Turning professional is every aspiring footballer’s dream. These success stories inspire kids of all ages to train harder and follow the footsteps of the pathmakers.
Now, let us take a look at 5 such Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools (BBFS) trainees who turned pro.
1. Rakshit Dagar
First up on the list is goalkeeper Rakshit Dagar. The 26-year old made his I-League debut for United Sikkim FC in 2013. Subsequently, he also played for DSK Shivajians and Minerva Punjab FC.
Currently, Rakshit plies his trade at Quess East Bengal FC, one of India’s historic clubs.
2. Rohit Kumar
Rohit is already on his way towards a good career at 21-years of age. After progressing at Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and DSK Shivajians LFC Academy, he made his senior debut for DSK Shivajians in the Durand Cup and I-League.
His performances did not go unnoticed and Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Pune City signed him up in 2017. Rohit played 14 games in total in the 2017/18 season, scoring two goals.
Currently, he signed a two-year extension in June 2018 and is set to stay with the Stallions until 2020 at the minimum.
3. Munmun Timothy Lugun
The former BBFS trainee played for a host of I-League and ISL clubs in his career already. Starting out at United Sikkim, he was signed up by Delhi Dynamos and Mumbai City in the ISL along with Mumbai and Pune in the I-League.
Currently, the 25-year old left-back is a constant fixture in the Delhi Dynamos lineup.
4. Rohit Danu
Rohit progressed through the academy structure to play in the AIFF U15 Youth League. His performances fetched him a spot in the final 30 of the Indian U17 World Cup team.
Currently, the 16-year old forward plays for Indian Arrows in the I-League.
5. Kshitij Kumar Singh
Kshitij is the youngest player on this list. He started out with BBFS before his performances fetched him a scholarship at Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) residential program.
His talent found a bigger home in 2017 when Dutch club NEC Nijmegen picked him up for their U-15 squad.
Thus, these are five success stories which emphasize the importance of grassroots coaching in turning pro. Feel free to share more such stories in the comments section below.
