K.P. RahulK.P. Rahul, the lone Keralite in the Indian squad for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, learned the nuances of the game on tough terrains during his formative years at a remote village in Thrissur. So it comes easily to him perform with aplomb on the smooth green surfaces.
Ask him about the secret of his energy and the exceptional dribbing and shooting skills, Rahul would answer with that disarming smile of his. He is aware of the fact if one grows up playing football on the tarred road, playing on the grounds comes easily to them.
It is not surprising that for somebody like Rahul, who enjoyed playing soccer barefoot on hot tar-coated asphalt for hours as a child, the grass surface would appear as a flower bed!
Blessed with blistering pace and exceptional skills, Rahul’s selection to the 22-member final squad for the World Cup, was indeed a reward for his unrelenting worth ethic and positive attitude.
From being a ninth standard student who had been a regular member of the Thrissur district U-14 team till March, 2014, to be a part of the historical squad that will become the first Indian team to participate in a FIFA World Cup, it has been a fascinating journey for Rahul.
The moment of reckoning
As a child, Rahul spent most of his time playing football in front of his courtyard at Ollukkara, a sleepy village in Thrissur district. He would kick the ball against their wall to learn the art of taking the perfect penalty, much to the annoyance of his parents Praveen and Bindu. They would grab and twist his ears as a punishment, but it won’t stop the ‘penalty taker’ from training hard!
Rahul started playing the game at the age of seven under the watchful eyes of his uncle Pradeep. He was the one who spotted the innate talent in Rahul and took him to the training center run by M. Peethambaran, former Kerala Santosh Trophy coach. Later he joined the Sports and Educational Trust’s (SEPT) center at Parappur and eventually got selected to the District U-14 camp conducted by the Thrissur District Football Association.
The turning point
The turning point in Rahul’s footballing career came when he was picked to represent the district U-14 team in 2014. Thrissur won the title and Rahul was adjudged the player of the tournament. As expected, he received a call-up from the Kerala U-14 team for the nationals to be held in Kolkata.
Rahul continued his fine performance at the inter-state championship and emerged as the tournament's top scorer. After the team’s last match, Veluswamy, an official attached to the All India Football Federation, came to the dressing room to meet him. About a month after returning to Kerala from the U-14 Nationals, he received a message to report to the selection camp in Goa for the U-17 World Cup. Rahul attended the 10-day trials and returned home before getting a call-up to attend the national camp with his passport.
He was part of the 50-member preliminary squad picked by the former U-17 national coach Nicolai Adam. Initially, he was included in the ‘B’ team at the camp before being promoted to the main XI. From then, there has been no looking back.
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