Pratyusha Jana :

Two under-12 footballers from Bengal have been selected to join the prestigious Marcelo Academy 12 in Brazil, run by legendary World Cup-winning footballer Marcelo. The boys are scheduled to leave for Marcelo academy to Brazil in 2027.

Hailing from Bengal and rising through dedication and passion, international coach Maloy Sengupta, the founder of Andheri Football Academy in Mumbai, has sheer determination for grassroots football development.

The two footballers, Deepan Roy from Bankura and Hussian Abbas from Park Circus, both trained under Sengupta at AFA and are now set to join the elite training setup in Brazil.

 The opportunity emerged as AFA recently participated in the prestigious Go Cup in Brazil. The youth teams had the opportunity to face teams like AC Milan, Liverpool, etc.

Reflecting on the experience, Coach Sengupta remarked, “They have to understand the pressure of international football. This will build their strength—nothing else. From the competitors, they will learn new strategies and continue to develop themselves.”

The parents of the two selected prodigies, Deepan and Hussian, are delighted for their sons. They have thoroughly expressed their gratitude for AFA and Sengupta.

While Deepan’s mother stated, “My child is learning to understand his strengths and weaknesses, and the academy has to be the best choice we made. They are getting international exposure and also ravaging competition, which is helping them.”

The AFA has become the home of aspiring, promising footballers, with several students practicing professional football in various prestigious clubs overseas. Sengupta’s vision, however, couldn’t be bound to Mumbai. He currently has shifted his focus to expanding his academy for the development of the tribal footballers.

Maloy Sengupta has successfully closed a deal to inaugurate another wing of AFA in North Bengal—Buxa, Alipurduar. This wing will nurture young talents for the tribal communities.

“I don’t want to limit football to one state. There is so much remarkable talent in this region. I want them to thrive in Indian football—they are the future of Indian football,” said Sengupta.