UEFA, English Football Association coaches to assess Indian players.
By Raif Karerat
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U.K.-based travel startup Premiere Explore has announced an eight-day tournament in conjunction with the world-renowned Manchester United School that will invite players from the top 10 schools in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.
Selected schools from each city will be invited to put forward six of their most talented soccer players aged 16 or under to attend regional trials in November. Premiere Explore recently established its Indian arm by opening an office in Kolkata and will coordinate the process through the new hub of Asian operations.
During the trials, professional UEFA and English Football Association qualified coaches will be assessing the players on their physical attributes, ball mastery and natural ability, according to the Economic Times. From these trials, 16 players will be selected to represent their city at the Premier Explore Cup in the United Kingdom.
“The Premier Explore Cup will provide a number of educational benefits for those who take part. With our launch in the country, we will soon be rolling out a series of initiatives to bring the Indian football lover closer to the game,” Peter Watts, founder and director of Premier Explore said in a press statement.
The winning team will lift the Premier Explore Cup trophy and the player of the tournament will win an all-expenses paid trip to the U.K. with Premier Explore to watch an English Premier League match of their choice.
Cricket-crazed India has seen an upswing in its collective interest regarding soccer — or football, as it’s referred to locally — in recent years.
The Indian Super League has capitalized on the continuing rise in the sport’s popularity by importing a slew of high profile, veteran stars from leagues around the world to bolster the profile of “the beautiful game” within India’s borders.
Some of the most prominent international superstars who ply their trade in the ISL include Alessandro Del Piero (Delhi Dynamos), Robert Pires (FC Goa), Freddie Ljungberg (Mumbai City), David Trezeguet (Pune City), Mikael Silvestre (Chennaiyin FC), Luis Garcia (Atletico de Kolkata), and David James (Kerala Blasters).