Top five Indian players to watch out in SAFF U20 Championship 2024

The Blue Colts will be looking to lift the trophy considering their quality.

Indian men’s U-20 national football team are set to compete in the upcoming SAFF U-20 Championships that is taking place in Nepal from 18 August to 28 August 2024. Six teams are participating in the tournament that brings top-class U-20 players, giving the fans a taste of the future potential of the respective nations. 

The Blue Colts play their first 2024 SAFF U-20 Championship match on 19 August 2024 against Bhutan in Group B at the ANFA Complex. There are plenty of talents in the Indian squad and the majority of the players represented the U-19 squad which won the 2023 SAFF U-19 Championship by beating Pakistan in the final.

Ranjan Chaudhuri, head coach of the Indian men’s U-20 national team, hopes that the youngsters will deliver brilliant performances and return with the trophy. Several individuals can make a good impact on India but the following five will be the ones to watch out for:

Gwgwmsar Goyary

Indian U-20 team has a lot of exciting forwards and Gwgwmsar Goyary is one of them. The attacker scored in the final of the 2023 SAFF U-19 Championships against Pakistan.

He finished the tournament with three goals, the highest in the Indian squad and joint-highest at the tournament. The fans will hope the forward scores more goals and help the Indian cause at the SAFF U-20 Championships.

Ricky Meetei Haobam

Ricky Meetei Haobam is the assigned captain of the Indian U-20 team at the tournament in Nepal. The defender has experience under his belt and his leadership qualities make him a key individual in the lineup. Ranjan Chaudhuri will be relying on the defender’s maturity at the back and his command to keep opponents from scoring.

ALSO READ: India’s squad for SAFF U20 Championship 2024

Gurnaj Singh Grewal

Gurnaj Singh Grewal is one of the most technically sound players in the Indian team. The 17-year-old plays for East Bengal FC at club level and holds a lot of quality which can cause plenty of issues to the opposition defence. His playmaking abilities will come in handy when the Indian team commences its campaign in Nepal and aims to win the trophy.

Vanlalpeka Guite

Vanlalpeka Guite is another one of many exciting Indian attackers who is sound technically. The 17-year-old thrives with the ball on his feet and does not panic in pressure situations.

He also plays for East Bengal FC at club level and is one of their most promising prospects. It will be interesting to see what kind of an impact Guite has on the overall performance of the Blue Colts at the SAFF U-20 Championships. 

Vanlalpeka Guite is such a beautiful player, great to watch him live after seeing him in Germany and Thailand last year. In the first minute of the match, he beat 3 players and nutmegged the fourth with ease. 🇮🇳⚽️ #IndianFootball #EastBengal @KhelNow pic.twitter.com/aElkcqCLvk

— Ashish Negi (@7negiashish) July 30, 2024

Also Read: SAFF U20 Championship 2024: Full fixtures, schedule, timing, telecast & live streaming details

Manglenthang Kipgen

Manglenthang Kipgen is a key part of the Indian U-20 team at the SAFF U-20 Championships. The 19-year-old midfielder is extremely talented and loves to get on the end of scoring chances.

He scored a brilliant brace in the final of the SAFF U-19 Championships against Pakistan in September 2023, helping the Blue Colts lift the trophy. The expectations will be high from the Punjab FC player who looks ready to score goals and return home with this title.

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