Patrice Evra: Indian football needs its own Cristiano Ronaldo

Former France and Man Utd star Patrice Evra tries out some Indian food in Mumbai recently. (Pic courtesy: Patrice Evra`s Instagram account)

Former Manchester United fullback Patrice Evra stressed the importance for Indian football to nurture their domestic icons who can inspire millions of kids across the country to take up the sport professionally. In Mumbai for a promotional visit, Evra explained that Indians are physically athletic but need to improve their technical skill sets to play in the top European leagues.

Evra was encouraged by seeing youngsters engage with the game on the streets, saying that it struck a chord with him given that his love for football grew amidst turbulent circumstances in France back in the days. The 42-year-old believed that an Indian international playing in the Premier League can have a massive positive impact in the country.

"I want Indian people to have their own Cristiano Ronaldo, Patrice Evra, and Wayne Rooney. They need to believe in themselves. I watched kabaddi on TV, I had never seen that sport, but those guys are really athletic. They are strong. In Indian DNA, people are built like a beast. Indian players can play in the Premier League, but they need to practice their technique, speed," Evra said.

He added, "People and the government need to believe in that. I see kids playing outside and see that potential. You need to bring in the right people where they come not just for the money, but because they believe in the project, they believe that an Indian player can play in the Premier League."

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Evra explained that street football goes a long way in developing resilience and a robust character amongst budding athletes. He quipped that professional players are forever in ‘survival mode', and a lot of their passion comes from the days that they spend playing the game with their friends in local parks, streets, and other such related amenities. He is confident that tapping upon the unexplored raw potential amongst Indian youngsters for football will reap rich dividends going forward.

"When I was driving, I saw kids playing football on the streets. I have never done any academy, so I played my football in the streets, which is where I built my skills and character. India should focus there. People want to have massive facilities, but football is for the poor. We are always in survival mode. We have got the passion, resilience, to never give up, which is very important. Wherever I go, I always try to look if there are kids playing outside," Evra signed off.