Who is Bengaluru FC's new young star Vinith Venkatesh?

The 19-year-old scored the winner on his ISL debut, giving the Blues their first win of the season.

What really is a dream-come-true moment? The answer would be what a particular young attacking midfielder experienced last Saturday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, when he scored the game’s only goal in the 25th minute, handing Bengaluru FC their first win of the season against the formidable East Bengal FC. Vinith Venkatesh, who has been with the club since its inception and is a Bengaluru FC academy graduate, bagged a goal on his Indian Super League (ISL) debut.

Bengaluru FC are a club that has always provided young players with game-time after they have been elevated to the senior team from the academy. Last season, we saw players like Siva Sakthi take charge in the attacking lines of the team, pairing exceptionally well with the other senior players.

And this season, too, Gerard Zaragoza trusted the 19-year-old academy graduate from the very first game of this season, and guess what? With a precise finish, Vinith found the back of the net, leaving no question about his worth.

Considering his skill, acumen, and game-reading abilities, the following is a scouting report on Vinith Venkatesh, who has been in the limelight, making an impression on his Indian Super League debut while wearing Bengaluru FC’s colors.

Scouting Report

Career and Performances

Vinith Venkatesh has been with the club since 2013 when he was eight years old. He began his playing career in the day football program at the BFC School. The youngster then advanced to the residential academy and graduated from there. Following that, he played for and captained BFC’s B club, and before joining the main team, Vinith led the team that won the BDFA Super Division League championship last year.

Following the call from the senior squad, the local boy from Karnataka was featured in the recently held Durand Cup, where he performed remarkably and scored goals against the two formidable Kolkata giants. Following that, Zaragoza also gave Vinith playing time since the very first game of the ISL 2024-25 season as he demonstrated his hunger to keep getting better and improving.

The young talent Vinith scored against Mohammedan SC and Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup and scored against the Red and Gold Brigade on his ISL debut, adding to his impressive record against all three of Kolkata’s strong teams. In just 19 years, Vinith accomplished something that very few players can do.

Statistics

Playing Style

While Vinith Venkatesh is best described as an attacking midfielder, he is someone who loves to operate from the channels. Even though he is considerably given a playing position in the centre of the park, he usually enters from the wings and goes for overlaps behind the defenders, keeping them occupied. His movement with the ball and pace are things to be observed.

When Vinith played for the Blues in the recently concluded Durand Cup, he was agile with the ball and showed great game sense. He refrained from engaging the opposition and attempted to cut in from the wings, hoping to find an open teammate with a cross in the center.

On the pitch, he covers a lot of ground and works hard, and thus, Vinith instantly became an asset to the club, working well with his teammates and proving he is the kind of player every squad needs. He possesses exceptional focus and versatility, allowing him to effortlessly transition between roles.

Future Potential

There is great promise in this diligent youngster from Karnataka. He has a fantastic feel for the game and all he needs is the correct direction to reach his full potential. Gerard Zaragoza, after the last game, expressed his satisfaction with his performance and emphasized his commitment to further guiding him for his improvement.

Vinith Venkatesh has demonstrated more resolve and self-assurance in his performance from the start of the 2024-25 ISL season; therefore, Bengaluru FC will undoubtedly reap the benefits of his influence in this campaign. Having said that, a great deal of effort is still required; if he aspires to achieve his best performance, he has to commit more time to training to achieve greater results.

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