The Leicester City of India

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Everyone loves a good underdog story. Last year in May 2016, Leicester City scripted history by becoming the EPL champions and it was talked about for months. We can now say that history has been made in India too. Aizwal FC have become the first team from the North-East to win the I-League and they've really made India proud. Aizawl FC won their maiden I-League title following a dramatic season finale, which saw them going toe-to-toe with Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan. On the final day of the season, Aizawl, who had 36 points from 17 matches, needed only a draw to be crowned champions ahead of Bagan, who trailed them by three points. Their 1-1 draw against another club from the Northeast, Shillong Lajong, confirmed the stunning achievement for Aizawl FC, who, in the process, became the first team from the Northeast to win the national championship.



What was the journey of Aizawl FC like?
It’s an incredible tale at many levels, not because Aizawl were relegated to the second division last year. That was their debut season and Aizawl’s young, untested players were seen as not good enough at this level and the team’s nightmare ended with them being bundled out of the league. This season, as the clubs from Goa boycotted the league due to a tiff with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Aizawl were brought back, just to make the numbers. The reinstatement happened barely a month before the start of the new season in January.


Every great team needs a great coach. Khalid Jamil was appointed as Aizawl FC’s head coach just before the start of the 2016-17 season and he delivered it for them. Jamil, born in Kuwait to Indian parents, had been sacked by Mumbai FC last season after a seven-year stint with the team. The club thought he wasn’t ambitious enough and termed his seven years with the team “a failure”. A similar scenario was observed with Claudio Ranieri too.


At the start of this season, Aizawl’s target was to avoid relegation, which was understandable for a club with modest means. In Mizoram, they joke about how one Mohun Bagan player can pay for the entire Aizawl team. Unofficial estimates put their annual budget at Rs 1.25 crore, which includes players’ fee, food, travel, stay and medical expenses. That is one crore less than what Bagan reportedly pays its costliest player, Haiti’s Sony Norde.

But just like Bengaluru had shown three years ago, Aizawl too have proven that teams with virtual unknowns can win big. And win in style. Every match day, sceptics waited for this bunch of novices to trip but they have played on. They remained unbeaten at home and played a brand of football that is synonymous with teams from the Northeast – attacking, yet sublime. The packed stands, even on weekdays, were testimony a state that is crazy about its football. The culture and passion of the states like Mizoram, Assam & Shillong have created an example for others to follow.
The road ahead for Aizawl FC looks very bright and the recent decision that the I-league and ISL merger won't be happening for at least 2-3 years gives them hope to carry forward their legacy and provide a platform to showcase North East football.



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