Mumbai, October 8: Former Indian national team skipper Bhaichung Bhutia has heralded the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) Naupang League as a formidable initiative for optimising the footballing talent in Mizoram. Bhutia has called for more such tournaments to take place in different regions of the country to unearth youngsters interested in the sport.

He has called for support from all concerned stakeholders for the same. The 47-year-old, who hails from Sikkim, spoke highly about Mizoram’s love for the game, and how the state has gone about giving rise to impressive talent across different age-groups despite limited resources. 

“It’s been one state where I have been a few times. I know the passion that they have there. They play just one sport and that’s football! I have seen a lot of players come up from Mizoram, being such a small state, they have produced so many players who have gone on to play for India in different age-groups, that itself shows how Mizoram is in terms of football. It’s a great start. (The RFYC Naupang League) is a pioneering project and I hope it’s successful, so that it can be implemented in different parts of the country,” Bhutia said in an interview with ISL.

Link to Video: Former Indian national football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia expresses his thoughts on RFYC Naupang League

“We need to do much more in terms of grassroots”

The RFYC Naupang League launched in November 2022, spans nine months across four districts of Mizoram—Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib, and Lunglei—catering to age groups U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12, and U-14. The Naupang League in Aizawl and Champhai feature 12 teams each in the five aforementioned age groups, with each team playing 33 matches, managed by the RYFC to provide structured matchdays and regular training exposure. Meanwhile, Kolasib and Lunglei will host the RFYC District League, beginning with 21 matches in a three-legged tournament for the same age groups, adding up to four more matches per team for enhanced competitive exposure. Bhutia has urged for adequate support from the authorities at all levels, in order to take the initiative to different nooks and corners of the country.

“I think it’s a good start (the RFYC Naupang League). We need to do much more in terms of grassroots. It’s not going to be enough only in Mizoram in the North East. We need to spread across India. There are several talented players across India. Everyone, not just the ISL, but also the federation, the state football associations, the district football associations, need to be completely involved in the grassroots development. I see a lot of talent. But, we will have to put in a lot of time, energy, and effort to get that talent out, and give them the right platform. It’s a great start from Mizoram,” he added.

The Naupang League has completed two successful seasons, with over 2,350 boys and girls from 184 teams participating in the previous edition, in addition to 36 referees attending the referee licensing sessions, with 23 of them achieving Level 8 licences. Aizawl will host Matchday 5 of the ongoing Season 3 on October 12, 2024.