5 Biggest moments of Kerala football in recent times

#3 Winning Santosh trophy after 14 years

Kerala beat Bengal in Penalties to win Santosh Trophy after 14 years

A bunch of unheralded youngsters, marshalled by a super coach Satheevan Balan gifted Kerala one of most prized possession in recent times – the Santosh Trophy. The trophy eluded the southern state for 13 years before a talented team delivered when matter.

Only a few people knew the names of Jithin MS, Rahul KP, Seesan S, Midhun V, Rahul V Raj before the Santosh trophy. But after their win against Bengal in a thrilling shoot-out final, they suddenly caught the attention of the whole country. On their return to the homeland, they were given hero’s welcome. Many of them were approached by clubs with lucrative deals. All of a certain, life was changed dramatically.

The reason behind their triumph leads us to a unique tournament, belonged entirely to the Keralites. The Sevens tournament is something which you will see only in Kerala. Several parts across the tournament, the seven-a-side tournaments happen throughout the year. The team mostly consists of local players along with one or two foreigners, coming from the African shores.

The quality of the tournament can make you spellbound. In front of a huge number of spectators, the players desperately want to prove their mettle. Scouts from big clubs are present on most of the matches. Initially, this format did not get the recognition from the national and state associations, hindering the players. But with the popularity comes the attention. Now, Sevens Tournament is recognised by the state body.

Such is a craze that once I M Vijayan said,

“There would not be a single professional footballer in Kerala who hasn’t played in the Sevens.”

Jiyad Hassan, who was a member of the Champion Santosh Trophy team, said,

“Sevens provides an opportunity for a lot of players who would otherwise have to sit idle. It has also brought the quality of the African players’ striking and dribbling skills to our grounds.”

The likes of Rahul KP, Ashique Kuruniyan all caught the attention by playing in this tournament and one can hope that more stars will come out in the future.