On Wednesday, India’s footballers created history by winning the Nehru Cup football tournament for the first time. They defeated Syria in the final match of the tournament. Syria was ranked 39 places above that India in the FIFA rankings but the Indian team succeeded to register one of the greatest win in the history of Indian football.

India won the 5-nation Nehru Cup with a 1-0 victory over Syria in the final and very few people, outside Kerala, knows about the real hero of the final match. Pappachan Pradeep had scored the winning goal just a minute before half time with a powerful right-footer from the top of the box by dodging Syrian goalkeeper Musab Balhous. Kerala boy P Pradeep has become star in his football-crazy home state.

Pradeep struggled hard to become the new Indian sports star. The goal of glory came the hard way and his poor financial condition and his father’s death could not even stop him to win the Nehru Cup football tournament for India.

According to the report, Pradeep still lives in an unfinished little hut. His family is living life in extreme poverty. The family faces it tough to get even a single meal in the day sometimes. Pradeep lost his father to a heart attack in the month of July, a month before he achieved the biggest moment of glory till date.

Pradeep said:

Living life was tough, very tough. I really had to struggle to remain with football till the State Bank of Travancore team took me in the football group.

At present, I play for Mahindra United. After missing the chance to get selected in the college football team at the Kerala Varma College in Thrissur, I wasn’t sure if I could really afford to get into football then.

There was a lot of financial problem at my home. My friends and parents supported me. Even my passport was made by well wishers.

Despite of the poor financial condition in family, Pradeep never gave up the dream to become Star footballer in India. Family members supported all the time even the financial situation was very bad.

The major question is that would the cricket lover crowd respect the young sports star of Indian football? Would he get the sufficient financial support from the government or the corporate world to continue the winning story forever? Would people remember him as the sports star who made Indian football proud after such a long time?

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