SACHIN TENDULKAR AND SUNIL CHHETRI FELICITATE WINNERS

 

ODISHA FINISHES RUNNER UP IN NATIONAL FINALS OF THE COCA-COLA CUP

 

SACHIN TENDULKAR AND SUNIL CHHETRI FELICITATE WINNERS

 

• Odisha stateteam captained by Bijay Behera finished runners up in the  national finals of The Coca-Cola Cup (National Under-15 Sub Junior Football Tournament), against Meghalaya state team captained by Frolicson Dkhar with the final score reading 1-0

 

• 40 players from the tournament to be short-listed for National Under-16 football squad, by AIFF (All India Football Federation) technical committee

 

• Over 41,000 young footballers from 2,610 schools across 86 cities competed for the last several months across district, state & zonal levels to qualify for the national finals

 

• The Coca-Cola Cup is a grassroots talent hunt initiated to uncover the most dynamic young footballers in the country and identify potential players for the National Under-16 Sub Junior Football Team

 

Mumbai, 28^th May, 2013: Odisha team today finished runners up against the Meghalaya team in the National Finals of The Coca-Cola Cup (National Under-15 Sub Junior Football Tournament), in a riveting matchheld at Father Agnels School, Vashi. In a glittering ceremony marking the end of the tournament, the finalists were felicitated by two of the greatest sports icons of the country, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Mr. Sunil Chhetri, Captain of the Indian Football Team, along with Mr. Rob Baan, Director, Technical, AIFF, Mr. Scott O’Donnell, Director Academies and Coach Education, AIFF and Mr. Venkatesh Kini, Senior Vice President, Coca-Cola India.

 

The final playoff organized at Father Agnels Grounds in Vashi saw the Odisha team, captained by Bijay Behera, finishing runners up against Meghalaya with the final score line reading 1-0. Ronaldkydon Lyngodoh from Meghalaya was named the player of the match.

 

The Coca-Cola Cup will also act as a critical stepping stone for these young footballers with 40 players set to be shortlisted by AIFF (All India Football Federation) technical committee for the National Under-16 football squad. The most promising talents will be picked to be inducted in the Elite AIFF-FIFA Training Academies. 

 

 

The thought behind The Coca-Cola Cup is to promote football at the grassroots level and provide a platform for the aspirations of budding footballers from across the country.  The players have been provided state-of-the-art training and have been coached by some of the most respected names in the industry.

 

Speaking at the event, cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar said, “I am proud to be associated with The Coca-Cola Cup, which will offer a great platform for budding footballers. I keenly look forward to many of the youngsters seizing this opportunity and showcasing their talent and skills. Emerging sporting persons in the country require similar grass root initiatives and competitive platforms to unlock and realise their true potential."

 

Mr. Rob Baan, Director, Technical, AIFF said, “We are proud to be associated with The Coca-Cola Cup which has sought out some of the best talents from around the country and provided them with a stepping stone to build a career in professional football. This tournament has been instrumental in not just providing a platform for budding footballers but also encouraging many others to take to the sport and hence, acting as a catalyst to promote football in the country. Congratulations to the Meghalaya Team who have proven their prowess on the field today. I wish them all the best for the future as they get ready to reach higher echelons of success in the sport and represent the national team someday.” 

 

According to Mr. Venkatesh Kini, Senior Vice President, Coca-Cola India, “The Coca-Cola Cup aims to bring out football talent from the furthest corners of the country. At Coca-Cola India, our motto has always been to promote Active, Healthy Living amongst the youth of the country, and this is an endeavor on that path. The tournament provides these budding footballers with a platform to not just present their skills but also to hone their abilities and build further competence in the sport. On behalf of Coca-Cola India, I would like to congratulate the Meghalaya Team for their well-deserved win today, and wish them good luck for the future. It has been Coca-Cola's constant endeavor to promote grassroots football and we hope more and more young footballers get to utilize this opportunity and platform in coming years."

 

Sunil Chhetri, Captain of the Indian Football Team who graced the finals was quoted saying, “Being a footballer myself I must say I am truly amazed and inspired by the talent I have witnessed today. I believe that our country has immense football talent that needs to be scouted and given a holistic platform like the Coca-Cola Cup.  With the right training and infrastructure, we too can produce world class footballers and it is initiatives like this that re-instate my belief that India could make its mark on the global football map.”’

 

Bijay Behera, captain of the runners up team said, “I am proud of the performance the team put forth today; we fought well and it was a well deserved win. Congratulations to the winning team. We are all so lucky to have received this opportunity and the entire tournament has been an amazing experience. I would like to extend my gratitude to AIFF and Coca-Cola India for providing us with this platform.”

 

The Coca-Cola Cup is a grassroots level football tournament organized by AIFF. The tournament is open to all young footballers in the age group of 12-15 years. This year, The tournament drew participation from over 41,000 young footballers from 2,610 schools across 86 cities.

 

Details about the Teams

 

Winning Team

 

Team name: Meghalaya

Captain: Frolicson Dkhar

Final score: 1

 

Runners up Team

 

Team Name:  Odisha

Captain: Bijay Behera

Final Score: 0

 

 

 

  

For further queries please contact:

Atul Malikram

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