By Soumadeep Pal

There is one big problem with football. When a match ends, the referee blows the final whistle. The stands empty, the floodlights go off. But a footballer’s life does not stop with the referee’s whistle. The game goes on. Sometimes on the pitch, sometimes off it. Sometimes with the ball at his feet, sometimes with a contract in his hands.

Watching India’s Under-15 footballers compete in Azerbaijan and looking at their results, this thought keeps coming back to me. Six matches. Three wins, one draw and two defeats. Fifteen goals scored. Victories over Cameroon, four goals against Bahrain and another four against Laos.

Considering the current state of Indian football, there is no reason to underestimate the performance of these 15-year-old boys. Their 2-1 victory over Cameroon, in particular, deserves recognition.

India’s young footballers defeated a country with a strong African footballing tradition. More importantly, Cameroon eventually finished at the top of the group. This was not simply a case of India scoring goals against relatively weak opponents. India suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat against Senegal in their final match. That defeat was significant, too. But there is no point in allowing one bad result to erase the good football they played in the preceding matches. Instead, the game against Senegal can teach us a great deal.

India scored 15 goals and conceded 17 across six matches. The attacking intent is there, and so is the ability to score. However, defensive problems remain. The team needs to improve its ability to manage different match situations. Of course, we must remember that this tournament features eight-a-side football. The pitch is smaller, and the matches are shorter. The goal statistics cannot be directly compared with those of the traditional 11-a-side game.

Yet one thing is clear: these boys know how to play football. And that is precisely why a question refuses to leave my mind.

Where will these boys go after the World Cup?

They will return home, of course. Some will go back to Manipur, some to Mizoram, and others to different parts of the country. They will meet their parents. Friends will gather around them. There may be some celebrations in their neighbourhoods. Perhaps they will even give interviews to the media.

And then what?

Where will they go to play football on the following Monday morning?

The question sounds very simple. But hidden within it is one of the most complicated problems facing Indian football.

Third despite ten points!

We need to examine India’s group-stage results in this tournament carefully. They beat Laos 4-2, defeated Cameroon 2-1, drew 3-3 against Grenada and overcame Bahrain 4-3. Then came the 1-6 defeat against Senegal.

India collected ten points but still finished third in the group.

Cameroon and Senegal finished above India with 12 points each. As a result, India had to compete in Tier C.

There is an interesting aspect to this. India defeated Cameroon, the team that eventually topped the group. Yet the result of the final group match and the points table pushed India down to third place.

That is football. A team you defeat one day can inflict a heavy defeat on you another day, especially when the players are still at this stage of their development.

A 15-year-old is still learning how to read the tempo of a match, when to attack and when to remain patient. The defeat against Senegal, therefore, was not just disappointing. It was also a learning experience.

It offers an opportunity to understand where defensive positioning is going wrong, when the gap between midfield and defence becomes too large, and how long players take to make decisions under pressure.

The victory against Cameroon, meanwhile, reminds us that these boys have considerable potential. Lalmreruatfel’s five goals and Macdonish’s three goals are notable individual performances.

But these names must not remain mere statistics from a single tournament. We should not have to search for them all over again five years from now.

Seven days at the World Cup, followed by 700 days

FIFA’s Under-15 competition has a distinctive format. Instead of the traditional 11-a-side game, it features eight-a-side teams, smaller pitches and shorter matches.

The idea is a good one. On a smaller pitch, every player gets more touches of the ball. There is less time to make decisions, and pressure from opponents arrives more quickly.

It provides an excellent opportunity to assess how often a midfielder scans his surroundings before receiving the ball, where a defender directs a pass under pressure, and how intelligently a forward creates space.

First touch, ball control, spatial awareness, press resistance and decision-making are all tested.

However, one thing must be remembered. Excelling in eight-a-side football does not guarantee that a player will also excel in professional 11-a-side football five years later.

The demands of the full-sized game are very different. Positioning, off-the-ball movement, defensive organisation and physical capacity are all tested much more rigorously.

This World Cup should therefore be seen as a window for identifying talent, not as the final examination of that talent.

But once that window opens, what do we do?

That is the real question.

Because playing good football for seven days at an international tournament is less important than how much better a footballer becomes over the following 700 days.

And that is where our problems begin.

Where will they play after returning home?

It is not as though India has no youth football at all. The AIFF has its Youth League, while various state associations, clubs and academies also organise competitions.

But organising a tournament is not the same as establishing a football league.

India needs a well-integrated, nationwide U-15 or U-16 league structure that guarantees regular matches throughout the year for 15- and 16-year-olds.

Imagine a boy playing a handful of competitions in a year, followed by months of training and perhaps a few practice matches. How much will his football improve under such circumstances?

Training is undoubtedly necessary. But training cannot replace matches.

A footballer learns lessons on the pitch that cannot be taught on a training ground alone. When an opponent genuinely tries to win the ball, when the scoreline is against him, or when his team needs a goal in the final five minutes, he faces situations that demand real decisions.

A 15-year-old footballer needs regular matches, strong opponents of his own age, opportunities to correct his mistakes and a clearly defined pathway.

From U-15 to U-17, then U-19, and finally senior football: this pathway remains broken in many parts of India.

The boy who defeated Cameroon while representing his country today has no guarantee of how many matches he will play regularly two years from now.

Which club will take responsibility for his development? Which coach will prepare him for the next level? And what happens if he joins the academy of a major club but does not get regular playing opportunities?

To develop footballers, it is not enough to identify talent. We must also create an environment in which that talent can grow a little every day.

If you plant a tree and then leave it without water for three months, you cannot blame the tree for failing to grow. Football is much the same.

At 15, no player is a finished product.

We also have another bad habit. Whenever a youngster performs well in an age-group competition, we immediately label him a future superstar. One good dribble makes him the next Messi. Two goals make him the next Sunil Chhetri.

Then, two years later, we no longer remember his name.

But judging a footballer at 15 is extremely difficult. Physical development varies at this age. Some boys grow taller and stronger quickly, while others develop later.

The player who leaves everyone behind with his pace and strength today may no longer enjoy the same advantage three years later. Another boy, who appears slightly frail and slower today, may demonstrate extraordinary football intelligence at 18.

That is why a strong youth development system does not merely look for the best 11 players of the moment. It also identifies those with the greatest capacity to improve.

Current performance matters. But so do the speed at which a player learns, the way he improves after making mistakes and the decisions he takes under pressure.

The time has not yet come to pass a final judgement on a 15-year-old footballer’s career. The time has come to create as many opportunities as possible for him to play good football.

Could the door to Europe open?

Now, let us consider another important question.

Suppose an Indian footballer performs exceptionally well in Azerbaijan and catches the eye of a European scout. What happens next?

Many people assume that if a European club likes a player, it can simply take him away, enrol him in its academy and eventually promote him to the first team.

It is not that simple.

Under FIFA regulations, international transfers of players under the age of 18 are generally prohibited, subject to specific exceptions.

Special provisions exist for players aged 16 to 18 moving within the European Union and European Economic Area. However, an Indian footballer seeking to move directly from India to Europe would generally not qualify for that particular exception.

In other words, even if a scout from Real Madrid or Ajax likes a 15-year-old Indian footballer, the club cannot simply register him immediately.

But that does not mean every possibility of going abroad is closed.

Depending on the circumstances and applicable regulations, compliant training programmes, authorised trials, scouting assessments and discussions about potential future transfers may be possible. Every arrangement must respect age restrictions, parental consent, the relevant country's laws and FIFA regulations.

Another distinction is important: receiving training at a foreign academy is not the same as being eligible to play in official competitions for a club in that country.

Failing to understand this difference can lead to considerable confusion.

But the real problem is not just FIFA's rules. The bigger question is this: how do we prepare these boys until they become eligible to move abroad under the applicable regulations?

Let us consider Endrick's story.

Real Madrid agreed to sign the Brazilian youngster in 2022, when he was just 16. But Endrick did not immediately move to Madrid. He remained in Brazil, continued playing professional football for Palmeiras and gained experience in competitive matches.

He joined Real Madrid in 2024, after turning 18.

The important point here is not the transfer fee. It is where Endrick played football between the ages of 16 and 18.

He was competing in Brazil's professional football system.

Now consider the same question in the context of a talented Indian youngster.

Suppose a European club identifies a player in Azerbaijan and expresses interest in signing him in the future. But he is still only 15.

Where will he play over the next three years? What level of opposition will he face? How many matches will he play? What quality of coaching will he receive?

If a European club returns to watch him three years later, will it see a better footballer than the boy it identified at 15? Or will it discover that the potential he displayed has failed to develop as expected?

The answer to these questions will determine whether the opportunity to attract international scouting interest is put to good use.

Europe does not mean only the five biggest leagues. Whenever we talk about European football, we tend to think of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, as though there were no other football clubs in Europe.

The reality is much broader.

Clubs at different levels in Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as development-oriented clubs in other European countries, may provide valuable opportunities for young footballers.

Not every club has the same facilities, and not every league is of the same standard. But regularly playing matches at a smaller, well-run club can sometimes be more beneficial than sitting on the bench at the academy of a major club.

Of course, playing abroad involves several conditions relating to visas, work permits, non-EU player rules and club registration.

The rules in England are not the same as those in Portugal. Therefore, simply promising to send a player to Europe is not enough.

Where will he go? Why should he go there? What will he learn? How much playing time will he receive? What opportunities might open up for him five years later?

There must be clear answers to these questions.

And this is where a good football agent can play an important role.

Unfortunately, this is also where the danger can begin.

When dream merchants exploit a 15-year-old footballer

Football has a peculiar reality. Eleven players may be on the pitch, but many others are involved in the game away from it.

There is no ball or goalpost in that game. There are contracts, financial figures and all kinds of promises.

And the game is not always played fairly.

Imagine a 15-year-old boy returning from Azerbaijan after an outstanding World Cup. He is comfortable on the ball, knows how to look up before passing and displays football intelligence beyond his years.

Naturally, people begin talking about him.

Then a gentleman appears, introducing himself as a football agent. He mentions a few European clubs and shows photographs of himself with one or two prominent footballers.

One day, he calls the boy's father for a meeting and says:

"Look, I am thinking about your son's future, which is why I am telling you this. There is no point in chasing Europe. They will not let him play, and you will not earn any money. Instead, I can get him into a big club here. You will receive good money, and your son's future will be secure."

The argument sounds reasonable. And that is precisely where the danger lies.

Not everyone succeeds in Europe. Enrolling at a foreign academy does not guarantee a place in the first team the next day. There are language barriers, visa complications and significant differences in football standards. FIFA's strict rules on international transfers involving minors add another layer of complexity.

There is no doubt that a family should think carefully before sending a child abroad.

But who is doing that thinking? Is the agent considering the boy's best interests, or his own financial gain?

Suppose an agent can earn money immediately by arranging a contract with a major Indian club. By contrast, maintaining contact with a smaller European club, arranging a compliant training opportunity and waiting until the player turns 18 may require more effort and involve greater uncertainty.

The immediate financial return is less predictable.

The Indian club's offer may therefore appear more attractive to the agent, even if the calculation of what is best for the boy is entirely different.

One thing must be made clear: playing for an Indian club is not a problem. A footballer can develop brilliantly in his own country if he receives good coaching, regular matches and opportunities to progress to the senior team.

Equally, it would be foolish to assume that moving to Europe automatically makes someone a better footballer.

The problem is not the country. The problem is the opportunities available.

If a boy plays only a handful of matches a year in India but has a chance to play regularly against strong opposition elsewhere, the second possibility deserves serious consideration.

The opposite can also be true. Regular football at a good Indian club may be far more beneficial than sitting on the bench at a famous European academy.

But who should make that decision?

The player. His family. And, of course, the people who genuinely understand his football.

Not the agent's commission calculations.

When an agent's commission becomes more important than a footballer's future

When discussing football agents, we usually think of one particular danger.

Someone might falsely promise to arrange a trial at a major European club, collect money in the name of sending a player abroad and then disappear by switching off their phone.

The risk of such fraud is real.

But there is another danger that attracts less attention.

An unscrupulous agent might not want to send the boy abroad at all.

Why?

Because creating an overseas opportunity takes time. It requires maintaining contacts, understanding regulations and, in many cases, waiting until the player turns 18.

By contrast, arranging a contract with a major Indian club may offer a quicker financial return.

An agent might therefore ignore a realistic European opportunity and instead convince the family that it is not worth pursuing.

"What's the point of going to Europe? They will not play you there. You will not earn any money. Why take such a risk? There is an offer from a big club here, and the money is good. Take it."

These statements are not entirely false. Playing opportunities in Europe can be difficult to secure. Breaking into the first team is even harder, and financial uncertainty is a genuine concern.

But half-truths can sometimes be more dangerous than outright lies.

The boy may never discover that another pathway was available to him.

Perhaps a smaller European club wanted to monitor his development. Perhaps he could have participated in a good development programme. Perhaps he could have received training in an environment better suited to his growth.

It is equally possible that an Indian club would have been the best choice for him.

But the decision should be made after examining every possibility, not by following an agent's commission calculations.

One thing must be understood: for a 15-year-old footballer, the amount of money available today is not everything.

Imagine one boy signing a contract with a major Indian club and receiving good money, but failing to get regular competitive matches over the next three years.

Another boy receives fewer financial benefits but finds himself in an environment with good coaching, regular matches and opportunities to correct his weaknesses.

Who will become the better footballer by the age of 21?