Manipur's Kangpokpi football trio vow to play only for India, urge PM Modi to strengthen football

Three young footballers from Manipur's Kangpokpi district, who recently led Minerva Football Academy to historic titles at the Gothia Cup 2026 in Sweden and the Helsinki Cup 2026 in Finland, have pledged to represent only India and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen Indian football to help the country qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

 

The trio—Thangsanglen Kipgen, Lalvanghao Haokip and Seiminsang Khongsai were felicitated by the Kangpokpi Christian Church (KCC) during a special thanksgiving service organised by its Board of Christian Education. The event was attended by church leaders, parents, football enthusiasts, youth and members of the community.

 

Honoured for their outstanding achievements, the footballers thanked the church, their families and supporters for encouraging them throughout their journey.

 

"We are deeply thankful to our church, our families and everyone who believed in us. This overwhelming love motivates us to work even harder and bring more laurels to our country," they said.

 

Asked about their biggest dream, the players said they aspire to represent the Indian senior national football team and play in the FIFA World Cup.

 

When questioned about the possibility of joining foreign clubs, all three gave a unanimous response: "No. We want to play for India."

 

The footballers also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invest more in Indian football.

 

"Please help Indian football grow stronger so that India can one day play in the FIFA World Cup," they said.

 

Thangsanglen Kipgen, popularly known as "India's Neymar Junior", said Brazilian star Neymar Jr. has been his biggest inspiration, while Lalvanghao Haokip and Seiminsang Khongsai credited Argentine legend Lionel Messi for inspiring their football journeys.

 

During the ceremony, the players' families expressed gratitude to Minerva Football Academy founder and coach Ranjit Bajaj for nurturing their talent and providing international exposure.

 

Former Kuki-Zo actress Sana Khongsai also praised Bajaj's contribution to Indian football and urged the Government of India to provide greater institutional support to help develop more world-class footballers.

 

The thanksgiving service concluded with special prayers and blessings for the trio as they continue pursuing their dream of representing India on football's biggest stage.