Talent hunt for freestyle footballers at Siliguri

SILIGURI - Renowned freestyle footballers from Ireland and Sweden recently attended a nation-wide hunt in India to tap players who have mastered the art of ball control and other manoeuvres here.

Amidst a lot of frenzy and hype, freestylers Nam the Man (Hoai-Nam Nguyen) from Ireland and Palle (Rickard Sjölander) from Sweden balanced and played with the ball while demonstrating their mastery, leaving the audience thrilled and cheering.

This talent-hunt contest named ‘Freestyle Friendzy’ is being sponsored by India’s liquor major, McDowell’s.

The nationwide competition is open to anyone who has the drive and the enthusiasm to display ball control and other freestyle skills with the ball.

Their motive is to search for an Indian freestyler who can represent India in the game in the near future.

“We are here now in India touring in 21 different cities with McDowells No.1, hopefully to find a freestyler from India to represent India in the coming future in the sport itself, and put India on the map of freestyle football,” said Nam.

Palle was amazed to see such enthusiasm among the crowd to learn the techniques.

“What we have seen is a lot of passion. The level of freestylers is not as high as in Europe, for example, but we have seen much more passion here,” said Palle.

The winner of the ‘Freestyle Friendzy’ will get a chance to train further abroad and would also be given a free ticket to one of the popular league matches in London, as well as other prizes.

Also known as street-style, freestyle football has reportedly caught up among the young the old alike in North America, Europe and the Far East.

The finale of the freestyle football competition will take place in Kolkata on December 18. (ANI)