‘Girls aspire to be pro footballers’

Australia players celebrate their victory after the final whistle of the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women`s World Cup Group B football match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia, also known as Olympic Stadium, in Sydney on July 20, 2023. AFP

The women's FIFA World Cup is just over, and going beyond results, it was evident from the first whistle-signalling play that the tourney created a tremendous impact. Globally, it has proved to be a mirror to the emerging football market in India too.

It was not surprising that so many girls were following the FIFA World Cup played in Australia and New Zealand. The players, the competition, and the crazy fans, the football afFI(FA)cianados, if I can call them that, are truly inspiring for girls who are breaking both societal and sporting barriers, one goal at a time.

The zooming popularity of football during the past two decades in the city has meant that girls' football here has made rapid strides. There are many more school leagues and competitions for girls nowadays as part of the game's growing ecosystem.

What is most heartening is that it cuts across economic strata. Even girls from underprivileged backgrounds are actively participating in football. It is no longer taboo for them, and their parents are encouraging them to do so.

Overall, football is a relatively inexpensive sport. Not much investment is needed, barring a pair of modest football shoes to be bought each year. Parents have started to believe that even their daughters from humbler backgrounds can make it to a higher level.

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Where we still see some disparity and the gap that may need to close is that girls from elite and other private schools have greater opportunities and access to quality infrastructure and coaching. The same cannot be said for municipal and government-aided schoolgirls.

These schools at times lack even a basic physical training (PT) teacher. It is their sheer willpower and grit that makes them part of the football action in the city. There are some clinics/camps being run for these girls, but these are inadequate. They have the hunger and passion to excel, and several aspire to become professional footballers.

The South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenger was started in 2009 and is one of India's largest community football events. There are at least 6,500 children who participate each year. We have 75 per cent of the participants who are children from municipal and government-aided schools. Out of these, 30 per cent are girls. It is an excellent stage for these students to take their first step on the football pitch.

Wearing a football kit and football boots for the first time is excellent, inspirational and hugely empowering. A grassroots football programme for girls from weaker sections then, is a great initiative. The positives are that girls playing football have stated that this has impacted their life in so many ways. Confidence, building camaraderie and developing personality are some of the upsides. Life lessons go way beyond the field and that hopefully is the larger takeaway for parents and society - give a girl a chance to play and you give her wings and a voice.

Sanjiv Saran Mehra is chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD), Saran Sports, promoting corporate sports in India for 27 years.