2 Young Footballers from Odisha Selected for Special Training in Spain

Bhubaneswar: Suelkha Kanhar, a 16-year-old girl from Salia Sahi in Bhubaneswar, and Srijal Kisku, a 12-year-old boy from a tribal-dominated village in Sundargarh district, have been selected by coaches from Spain to train and play football there.

This remarkable opportunity marks the first time that players from Odisha, India have been selected by Spanish coaches. The coaches, who hold UEFA pro licenses, visited Odisha to identify promising talents and conducted a three-day camp at ODM Global School, where over 180 children participated.

Sulekha and Srijal, both from the Ardor Football Academy, were thrilled to be selected and are determined to give their best during the trials in Spain. Sulekha aspires to play in the European League, while Srijal aims to represent the national team.

Their coach, Jayadev Mahapatra, expressed pride in their achievement and wished them success in the upcoming trials. He mentioned that it’s a proud moment for Odisha and India to have players selected by Spain coaches for the first time.

The journey to Spain will provide Suelkha and Srijal with an excellent opportunity to hone their football skills and gain valuable international experience.