I was surprised to get selected in Bayern U-19 world squad: Sudeva FC captain Shubho Paul

NEW DELHI: Selected in FC Bayern's world squad (U-19), Sudeva FC captain Shubho Paul was a bit surprised but the young Indian footballer is determined to make the country proud when he goes to Germany for training.

The 17-year-old forward was selected from U-19 players from around the world through video footage analysis by FC Bayern legend and 1990 World Cup winner Klaus Augenthaler.

"I was surprised to see my name there. But it's really an amazing feeling. I need to make my nation proud, once I go there (in Germany)," Paul told the official AIFF website.

"I want to play in such a manner that they should look at my game and think that a good player has come out of India. Ultimately, I would love to make it to both the Bayern and India senior teams."

Paul will now travel to Mexico, where the squad of 15 will train for 13 days, before flying off to Germany.

The world squad (U-19) will play matches against local teams, including the FC Bayern U-19 side.

Paul said the German giants had insisted on full match footages in order to get a better analysis.

At first, 100 players from around the world were selected and the list was narrowed down to 64, to 35 and finally to 15.

"Once I was selected in the 100s list, we had different kinds of assessment over video calls with the coaches from the club. Then finally, when they announced the list of 15 players that will train and play in Germany," the player from Bengal said.

Paul, a product of Sudeva FC academy since he was 12, was handed the captain's armband when the club made it to the 2020-21 I-League season.

While being nurtured in the club's academy, he also played for the junior national sides, where he won the SAFF U-15 Championship in 2019, scoring three goals.

He followed that up with a stellar performance in India's AFC U-16 Championship Qualification campaign, netting two goals in three matches.

"Sudeva helped me a lot. I've been at the academy since I was 12, and have learnt all the basics from there. I also learnt a lot from Bibiano Fernandes sir (former national U-16 team coach)," he signed off.