Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 30: Mohammad Salah, a key member of the Indian football team that clinched the SAFF Under-17 Championship, attributes hard work and consistency as essential for performing at the international level.
India extended its dominance in the SAFF Under-17 Championship by defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final held at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, on October 30. Salah, a 16-year-old defender from the Khanbal area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was among the standout players in this year’s tournament.
Speaking about his journey, Salah said, “We played two friendly matches in Indonesia-lost one and won one. Then we went to Bhutan, where we were the defending champions, and won the tournament. After that, we prepared for the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) qualifiers for 15 days and went to Thailand, where we won two matches and lost one.”
Salah, who aspires to play for I-League and ISL teams, emphasized the importance of persistence in sports. “Hard work and consistency are the keys to becoming a footballer. Whether you succeed or fail, hard work must continue,” he said.
He credited his coaches and family for his achievements. “Without coaches, a player cannot achieve anything. I am grateful to them. I am also thankful to my family for their constant support,” he added.
Salah urged young people to take up sports and stay away from drugs. “Drugs are a disease that destroys a person both mentally and physically. I urge everyone to stay away from them,” he said.
For the past four years, salah has been traveling nearly 80 kilometers to Srinagar for practice, as the stadium in his area has been under construction. “The incomplete stadium has left players without a place to play, which is discouraging for us. Our stadium has been under construction for four years now, and we badly need a proper facility,” he said.