U-17 World Cup: Inmates on field to draw inspiration

Kolkata: It was like dream come true for inmates of the state-run home Kishalay when for the first time they watched international players playing in the world-class Swami Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Sunday evening.

West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has made all arrangements and taken 50 children from the home for destitute children — Kishalay — at Barasat in North 24-Parganas to the stadium to watch the match between Chile and England.

The children, all aged between 10 and 16 years, dream to become international footballers in future.

Forty of them practice football regularly in the camp run by the commission for inmates of the home.

Moreover, some of them would also get opportunity to represent Bengal's junior football team this year.

According to their football coach, they have named themselves as Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo considering that they would become successful only if they dream big.

They practice football on five days a week and have also played several matches with different football teams. "So today is a big day for them as it will immensely boost their morale and they will get encouraged to work harder to become successful footballers in future," said Bony Paul, their football coach.

The district authorities have also extended all support to take the children to the stadium so that they can watch the match.

They have been given passes to watch both the matches of the day. Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti, the Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection Child Rights, said: "The step has been taken considering the fact that it will encourage them to play a better game."

All the children were taken to the stadium in a special bus. All of them were clad in two types of jerseys. Some of them put on blue and white jerseys while the rest were dressed in light blue and orange ones.

The children were visibly extremely happy seeing the huge stadium after entering the premises through the main gate.

It was completely a different world for the children when they entered the stadium and found the green field with thousands of people cheering in the beautified gallery.

Being one of them in the gallery, they also cheered with others when England scored its first goal against Chile within just five minutes of the match.