Striker Sanvi stars for Mumbai District in Jalgoan

Player of the tournament Sanvi Chaubey (PIC/Sanvi’s personal collection)

Mumbai District striker Sanvi Chaubey has credited the entire team for playing their part as they thrashed Kolhapur District 4-0 to win the 10th WIFA Inter-District Sub-Junior Girls' Football Championship in Jalgaon recently.

In the final, Sanvi, 11, scored a brace for Mumbai District, while Rizwana Shaikh and Prisha Patel netted a goal each in the triumph. Sanvi, a Class VI student of the Lilavatibai Podar High School, Santacruz, scored seven goals in four matches and was adjudged the player of the tournament, whose initial stages witnessed 22 teams from across Maharashtra competing for top honours.

The victorious Mumbai District team which won the 10th WIFA Inter-District Sub-Junior Girls' Football Championship in Jalgaon recently. PICS/Sanvi's personal collection

When asked about the win and which match was the toughest in the tournament, the young striker told www.mid-day.com, "We deserved to be the champions. The best part of the win is that the entire team played their part. The toughest match has to be our semi-final against Pune [which we won 6-5 via penalties]. The defenders in the Pune team were too good. But we kept calm and played our part. I would like to thank my coach Amith Chauhan and managers Rehana Ansari, Prajakta Tambadkar for taking care of us, guiding and motivating us."

Meanwhile, Sanvi, who started playing football when she was six, dreams of representing the Indian women's team under her club coach Preetam Mahadik. "I started playing [football] when I was six for The Sports Gurukul under the late Vicky Koli sir. Currently, I play for the Joga Bonito club. My coach, Mahadik sir, is very helpful and knows the strengths and weaknesses of all players under him. He is committed towards women football and I wish to play for the Indian women football team with him as coach. I would also like to thank the late Sydney Alexander sir, Clement [Travasso] sir and Dominic [Rosario] sir for always guiding, motivating and encouraging me," explained Sanvi, whose inspiration are Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and India captain Sunil Chettri. "I like their dribbling skills, free kicks, headers, their fitness levels and speed. Hope to become a pro football player like them someday," Sanvi signed off.