#4 Bengaluru FC reach the AFC Cup finals
A little background – Bengaluru FC is an Indian club which was formed just three years ago, and plays in the Indian domestic league (I-league).
Indians have always been loyal and passionate football supporters, but the success of the European clubs they support always made them wonder as to when football would become so good (or even remotely as good) in their country. After all, what better feeling than to see a team from your city or country do something previously unprecedented?
Bengaluru FC appointed former Barcelona assistant coach Albert Roca as the manager of the club this year, and under his guidance, this Indian outfit became the very first team from the country to reach the AFC Cup final (which to put it crudely, is Asia’s Europa League).
Indians who did not even know about the AFC Cup or who supported rival clubs like Mohun Bagan got behind the team when they went to Qatar for the finals, as the club at that point was not representing Bangalore- they were representing Indian football.
Although Roca’s men narrowly missed out as they lost 1-0 in the finals, it was beautiful to see the country get behind one club from their own homeland, and it was remarkable to see a club formed just 3 years ago achieve the near impossible. Hopefully, it is a sign of even better things to come.
