The footballing dreams of Shohan Bhagwati, an 18-year-old from Assam’s Namrup, received a major shot in the arm, when he was selected for a trial by the historic ‘Argentinos Juniors’ club in the land of icons Messi and Maradona.
As a child, Bhagwati started his journey in Dubai’s La Liga Academy, where he learned the nitty and gritty of the game. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he also played for the Indian team for 3 days. His journey next took him to Spain, where he signed a contract with a local Catalan club and he played for the first team.
Bhagwati next received a call from the 170-year-old club 'Argentinos Juniors', which regularly rubs shoulders with elite clubs like 'Boca Juniors.'
"The exposure and experience was superb. It was the first time I was playing for such a huge club. It felt great! I played with the under-19 side, and was awed by the level of the players. I have realized that I still have a lot to learn, still. I have a lot of achieve," he says.
Yesterday, the Namrup Town Club feted the young footballer on his return after wrapping up the spell in Argentina.
Although Bhagwati is based in Dubai, where his parents work, he says that he shares a good rapport with the footballing community of Namrup, Dibrugarh, his originating place.
"Everybody welcomed me in Namrup, even the senior players, even when I was a newbie", he recalls, adding that he always felt at home in the local footballing club in the town.
Bhagwati has come a long way since the days he used to train at the, but the teenager’s father says that he is "just getting started."
"Although we are proud of him, we have a lot to achieve. We are hopeful that he will do well, as there is no other option," says Tandeep Bhagawati.
Making an appeal to parents and guardians of aspiring athletes, he said that no athlete can "make it big" without a good support system behind him/her.