PANAJI
The potential future stars of Indian football will know their performances will resonate not only within the walls of the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) but across the Indian football diaspora as the first-ever youth club competition involving Indian Super League clubs spreads its wings here from Friday.
Seven clubs from ISL will be joined by Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) in an eight-team league that will start with 'home team' FC Goa locking horns with Chennaiyin FC at the Nagoa Football Ground, followed by RFYC opening their campaign against Bengaluru FC at Benaulim.
Former India international Arata Izumi, now head coach of the Reliance Foundation Young Champs academy team - India's only 5-star rated football academy, believes the RFDL can serve as a career launchpad for the stars of tomorrow. "The Reliance Foundation Development League is a great platform for young players to showcase their talent. It will be great to play against the seven clubs that have come here with the mission of youth development," Izumi said.
The RF Young Champs team will be the youngest team in the tournament with players coming to the end of their football education cycle at the academy, after spending more than 5 years, having been scouted at the age of 12. Izumi was hopeful his wards would impress potential suitors from clubs. "The objective of each club might be different but for us, it is very clear. It is about individual development and for the clubs to see the talents and hopefully offer them a contract to get into professional football. It has been our mission at RF Young Champs to keep developing future talents for Indian football," said the 39-year-old.
The league will be played on a single round-robin basis, allowing each team to feature in seven matches, but the biggest takeaway will be two teams finishing top of the tree being able to compete at the Next Gen Cup to be hosted in the United Kingdom for the first time later this year. The Next Gen Cup will be hosted by the Premier League (PL) as part of its longstanding partnership with the ISL to support the development of football in the country.
