Three Indian footballers selected for training at Old Trafford in Manchester

A general view of Manchester United’s stadium Old Trafford, in Manchester, England
| Photo Credit: AP

Three Indian footballers, along with two others, will undergo training at Old Trafford in Manchester after winning the fourth edition of United We Play, a grassroots football initiative.

The event saw the participation of over 15,000 budding Indian footballers across 18 cities, culminating in a grand finale in the presence of Manchester United legend and all-time great Gary Neville in Chandigarh.

In the finale, PC Lalchhuanawma (Mizoram), Shreejal Kisku (Bhubaneswar), and Mohd Ayan (Lucknow) were selected alongside Nepal’s Bhakta Bahadur Pariyar and Chanason Chaiyatham from Bangkok.

These players will be given the opportunity to visit Old Trafford to participate in activities like a match-day experience, training session with Manchester United Soccer School coaches and legend interactions.

“Delighted to see the dedication and passion for football among young children in India,” Neville, whose illustrious career includes eight English Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles for Manchester United, said in a release.

“Many congratulations to the young players whose hard work has paid off today. I am sure that the experience that they will have at the iconic Old Trafford, will be memories of a lifetime.”

The launch of the fourth edition of United We Play took place at Kolkata in December last year, where former Manchester United and French footballer Louis Saha kicked-off the programme.