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Imran Khan's debut ISL season was not panning out the way it was supposed to be. With just three minutes of playing time under his belt, a lot was left to be desired. But when it mattered, Imran Khan stepped up. When he did, the story behind it reminded us why football is called the beautiful game.
NorthEast United FC's resurgent run under Khalid Jamil took the league by storm. With an unbeaten streak of seven games, the Highlanders were just a few steps away from reaching the ISL playoffs for the second time in their history.
Their caravan, however, faced a major hurdle as they prepared to face Chennaiyin FC. Star midfielder and captain Federico Gallego picked up an injury before the match and had to be ruled out.
Coach Jamil called upon Imran Khan to replace him in the starting lineup. After playing just three minutes in the entire season till that match, he had big shoes to fill in.
Early into the match, NorthEast United faced a setback. Lallianzuala Chhangte found the back of the net for Chennaiyin FC. The Highlanders were already on the backfoot, but not for long.
Five minutes later, Luis Machado's cross from the left-wing reached Imran Khan. The Manipuri made no mistake, heading in a low cross to send the ball into the back of the net. For the viewers, it was just a debut ISL goal for a young Indian player.
For a mother sitting at home in Imphal, though, it meant a reward for years of sacrifice and toiling.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Imran Khan explained:
"I came from a poor background. My mother worked really hard. She sold vegetables on the road so that she could buy football shoes for me. She has struggled a lot and influenced me a lot in my career. When I scored my first goal against Chennaiyin, she cried a lot because she knew how we struggled. She always told me to keep working hard and never give up. She always told me to be a fighter."
Imran Khan's struggles did not end, though. One of the toughest moments of his career came during his stint at Mohun Bagan in 2019 when he had to leave the camp mid-way.
Imran Khan had to return home because his mother was very sick. Being the eldest son in his family, he needed to take care of her. Khan did not have money at that time to pay the bills and says he was lucky to have someone like his agent Ronak Dalal who sent him money and helped him out during that time.
"He is like an elder brother to me and always helped me out," said Imran Khan said about his agent.
Imran Khan's s time at Neroca FC proved to be the turning point in his career. After scoring three goals and assisting two, many clubs had their eyes on the midfielder. NorthEast United FC, however, was always a top priority for the Manipuri as he dreamt of playing for his local ISL club.
"It was a dream to play for NorthEast United. I supported the club even before joining them. I got a lot of offers but I chose them because I belong to the North East. I had a great experience at the club as we reached the playoffs too. Not many people thought we would be able to reach the semifinal. But under Khalid sir, we worked as a team and achieved our goal of finishing in the top four," said Imran Khan.
Still in the prime of his career, Imran Khan has a lot left to achieve. He has another year left with NorthEast United and is aiming to break into the national team soon.
While conversing with Sportskeeda, Imran Khan's voice was filled with passion when he said that his dream is to play for the national team. The youngster wants the blue jersey with his name at the back and is ready to keep working to earn a call-up.
With his feet on the ground and a heart filled with passion, Imran Khan's journey is truly remarkable. His battles in life have fueled him with a sense of purpose and motivation which not many have. With the ball at his feet, there are many goals left to be scored, both on and off the field.
