More game-time will increase opportunity & stability of women footballers: Soumya Guguloth

Soumya Guguloth expresses her views on the current structures of Indian Football for Women.

Soumya Guguloth, the young Indian national team winger well-known for her venomous cross and pacey attacks through the wings, was one of the successful footballers in the 1st edition of Women In Sports Elite Football Trials last year and got scouted and secured a contract in European Top-tier club Dinamo Zagreb. The girls last year in the Women In Sports Elite Football Trials got the opportunity to get coached by five International Coaches of Marbella FC, ZNK Dinamo Zagreb, Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Melbourne Victory FC.

After last year's notable success and overwhelming response from foreign coaches, Women In Sports conducted the second edition of WINS Elite Football Trials at the National Center of Excellence, New Town, Kolkata. Head coaches of Western United Football Club, ZNK Dinamo Zagreb, Adelaide United FC, Marbella FC & Perth SC were present and trained the girls during the trials which was held from 30th June to 4th July, 2023. Notable figures like Bala Devi and Panthoi Chanu were also present in the camp.

After the second day of the WINS morning trial session under the Australian Boss Mark Torcaso, the Young National Team Winger spoke exclusively to Khel Now. Here's how the conversation went.

Need of professional appreciation

India need to develop proper structures to scout more youngsters from different parts of the country. There are many girls who love to play football but due to the lack of a proper stage to unleash their skills and show them to the world, it doesn't seem to happen.

Soumya expressed her view, "India is a country where football is loved but not appreciated professionally. India needs a proper structure and organization to scout more young girls across the country to take out more girl-footballing talents and give them the opportunity to showcase their skills. Undoubtedly it will help India to get more skillful girl footballers."

She highlighted on the climatic conditions favouring European teams, "European clubs gets the advantage of cold and dry weather. Playing in such crisp weather, the players do not get tired even after playing for a long time."

Advice to youngsters

Fitness and strength are the head-most & primary factors that a footballer need to focus on. "Young girls footballers should focus on their fitness and strengths," the winger said.

Soumya Guguloth elaborated more on this topic, "The young girls who want to be an athlete and dream of playing in national colors should focus on maintaining their fitness and take proper nutrition to develop physical strength. They should keep in mind that football strength is a training regime, considered as the most physical quality to be developed by a sportsperson."

Shortage of tournaments and same prizes & honors for the girls

Lack of competitive tournaments and less game-time affects most professional women footballers. The shortage of tournaments limits their potential development. According to the 21-year-old winger, "India need to organize more Women Professional Football Leagues in order to bring more opportunity and stability for the women footballing talents. There also be an equality in the prizes and honours for them. They receives less distinctions in compared to the Indian men footballers."

Soumya's dream for her country

Hailing from Telengana, the 21-year-old winger in her exceptional form since last year holds many dreams of making her country proud. From scoring her first international goal in her debut season at the SAFF Women's Championship 2020 in Kathmandu to securing a contract in a top-tier club in Europe, Soumya Guguloth kept on impressing the spectators by her individual brilliance. She mentioned, "The main motto of the whole team is to better its Women's FIFA Ranking to 50." She is prepared to dedicate herself to give her best and better her country's rank at any cost."