Two players from Odisha, Suelkha Kanhar and Srijal Kisku, have been selected by Spanish football coaches to play in Spain. The two children, who are aged 16 and 12 respectively, come from Salia Sahi (Bhubaneswar) and a village in tribal-dominated Sundargarh district, and this selection has come as a dream come true for them.
The news was made public by their coach Jayadev Mahapatra, who described the selection as “a proud moment for Odisha and India”, since it is the first time that Spanish coaches have chosen players from this state. He also added that both of them would receive UEFA Pro License, which will further enhance their footballing skills.
Suelkha and Srijal have been training under Mahapatra for the past year, and during this time they have made a name for themselves in the local football scene. Suelkha has been playing competitively since she was 8 years old, while Srijal started at only 5 and has already played more than 50 tournaments.
The two children are now looking forward to their journey to Spain, where they will hone their football skills. They hope that their hard work and dedication will pay off in the long run and that they will be able to make a name for themselves in Spanish professional football.
The selection of these players from Odisha is an inspirational story of how hard work and dedication can lead to great success. It is an example of how the state’s talent is being recognised by coaches from all over the world, and demonstrates that dreams do come true when you put in the effort.
