How Rehan Ahmed became the future star of Indian football

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 31-07-2024

Rehan Ahmed with the Emerging Player of the Pilik Chowdhury Inter-School Football Tournament trophy and Rehan Ahmed on the field

Mukut Sharma / Guwahati

It was a decade ago that Sirajuddin Ahmed came to football coach Anil Acharya with his four-year-old son Rehan. Sirajuddin told Acharya, who runs the Football Training Academy at Piyli Fukan Stadium in Sivsagar, Assam, that he noticed an innate sports talent in his son and wanted him to take his little boy under his wings.

Coach Acharya advised Sirajuddin Ahmed that his son was not old enough to learn football at the academy and advised him to wait for another year.

Next year, Rehan Ahmed came to the Academy holding Sirajuddin Ahmed’s hand. Nine years later, this 14-year old is a Star of the future for Indian football.

Rehan Ahmed before he left to attend the Bubhaneswar camp

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has identified Rehan Ahmed as a bright star of the future. The AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar has selected the talented striker from Assam. The 14-year-old Rehan has been selected as the only player from Assam in the list of 20 rare talented footballers in the country. The 20 players will be prepared for the 2027 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

"When I started coaching Rehan at Piyli Fukan Stadium in Sivsagar, I saw special talent in him. Also, he was very lively and enterprising. From the day he came to my academy holding his father's hand one day at the age of five, Rehan will never look back.

"It's been a long time since I've played with my left foot. I'm sure he'll play for the Indian football team one day," he told Awaz-the Voice .

Young Rehan and other children with coach Rehan Anil Acharya

Rehan Ahmed took his first lessons in football from Anil Acharya and attracted the attention of the football community by playing spectacularly in the 2023 Pilik Chowdhury Inter-School Football Tournament. His left-handed bicycle kick in the semi-final against Morigaon caused a stir among football fans in Assam and across the country.

"After impressing in the Pilik Chowdhury Inter-School Football Tournament, Rehan got to play in the Subrat Cup National Schools Tournament. He also played well in the tournament in Bangalore and won the hearts of the coaches, He was selected for a 50-member camp in June 2024. From this camp, Rehan has finally made it to the top of the list as a potential player for the Indian Under-17 squad," proud father Sirajuddin Ahmed told Awaz-the Voice.

Sirajuddin Ahmed said his coach Anil Acharya and mother Arif Ahmed have contributed a lot to Rehan's rise.

Proud coach Anil Acharya

"While he was learning football skills under the supervision of Acharya sir, the pandemic disrupted Rehan's training. We were afraid that it would hurt his career "It didn't interfere with Rehan's training and he excelled in school competitions. We will never forget the contribution of coach Anil Acharya.

A total of 20 players from the North East and Jammu and Kashmir have been selected for the Football Federation of India and FIFA Talent Academy. Rehan Ahmed is the only player from Assam. Rehan's father said he reached the FIFA Talent Academy in Bhubaneswar safely.

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Twelve players from Manipur, six from Mizoram and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Assam have been selected for the academy. After nearly three years of skills at one of the best football academies in the country, we hope that Rehan Ahmed of Sivsagar will one day shine as a bright star of Indian football.