From October 11 to October 30, India will host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which is a "dream come true" for former Indian football player Yolanda de Sousa.
“India hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is a wish come true moment for me. I have been pumped up ever since I have heard the news, and I don’t think it is going to subside any time soon,” de Sousa, known as the “hat-trick queen”, de Sousa said.
“I am just really excited to see some of the best young talents in the world playing on Indian soil. I just hope we play very well, both in terms of how we’re going to perform as a team and as a host, which is really crucial,” she said.
De Sousa emphasised the significance of hosting a FIFA women's tournament, saying it is a great chance for India to introduce the sport to rural areas and make it the most well-liked women's sport in the nation.
“Now that we are hosting the first-ever FIFA women’s event, it is critical that we take the games to smaller cities and make them fall in love with the game,” de Sousa said.
De Sousa asked her fellow countrywoman to not view this tournament as just another event, but rather to use it as a platform to further promote women's football in India.
“I sincerely hope that people do not see the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as just another competition and then move on. I want people to keep talking about it even when it’s over,” she continued.
"We must appreciate the opportunity we have been given in the form of hosting a FIFA women’s competition. Our players have been given the chance to compete against some of the finest players in the world and we should recognise it. Obviously, it is going to be beneficial for the players, for the federation and for the football infrastructure of the country. But we should consider it merely the beginning and build on the momentum provided to us by this tournament,” she concluded.
