BEYOND THE NEXT GOAL
USHERING IN A NEW ERA IN INDIAN FOOTBALL
“There’s something greater than the result, more lasting – a legacy.” - Xavi, International Football Player
There has only ever been one game that has amassed such passioate inspirations across the globe. Unlike the rest, football plays on human passion – right from the spectators on the stand, to the referees running alongside. Just look back on an average Indian childhood; we grow up kicking cans and bottles, slowly evolving to paper balls, and for a lucky few, the twelve-pentagonal football. The landmark memories we may have of this rugged, player-on-player game lie stubbornly on school and neighborhood playgrounds, or makeshift football fields made sacred by its players. Unlike its almost hero-worshipped counterparts, this sport relies neither on a bat nor a racquet to become the mediator. What makes this game so special is that the entirety of its outcome lies solely on its players. Here, the rules and restrictions come second to the pure, unadulterated love for the game. One only need look at the generations of players and followers it has amassed in the by-lanes of Goa – where children and grandparents find equal footing when it comes to cheering (or dissing!) the players on-field.
So, what makes this sport so exclusive in its audience? Can Indian leagues, local and regional teams compete with the adulation and support international teams receive? Why is it only recently that the likes of Sunil Chetri and Bala Devi have risen above the ranks, to take football to the global field?
On this, Juan Ferrando, the Head Coach of FC Goa, one of the eleven clubs competing in the Indian Super League, sheds some light: “I think we should focus all our efforts on developing the youth and improving the academies. The future is built there. Without it, the life span of the clubs is limited by its budget.” Where the right sporting infrastructure, education and support are instrumental to a game’s future in the country, the players’ mindsets and value-driven approach are just as important. Says Eduardo Bedia, Captain and central midfielder for FC Goa, “The values I carry from Spain, hold true here as well. Respect the game, and enjoy it. You cannot win anything without enjoying it. We are lucky to be professional footballers and we have to take advantage of every moment.” When it comes to training young blood off-field, Bedia also adds, “They shouldn’t be afraid of failing, and if they fail they have to be encouraged to try again. That is the most important thing to become a professional.”
But it doesn’t end there. On speaking to Dr. Nelson Pinto, the team’s dedicated nutritionist and first-team Doctor, it becomes clear that what goes in is just as important to the outcome on and off the field. “As a team doctor in sports, I realised we need to have a multi-disciplinary approach for the betterment of a team, of which sports nutrition plays a crucial role. Professional players and athletes eke out every ounce of power as required in high-performance fields like sports. This means that they need muscle loading and recovery at a high level. This is where protein supplements come in.”
“For the team’s muscle recovery, we opt for Optimum Nutrition.”
“It is a fundamental means of recovery and muscle growth, and we include it in our diet plan. A good rest and diet are priorities, and even more so when games are played every other day,” adds Ferrando, the Head Coach. “We turn to Optimum Nutrition’s range of supplements. For their daily muscle wear and tear recovery, we opt for the Gold Standard 100% Whey, and for hydration and amino acids needs, the team consumes AMIN.O. Energy in a number of flavours.” He then adds, “The best part is, this brand’s products don’t contain any WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) banned substances and carry Informed Choice certifications. In a high-adrenaline sport like football, it’s so important to ensure your supplements are legal and authentic, and Optimum Nutrition has that surety.”
While the country’s ode to this beautiful game is yet a work in progress, it is heartening to see the likes of Ferrando and Bedia striving to keep the love of the game alive. “Every training, every sacrifice and every effort is worth it only if you enjoy every minute of what you do,” as the revered coach says. That is, after all, the only way one can break the boundaries of the game, and push one’s own limits along the way.