As many as 300 trainees belonging to 37 GFDC grassroots centres participated in the AFC Grassroots Day celebrated by GFDC at Duler grounds, Mapusa last Sunday
The Goan Network
Panaji
The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Grassroots Day was celebrated in Goa by Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) at Duler grounds, Mapusa last Sunday with an impressive football festival that saw 300 trainees from all the 37 GFDC grassroot centres participating.
Speaking on the occasion, Agnelo Fonseca, Council Member“GFDC expressed great pleasure in seeing GFDC conduct such festivals for young budding children and commended the young boys who have made it to the GFDC Residential Academy and urged other trainees to follow the example and continue the hard work which will see them graduating into future GFDC Academy players.
Aleixo Da Costa, Member Secretary“GFDC congratulated the GFDC technical team led by GFDC coaching officer, Derryl D’Souza for organising the festival with precision. He further encouraged trainees to continue playing and training hard so that in future, India which has the largest youth population will have its own Messis, Ronaldos and Neymars.
GFDC Chairman Dr Rufino Monteiro expressed happiness that GFDC's grassroot football development programme has been robust - a very exemplary one for the country, confined to hinterland areas and villages and ably supported by the State government. Dr Rufino said the GFDC's endeavour to promote talent has paid rich dividends as the Council has been very successful with four of it's trainees being selected for India U-14 teams and the State's sub-junior national teams comprising mainly of the GFDC trainees, all this within a short span of three and half years. He commended the good work of the coaches and centre heads.
