On May 26, defeat hung heavy in the air, at the Scamper Park football facility in Mahabalipuram. The scoreboard read 2-1. Eleven boys in their sweat-stained white jerseys, walked up to receive their silver medals. Some managed to fight their tears. Some left teary-eyed. Some others welled and weeped.
The team’s defeat however, didn’t erase the record that they had already set. The lads, representing FC Madras, became the first to lead a Tamil Nadu-based football club into the finals of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) nationals in the sub-junior category.
Despite the feat, the team stood low. Afterall, the boys spent eight months training for this tournament, played 230 games against 64 different teams, put up a nail-biting fight in the semi-finals — a game they won after it stretched into a penalty shootout — and reached the final. On the D-day, they saw their opposition, Minerva FC from Punjab, bag two goals early in the game. The team’s striker Areez Alam’s goal in the 70+5’ minute, restored faith in the game, but in vain.
“The fire hasn’t gone out yet. We have shifted our focus now, to reaching our next milestone,” Areez declares. The team’s head coach Suren Chettri agrees. “Last season, we reached the semi-finals. This season, we made it to the final. We played fair, showed heart, and earned respect. The boys’ mentality, positivity, and growth have been incredible. We’re proud of their journey and we’re motivated to keep building, improving, and aiming for the championship next season,” he corroborates, adding that the focus will now be on improving the team’s finishing. He says it can be accomplished through a technical and tactical approach.
The sub-junior category team this year, was led by Jeremiah, a Chennai boy, who idolises Lionel Messi. As a first-time captain, Jeremiah says he was filled with determination this season. “After a bad game, I encouraged my teammates, motivated them with good reviews and I reminded them of their potential to succeed in the next game,” he replies when asked about his approach to captaincy. And what is the team’s pre-game ritual? “Praying together,” Jeremiah says. The dressing room is usually calm before a game, he adds.
Although united by their love for football, how each of them developed interest in the sport is starkly different.
Areez, for instance, chanced upon his first game at the age of five. “I went with my dad for cricket classes. That’s when I noticed people practicing football. I joined football training instead,” he adds.
Jeremiah, on the other hand, developed interest organically by watching football games on TV. “I developed interest in football at the age of six by watching matches on TV. I started playing for AVP football club followed by JrK football academy before playing for FC Madras,” he says.
Their fates intertwined through FC Madras’ Elite Scholarship programme. Players under this 100% scholarship programme are chosen on merit after six rigorous rounds of trials. Upon getting selected, players will have to move to the FC Madras campus in Mahaballipuram, enrol in their on-campus school, and train in professional football. Through the scholarship, the club focuses on selecting Tamil Nadu-based players, says Venkatesh Shanmugam, technical director of FC Madras. He points out that 60% of the players are homegrown. “That reflects our deep belief in nurturing local talent in Tamil Nadu.”
“For us, it’s not just about chasing results but about pursuing excellence and building a foundation for lasting success. We’re on the right track, and FC Madras is here to serve Tamil Nadu and Indian football,” Venkatesh adds.