Sport throws up such intriguing stories every now and then. If Leicester’s Premier League title win was one of the most cherished moments in the history of English football, closer home, the Aizawl Football Club is enacting another fairy tale that’s equally enthralling. When Mohun Bagan was established in 1889, Mizoram was just a speck in the Northeast.
Aizawl Football Club was formed almost a century later in 1984. Now, after beating Bagan on Saturday, they are on the cusp of glory, needing just a point from their last match against Shillong Lajong to win the I-League. Their budget is less than what Bagan spent on one player—over `2 crore on Haitian Sony Norde. The Aizawl team is made up of a motley crew of discards, a sacked coach and passionate local players who have devoted their life to the sport.
What makes their feat even more awe-inspiring is that they have done this barely twelve months after being relegated—they were allowed back only because three teams from Goa withdrew and there was a paucity of clubs in the league. Money cannot always buy success. Managing a club with a modest budget is an art in itself. Aizawl have shown that and how! The club has turned into a symbol of Northeast identity. Like Lajong FC in Shillong, Aizawl has not just brought together diverse tribes of Mizoram under one club, it has brought together the entire Northeast. Running a club in the Northeast is never easy.
With no multinationals, getting lucrative sponsorships is a big challenge. Securing top players remains an elusive dream. Sometimes, even the state’s people contribute in whatever way they can. It becomes a community affair. Aizawl is a small place with less than three lakh people and even their generosity is not enough to run a successful club. Lajong has learnt that the hard way. Whatever be the result next week, the club from the hills will be remembered forever, not for what they have done, but for what they believed in.