Atletico ticket stepping stone to india dream for city right-back
When he came to Calcutta from Delhi in 2007, he had no idea what the City of Joy had in store for him. But like a true-blue Bengali, he fell in love with football and started playing the game for fun. Five years after getting into the school team, he is ready to don the ATK jersey this season.
Meet Ankit Mukherjee, the 22-year-old right-back. "It's like a dream come true for me. I might not have been here today if I didn't take part in the Keventer Cup 2013, an inter-school football tournament organised by the Debanjan Sen Foundation. It has been a tough yet dream journey for me," Ankit said.
It all began in 2013 when Ankit represented Army Public School, Calcutta, in the Keventer Cup. He could play only the group league matches as his school failed to qualify for the knockouts. But his performance in central defence caught the organisers' eye and he was selected for the All Stars squad.
"I didn't have any professional training before that. When I started practising under former India player Anit Ghosh at All Stars, I realised what it takes to be a professional footballer. Soon, football became everything for me," Ankit said.
Ghosh is all praise for his protégé. "Ankit is born for football. The best thing about him is he is very disciplined and devoted to the game. I wish he can achieve his dream to play for India," he said.
The turning point in Ankit's life came when he led the All Stars boys in an exhibition match against the East Bengal under-19 team in 2014. Ankit's defensive skill impressed the then East Bengal U-19 coach Tarun Dey, who picked him for the squad.
There has been no looking back for the Dum Dum boy. After playing for East Bengal U-19 for one-and-a-half years, he got a call from Aryan FC in 2015. "It was a very good break as I got to play the Calcutta Football League Super Division just two years after I started playing for the school. In the first CFL season with Aryan, I didn't have a regular place in the first XI but in the second season I played all the matches. We drew with Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting that season," said the Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid fan.
Ankit's performance for Aryan earned him a place in the Bengal senior squad and he added another feather to his crown when he played a key role in Bengal's successful Santosh Trophy campaign in 2017.
Mohammedan Sporting was the next stop for Ankit as he played CFL as well as I-League second division for the city giants last year.
Ankit's biggest challenge now is to get into the ATK first XI and play alongside his idol Arnab Mondal. "Sharing a dressing room with one of India's best defenders is like living a dream and I'm looking forward to learning a lot from him. I hope I will make it to the first XI and play alongside him in near future," he said.
The boy gives all credit for his remarkable journey to mother Mithu Mukherjee, a homemaker. "Whatever I'm today is because of my mother as she has constantly supported me in pursuing the game seriously. My father wanted me to do anything but play football, but I managed to chase my dreams because of my mother."
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Football for fun to game of passion in five years
Atletico ticket stepping stone to india dream for city right-back
When he came to Calcutta from Delhi in 2007, he had no idea what the City of Joy had in store for him. But like a true-blue Bengali, he fell in love with football and started playing the game for fun. Five years after getting into the school team, he is ready to don the ATK jersey this season.
Meet Ankit Mukherjee, the 22-year-old right-back. "It's like a dream come true for me. I might not have been here today if I didn't take part in the Keventer Cup 2013, an inter-school football tournament organised by the Debanjan Sen Foundation. It has been a tough yet dream journey for me," Ankit said.
It all began in 2013 when Ankit represented Army Public School, Calcutta, in the Keventer Cup. He could play only the group league matches as his school failed to qualify for the knockouts. But his performance in central defence caught the organisers' eye and he was selected for the All Stars squad.
"I didn't have any professional training before that. When I started practising under former India player Anit Ghosh at All Stars, I realised what it takes to be a professional footballer. Soon, football became everything for me," Ankit said.
Ghosh is all praise for his protégé. "Ankit is born for football. The best thing about him is he is very disciplined and devoted to the game. I wish he can achieve his dream to play for India," he said.
The turning point in Ankit's life came when he led the All Stars boys in an exhibition match against the East Bengal under-19 team in 2014. Ankit's defensive skill impressed the then East Bengal U-19 coach Tarun Dey, who picked him for the squad.
There has been no looking back for the Dum Dum boy. After playing for East Bengal U-19 for one-and-a-half years, he got a call from Aryan FC in 2015. "It was a very good break as I got to play the Calcutta Football League Super Division just two years after I started playing for the school. In the first CFL season with Aryan, I didn't have a regular place in the first XI but in the second season I played all the matches. We drew with Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting that season," said the Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid fan.
Ankit's performance for Aryan earned him a place in the Bengal senior squad and he added another feather to his crown when he played a key role in Bengal's successful Santosh Trophy campaign in 2017.
Mohammedan Sporting was the next stop for Ankit as he played CFL as well as I-League second division for the city giants last year.
Ankit's biggest challenge now is to get into the ATK first XI and play alongside his idol Arnab Mondal. "Sharing a dressing room with one of India's best defenders is like living a dream and I'm looking forward to learning a lot from him. I hope I will make it to the first XI and play alongside him in near future," he said.
The boy gives all credit for his remarkable journey to mother Mithu Mukherjee, a homemaker. "Whatever I'm today is because of my mother as she has constantly supported me in pursuing the game seriously. My father wanted me to do anything but play football, but I managed to chase my dreams because of my mother."