At 16 years and a couple of months, Indian defender Shilki Devi is the youngest participant within the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup and {the teenager} feels that the expertise of enjoying with the senior workforce will put her in good stead on the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Shilki is amongst 15 gamers below the age of 25 within the Indian workforce led by head coach Thomas Dennerby within the AFC Asian Cup starting on Thursday.
The Manipur teenager is the one one who can also be eligible to play within the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to be held in India later this 12 months.
It’s an important studying expertise for me and for others becoming a member of me from the under-19 workforce? All India Football Federation (AIFF) quoted Shilki as saying.
I’m enjoying right here with loads of senior gamers and that may positively assist me go into the U-17 World Cup.
I stay up for passing on this data and expertise to my friends on the under-17 degree and we are able to be taught from it. This expertise will certainly assist me transfer ahead.”
Apart from Shilki, who has already made her senior debut in opposition to Brazil final 12 months, the Indian workforce has three gamers from the U-19 nationwide workforce? Priyangka Devi, Sumati Kumari, and Mariammal Balamurugan.
Shilki Devi.
To leapfrog on the senior degree, it’s important to work exhausting not solely on the pitch but in addition off it. We see the seniors preserve a lot self-discipline to get further yards on the pitch, and it actually takes a toll on us. Every day here’s a studying expertise for me, ? Shilki stated.
Born in a small village in Moirang, Manipur, Shilki began enjoying at an early age and has come by Sai Academy in Imphal.
Many folks advised me that I ought to concentrate on research as a substitute of soccer together with my mom from the start. But my father all the time supported me. He likes to observe me play soccer,? Shilki stated.
Personally, I choose to play as a defender than a striker, since I realized how you can play on this place. I can watch the entire sport in entrance of me, and assist set up my workforce and affect the match so much from protection,? she added.
India will begin their AFC marketing campaign in opposition to Iran on January 20.
,
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
