Bhubaneswar: An eleven-year-old boy from India has been chosen to train with one of the top football clubs in the world.
Chandan Nayak, from the city of Bhubaneswar, won an all-expense paid trip to train at the Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich’s state-of-the-art academy after taking part in a selection process for 14 to 16-year-olds. He came through flying colors in trials designed for players up to five years older than him.
“I am very happy. I want to become a player for the Indian team one day. I really want to thank my coach,” said Nayak. Hailing from Sabar Sahi slum of the city, Nayak endured a tough upbringing and journey in his quest to become a part of the Indian football team and bring accolades for the country.
“This boy’s very talented and gifted,” Nayak’s coach Jayadev Mahapatra said. We spotted him when he was very young and he’s been training with us for the last three to four years.
“He will be leaving on August 25. In Germany, he will be playing asides greats like Phillip Lahm. The best coaches of the world will train him. Around 120 students from across the world will be coming. The training he will receive there is beyond comparison that we can give him in India. It is a huge opportunity. He will create a huge expectation for the slum kids who play soccer today,” Jayadev said.
Jayadev further added that his pupil has a similar story like Messi, who used to stay in an underprivileged area in Argentina before being scouted by Barcelona at a young age of seven.
