Robin Yadav: I want to play regularly for Bengaluru FC

The versatile player joined Khel Now for an exclusive interview.

The Karnataka State football team won the Santosh Trophy after an arduous wait lasting 54 years. They beat Meghalaya 3-2 in the final at Riyadh's King Fahd Stadium to end the drought in a resounding fashion. Ravi Babu Raju's team played free-flowing attacking football and crucial to the sustenance of that style of play was Robin Yadav.

Robin was the go-to man in set-piece situations and his mettle shone through whenever his team needed it the most. A stunning free-kick in the semi-final and another curling effort past the wall that found the net in the final were moments of sheer technical brilliance. 

Having found a spot in Simon Grayson's senior Bengaluru FC squad for the 2023 Hero Super Cup, Robin Yadav is currently on cloud nine and aims to become a regular feature for the club.

The inspiration behind playing football

Robin takes us through how his career was ignited thanks to the help of his brother Romit Kumar, "It started at the age of nine when I saw my brother Romit Kumar playing and I asked if he could take me with him. He gave me some shoes and I used to train with him. After seeing me play, he told my mother that I have what it takes to make it in football.”

The youngster adds, "My father used to play football in local circles, so I think football is in my blood. My elder brother and my coach Moloy Rudra sir have been a huge influence on my career and my desire to take up football professionally."

The story behind joining BFC

It was Naushad Moosa who spotted the potential in Robin Yadav during the BC Roy trophy and offered him a trial for BFC, "I went to Punjab for the BC Roy Trophy, Moosa sir had come to watch the semifinal and scout for players. He told me to come for a trial in Bengaluru. After the trial, he saw potential in my gameplay and I got selected for the U18 team. From there, it all started for me in BFC."

Differences in the football culture of Bengaluru and Kolkata

When asked about the differences in football culture between the football-crazed Kolkata and Bengaluru, Robin Yadav said, "In Kolkata, I used to play for local clubs and for the state team. The level here is different, very professional and disciplined. It was tough at the start to manage the rigours like training, yoga and gym among others. But it didn’t take long for me to adapt to this regime. In fact, it has helped me a lot. The coaches and everyone helped me a lot in adapting to the club. I’ve developed a lot personally and professionally since coming to Bengaluru FC."

Those iconic Santosh Trophy free-kicks

Robin Yadav has quickly evolved to become a potent threat from short-range and long-range free-kicks. He displayed this in the Santosh Trophy and has also added long throws to his repertoire. Robin said, "I used to take free kicks and penalties after training. Despite playing as a defender, I’ve always had the desire to score goals and contribute more. 

“So I always used to practice set pieces and my heading ability. I felt confident and also responsible when taking the free kicks because I know the coaches and everyone has belief in me, that they’ve seen me in training and know and trust that I can score from such set-pieces. I’ve worked a lot on my shoulders and improving my strength so that I can deliver these long throws. I went through YouTube videos to figure out the technique."

Preferred playing position

A player who can play in multiple positions across the defensive line and in midfield, Robin loves playing as an attacking midfielder, "Attacking midfield is where I’d love to play in as I like to play attacking football and contribute more to the team through goals and assists. Since I play as a defender, I’ve always loved watching Sergio Ramos. But my long-term idol has always been Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Future goals and ambitions 

The 21-year-old outlines his current and future career goals, "Right now, it’s playing in the Super Cup. I’m very thankful to the Head Coach and Moosa sir for this opportunity. Now, I want to make good on it and work hard to get into the senior team. I want to play regularly for BFC."

The magnitude of winning the Santosh Trophy

A state that was in dire need of a footballing revolution found the perfect inspiration needed with the Santosh Trophy win. Karnataka had previously won the national football championship for Santosh Trophy four times as the princely state of Mysore and that resulted in a renaissance of the sport. Robin Yadav spoke of the monumental impact of this win, "Before the tournament, the KSFA trusted me to give me this opportunity. The facilities and the help they provided made me understand that it is not just me who wants to win this tournament, but everyone associated with the state team wanted to win it so badly.

"I’ve been here in Bangalore, in Karnataka, for seven years. So I feel like I have a bond with this state. I told the same to the others when we left for the tournament, that this is an opportunity for us to give back to this state which has given us so much. It was a tremendous feeling to win the tournament, and I think this win will really inspire the future generations to perform well for the state."