Football is a sport that can be played on the hills or beaches and if
you have the talent, tenacity and temperament, no matter how bad the
infrastructure you will succeed. Mizoram has proved just that. The tiny
hilly state with a population of just 10.1 lakh showed it too can
produce champions when it lifted the Santosh Trophy national football
championships beating some of the better developed states. Yes, Mizoram
is one of the few states in the Northeast that is not afflicted with the
menace of insurgency. It is one of the states where community building
takes precedence and society lives in harmony.
Even players who have done well for India go back and devote time for community service. They organise friendlies, raise money and promote the game. They realised they have the talent when players like Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Lanrindika Ralte started making it to the top clubs and then to the national side.
They also knew there was a lack of state-of-the-art infrastructure in the state. So with the help of the national federation, the state body started promoting the sport in the grassroots and floated the Mizoram Premier League in 2012. That, according to officials and players, helped spot talent. With the popularity and will to do well, they started making rapid strides. The other factor that worked in their favour was the presence of the stars, who were representing top clubs all over India. Apart from being role models, they helped instill belief that no matter what the challenge is, it can be overcome with hard work. Their triumph in the Santosh Trophy is a combination of all these factors. Now, Mizoram will inspire other states in the Northeast. Football is the most popular sport there. What they lacked was some sort of infrastructure and a vision. With a model to follow and result in place, we will see more footballers from the hills capturing the imagination of the nation and winning the highest honours.
Even players who have done well for India go back and devote time for community service. They organise friendlies, raise money and promote the game. They realised they have the talent when players like Shylo Malsawmtluanga, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Lanrindika Ralte started making it to the top clubs and then to the national side.
They also knew there was a lack of state-of-the-art infrastructure in the state. So with the help of the national federation, the state body started promoting the sport in the grassroots and floated the Mizoram Premier League in 2012. That, according to officials and players, helped spot talent. With the popularity and will to do well, they started making rapid strides. The other factor that worked in their favour was the presence of the stars, who were representing top clubs all over India. Apart from being role models, they helped instill belief that no matter what the challenge is, it can be overcome with hard work. Their triumph in the Santosh Trophy is a combination of all these factors. Now, Mizoram will inspire other states in the Northeast. Football is the most popular sport there. What they lacked was some sort of infrastructure and a vision. With a model to follow and result in place, we will see more footballers from the hills capturing the imagination of the nation and winning the highest honours.