INDIA MUST NOT GET OVERAWED BY THEIR RIVALS’ REPUTATION

I played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 2001. It was held in Trinidad and Tobago so for each member of the squad it was their first trip outside Europe. It was a learning experience both on and off the field. We were in a group that had Argentina, Burkina Faso and Oman. Though we were disappointed to get eliminated at the group stage but we had a good group of players including legends like Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres.

The experience we got there made us better players because two years later, quite a few played in the U-20 World Cup and finished runners-up. We realised at the U-17 World Cup that the gap between teams is minimal. We lost to Burkina Faso, a result that in senior international football would be a big shock.

But in that group stage there wasn’t big a gulf in class between teams. We also lost to Argentina, which had the likes of Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Pablo Zabaleta but the game was very tight. So the current India U-17 team must believe in themselves and not get intimidated by the FIFA ranking of the senior team of that nation.

It’s a great opportunity for the Indian boys to play a World Cup in their own country. But they must not get carried away and stay humble and keep working hard. Because playing the FIFA U-17 World Cup is just one of the first steps. There is a long way to go in their career.

Even from our FIFA U-17 World Cup team in 2001, only Iniesta and Torres went on to play for the Spain national team and win the FIFA World Cup as well. Even from that Argentina team, only Tevez, Mascherano and Zabaleta went on to have great careers. (The author played for Spain in the 2001 FIFA U17 World Cup and will be donning Chennaiyin FC colours for ISL 201718)