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What's the story?
The Indian football team has been making waves as of late, coming off a historic Intercontinental Cup triumph that made headlines throughout the country thanks to the contributions of captain fantastic Sunil Chhetri. But it isn't just the Blue Tigers making a splash on the world stage.
The colts are making an impact too, and ahead of the AFC U-16 Finals in Malaysia later this year, preparations are on to make the team ready to take on the best in the world. The next step in preparing for the tournament has been revealed by AIFF as a four-nation tournament to be held in China that will feature the hosts, India, Thailand and DPR Korea.
In case you didn't know...
The U-16 boys have been on fire since Coach Bibiano Fernandes took over and are coming off impressive performances abroad in places such as Egypt, Hong Kong, UAE, Qatar, Spain, and Serbia. The preparatory tournaments were organized to give the youngsters exposure in foreign surroundings and instill confidence ahead of the much-anticipated 2018 AFC U-16 Finals.
The heart of the matter
The four-nation tournament to be held in China has been reportedly organized to best prepare the U-16 team for the challenges that lie ahead with the aim of playing tougher opponents which would in turn help in the players' development.
The tournament will also be a challenge for India since all their players are 2002 born and the tournament allows even 2001 born players to play.
What's next?
The competition is set to begin on 1st July 2018 in China and features four teams just like it did in Serbia recently where India turned out eventual winners. Apart from India, Thailand and DPR Korea have also qualified for the AFC Finals in Malaysia.
Do you think India U-16 will win the four-nation tournament in China? Let your voices be heard in the comments.
