MARGAO
Former India football stars Bhaichung Bhutia and Subrata Paul graced the Dream Sports Championship Football 2025 National Finals, held at the Raia panchayat football ground recently.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the finals, the former footballers emphasized the need for more grassroots football in India and praised the efforts of Dream Sports Foundation in this direction.
"India is such a big country. We need more such grassroots tournaments. The Dream Sports Foundation has done a fantastic job introducing this U-17 national tournament. In the next few years, this tournament can become one of the biggest grassroots football tournaments in India. My own football academy (Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools) has been collaborating with the Dream Sports Foundation. Thanks to their sponsorship programs, three of our players have donned India colours in the last three years," said Bhutia.
The former India football captain was keen to see national-level tournaments in the U-13 and U-15 age groups as well. "Fortunately, Dream Sports Foundation is keen to examine this possibility," he added.
Identifying mobile phones as a major distraction, Bhutia said, "To become a strong footballing nation, we need more children to leave their mobile phones and play football. I am a parent and understand the challenges involved. Unless hundreds of children play football, we will never get a large enough pool of talent to choose from."
When asked about the goalkeeping talent he had seen in this tournament, former India goalkeeper Subrata Paul said, "There are many young and talented goalkeepers. Anisha Oraon from the Jharkhand FA girls team is particularly very competent."
"We need football coaching and tournaments even in the U-10 and U-8 age groups," Subrata added.
