Ahead of the Armenia trip, the academy unveiled the new kit for its junior teams.

Nilangshu Dey, President of Indian Sports Centre unveiled the new kit on the eve of the teams' departure to Armenia, in the presence of Khalid Fakhroo - Advisory Board member Qatar Indian Association for Football and Jenny Antony, Qatar Indian Association for Football head of BD.

Speaking at the function, Dey praised the Absolute Sports Academy for their work in ensuring proper sporting opportunities for expatriate kids. He also stressed on the vital role Qatar is playing in promoting sports for all in the country. Ahmed Fakhroo. Safeer and Antony also addressed the gathering and wished good luck to the young footballers.