It is my primary responsibility to maximize the potential of Indian Football: Arsene Wenger

The former Arsenal boss inaugurated the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy yesterday in Bhubaneswar.

Arsene Wenger, the Chief of Global Development at FIFA and the former Arsenal manager, after inaugurating the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy yesterday in Bhubaneswar had a brief interaction with the press today regarding the future of Indian Football and how the youngsters can be nurtured to bring the best out of them. 

Previously, in the presence of the FIFA chief, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the All India Football Federation and the Government of Odisha. This MOU signifies the establishment of the AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy at the Odisha Football Academy in Bhubaneswar.

Experience of being in India 

Wenger is having a good time in India and has been regularly focusing on the vision of building the football culture over here. He said, “Despite the recent defeat yesterday, being in India has been an enlightening experience. Focusing on our long-term vision allows us to look forward to the future. In the company of my team and competent individuals, I am here not only to share my knowledge but also to learn from you.”

“It is crucial to understand both the strengths and weaknesses of the people around us, as together, we have the potential to achieve something significant. I firmly believe that this can be accomplished in a relatively short period of time”, he added.

Maximize the potential of every country 

While citing some examples, Wenger briefly explained the plans that are going to be executed. He stated, “It is my primary responsibility to maximize the potential of India as well as every country worldwide. I would like to pose a question: If we were to consider three boys, one born in Mumbai, another in Sao Paulo, and the last one in Paris, would there be any difference in their football abilities after just one day? No. Similarly, would there be any difference after one year? No.”

“However, if we were to examine them after 15 years, we might observe some disparities in the skills and quality of these players. Moreover, if we were to assess them after 20 years, the differences in their competencies would likely become more pronounced.

“I believe this variation is not attributed to one’s nationality; rather, it is a result of the educational opportunities available to nurture football players. This is precisely the aspect we analyze when evaluating the differences among countries—the strong correlation between quality of education and the corresponding disparities in various fields”, he further elaborated with his statement. 

Vision of playing the U-17 World Cup

AIFF President, Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, who was also in attendance, deliberated on the prospects of organizing the U-17 World Cup as a means to pave the way for the senior national team. He said, “It is possible to hope that Indian football can achieve success on the international stage based on its own merits. Instead of solely focusing on qualifying for the senior FIFA World Cup, a strategic approach could be to aim for qualification in the under-17 FIFA World Cup.”

“This endeavor would assist in progressing towards the ultimate goal of competing in the senior FIFA World Cup. Moreover, it is noteworthy that FIFA has recently decided to host the Under-17 World Cup annually, providing every player with an opportunity to participate in this tournament”, he added. 

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