Bhaichung Bhutia Calls For More Age-Group Tournaments Across India To Unearth Talent

Indian football legend and former national team captain Bhaichung Bhutia has called for more age-group tournaments to take place in different regions of the country to unearth youngsters interested in the sport. Bhutia has called for support from all stakeholders concerned for the same.

The 47-year-old, who hails from Sikkim, spoke highly about Mizoram’s love for the game, and how the state has gone about giving rise to impressive talent across different age groups despite limited resources. He also lauded the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) Naupang League as a good initiative for optimising the footballing talent in Mizoram.

“It’s one state that I have visited a few times. I know the passion that they have there. They play just one sport and that’s football! I have seen a lot of players come up from Mizoram, being such a small state, they have produced so many players who have gone on to play for India in different age-groups, that itself shows how Mizoram is in terms of football.

"It’s a great start. (The RFYC Naupang League) is a pioneering project and I hope it’s successful, so that it can be implemented in different parts of the country,” Bhutia said in an interview with the Indian Super League (ISL).

'Need To Do Much More At Grassroots Level'

The RFYC Naupang League was launched in November 2022, and spans nine months across four districts of Mizoram—Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, and Lunglei—catering to age groups U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12, and U-14. The Naupang League in Aizawl and Champhai features 12 teams each in the five aforementioned age groups, with each team playing 33 matches.

Meanwhile, Kolasib and Lunglei will host the RFYC District League, beginning with 21 matches in a three-legged tournament for the same age groups, adding up to four more matches per team for enhanced competitive exposure. Bhutia has urged for adequate support from the authorities at all levels, in order to take the initiative to different nooks and corners of the country.

“I think it’s a good start (the RFYC Naupang League). We need to do much more in terms of grassroots. It’s not going to be enough only in Mizoram in the northeast. We need to spread across India. There are several talented players across India.

"Everyone, not just the ISL, but also the federation, the state football associations, the district football associations, need to be completely involved in the grassroots development. I see a lot of talent. But, we will have to put in a lot of time, energy and effort to get that talent out, and give them the right platform. It’s a great start from Mizoram,” he added.

The Naupang League has completed two successful seasons, with over 2,350 boys and girls from 184 teams participating in the previous edition, in addition to 36 referees attending the referee licensing sessions, with 23 of them achieving Level 8 licences. Aizawl will host matchday 5 of the ongoing Season 3 on Saturday (October 12, 2024).