16 talented players selected to represent India in a soccer tournament in Milan

Kolkata: The five-month-long under-15 soccer talent hunt by Tata Tea in association with football club Inter Milan witnessed a grand finale today. At a press conference, 16 young players (U-15) were recognised for their exceptional soccer talent. These talented youngsters will go on to represent India at a youth tournament in Milan later in the year.

From amongst over 6,500 young players from over 650 schools in the fifth season, 37 of the most talented from 15 locations across the country were selected to be trained by Inter Milan coaches. Jamshid Nassiri, tournament head scout, closely monitored all the matches and selected 37 of the most talented players for the training camp in Kolkata. The 16 most talented players were chosen after a week-long intensive training session.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikram Grover, vice president, marketing, Tata Global Beverages, said, "Through this initiative, Tata Tea aims to awaken young soccer talent across India and help them compete on the world stage. We are delighted to see the encouraging response this initiative has received year-on-year. What started off as a tournament five years ago is today India’s biggest platform for talented young players to make a mark in the sport. Tata Tea’s association with a reputed club like Inter Milan gives these 16 soccer stars access to world-class coaching with the best mentors and an opportunity to go to Milan and experience soccer at the global level.”

Commenting on the association with Tata Tea, Marco Monti, technical director, Inter Academy Project, said, "We are glad to be associated with Tata Tea on this initiative that focuses on grassroots level engagement and gives under-15 players a chance to explore opportunities in the world of soccer. We had an absolutely fantastic time at the camp in Kolkata nurturing some of the best soccer talent India has.”

The fifth and the biggest season ever of the all-India ‘Tata Tea Jaago Re Inter Milan Soccer Stars ‘12’ kicked off in Bhubaneswar in December 2011 and went on to cover 15 cities across the length and breadth of the country. The national finals were played at Shillong on April 28, 2012. For more details visit: www.jaagoresoccerstars.com.