It was a special day for the trainees at the Government Sports Academy in Panampilly Nagar in Kochi, Kerala. On October 4, they were watching from behind a metal fence as the Brazil U-17 team started training on the academy's renovated ground. The excitement among them was palpable. But it soon turned to euphoria.
On the opposite side of the ground, the gathered crowd, made up of football-crazy Malayalis and the odd Bengali migrant, was focused on the teenage stars on the ground when they heard a huge cheer from the corner in which the academy kids were huddled. There was frenzied movement in front of the sports hostel. Soon, word trickled down to the spectators that the academy kids were going to play against the Brazilians!
PHOTOS: Practice session of the FIFA U-17 World Cup teams
When they strode out to face the stars of tomorrow, the passionate Kochi-crowd cheered madly for the local boys, hoping to inspire them against their formidable opponents. But, as it turned out, there was no game. They joined the Brazilian squad for some passing drills, giving a good account of themselves with assured touches.
Centre back Galin Joshi, 18, from Paravur, said it was an unforgettable experience for him. Galin was a member of the Panampilly Nagar Higher Secondary School team that finished as runners-up in the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports national football championship earlier this year.
“We were not told of any such plan beforehand. We were just hoping that they would let us stay and watch the training,” said Galin. The Brazil team staff told Michael Andrews, an AFC match commissioner from Kochi and member of the FIFA local organising committee, that the team wished to run some drills with the academy kids. When the kids saw Andrews walking towards them, they feared he was coming to send them away. But instead he told them to kit up and join the Brazilians for training.
Both Galin and Ashwin Mohan, a 16-year-old goalkeeper from Angamaly, said this was the first time they were allowed to step on to the renovated ground. The academy had been using the Ambedkar Stadium for training since their ground was earmarked for the FIFA event.
Brazilian forward Lincoln Correa Dos Santos said it was “priceless” to see the joy on the faces of the kids. “We are happy with such opportunities that the game provides. It was a good experience for us to play with them and it was evident that they were happy to play with us,” said the striker who plays for Brazilian club Flamengo.
Lincoln and his team will play their first match against Spain on October 7. Brazil, which already has legions of devout supporters in God's own country, has endeared themselves further to the fans by their gesture towards the academy kids.
