3 current Indian footballers who can make a mark in the Premier League
(Disclaimer: These are the opinions of the author and not those of the website)
2018 has been an important year for Indian football as the sport is slowly gaining many followers within the country. The Indian Super League's success, as well as good performances from the national side, has placed the game in more limelight within the country. Although there's still a long way to go to reach the high standards of other nations, India are slowly getting there.
The Premier League is the most watched and followed competition across the world after the World Cup. Naturally, the dream of almost every footballer is to play in England's top-flight at least once in his professional career.
There are many Premier League fans across India, though the nation is yet to be represented in the division. Sunil Chhetri once came close to playing for Queens Park Rangers, though work permit issues meant the Indian talisman was unable to showcase his talent on the biggest stage. The same could be said for India's first-choice goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, when Everton came calling.
The league can include players only from nations which are ranked below 70 in the FIFA rankings and provided India can continue to develop, there are a number of budding talents within the country capable of playing there in future:
#3 Komal Thatal
Komal Thatal was part of the Indian team which played in the U17 FIFA World Cup in India. Since then, the youngster has always been in the news because of his impressive performances.
Currently playing as a midfielder with ISL side ATK, a lot of European clubs are said to be monitoring his status in India. At just 18-years-old, Komal has come into the limelight at a good time with the game gradually becoming popular in the country.
As a result, Komal has all the opportunities to develop into a great player. At his young age and the capabilities he possesses, he has one of the best opportunities to become the first Indian to play in the Premier League.