Manisha Kalyan is an Indian football player. In August 2022, she made headlines after becoming the first Indian female footballer to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Wiki/Biography
Manisha Kalyan was born on Tuesday, November 27, 2001 (age 20; as of 2021) in Mugowal village, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. Some sources claim that she belongs to Haryana. After completing her studies at Sant Attar Singh Khalsa High School, Manisha pursued her higher education at Mehr Chand Mahajan (MCM) DAV College for Women, Chandigarh.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Weight (approximately): 60kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: dark brown
family
Parents and siblings
Her father Narinder Pal is a businessman. Her mother Rajkumari Pal is a housewife. Her sister is Sonam Pal.
Manisha Kalyan’s father, mother and sister
husband
She is unmarried.
football career
Manisha Kalyan’s football journey began when she was thirteen years old. According to Manisha, her physical education teacher Bramjit Singh discovered her playing football and encouraged her to pursue a career in football. Speaking about the incident in an interview, Bramjit Singh said:
Manisha’s footwork is amazing. I convinced the principal to meet her parents. Her father was delighted to hear of her talent and allowed me to train her. “
After Bramjit Singh convinced Manisha’s parents, she started practicing football and represented the school’s football team in several regional and state-level competitions in Punjab. While studying, she represented the Border Security Force (BSF) team in the Oorja Cup. After the match, a BSF official noticed her performance and asked her if she was interested in playing for Kankere Football Club in Mumbai. Talking about the incident, she said:
When I was playing for Border Security Force in the Oorja Cup, an official asked me if I could play for Mumbai Kenkre FC in the Indian Women’s League (IWL). I said, first I need to get the consent of my family. “
In 2017, Manisha Kalyan joined Madurai Sethu Football Club and participated in the 2018 Indian Women’s League (IWL) and played a vital role in the club’s victory in the tournament. In the same year, she was selected for the Indian U-17 national football team. In July 2018, Manisha Kalyan represented India in the BRICS Cup held in South Africa. During the tournament, her performance against the Chinese team was noticed by Gokulam FC in Kerala. In 2018, after the BRICS Cup, Manisha Kayan was selected by Gokulam Football Club. Later, in the same year, she played for the Indian U-18 team and represented India in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship. There, India defeated Bhutan 4-0. In October 2018, she represented India in the U-19 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Championship and scored a hat-trick against Pakistan. In this tournament, the Indian team defeated Pakistan with a score of 18-0. Manisha made her senior international football debut in January 2019 against Hong Kong. In 2019, she represented Gokulam FC in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and scored a total of 3 goals in the entire tournament. In 2021, Manisha Kalyan represented India in football matches against UAE, Bahrain and Jordan.
Manisha Kalyan during the match against Jordan Football Team
In November 2021, she represented India in the Manaus International Football Championship. There, India lost to Brazil with a score of 6-1. Manisha scored a goal against Brazil. After the game, Manisha said in an interview:
South Americans are a little taller, but that’s about it. When it comes to fitness, strength and endurance, we can compete with anyone. Earlier, we used to think we were weak but now we are much better and not afraid of any team. Technically, I feel like we’re still a little lacking in the basics, like first touch, misplaced passes, but we’re all working together and are confident. “
Manisha Kalyan during the match against Brazil Football Team
In 2022, she represented Gokulam FC in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and won the award.
Manisha Kalyan in Indian Women’s League 2022
In 2022, Manisha Kalyan left Gokulam FC to join Apollon Ladies FC in Cyprus. She became one of four Indian women footballers to be selected by international football clubs.
Manisha Kalyan signs contract with Apollo Ladies Football Club
On August 22, 2022, she became the first Indian football player to participate in the European Women’s Champions League.
Manisha Kalyan plays soccer during UEFA Women’s Champions League match
Awards
- In 2021, Manisha Kalyan was awarded the Women’s Footballer of the Year award by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Manisha Kalyan wins All India Football Federation (AIFF) Women’s Footballer of the Year award
- In 2022, Manisha Kalyan won the League Hero Award in the Indian Women’s League (IWL). The award was presented to her by Hero MotoCorp.
Manisha Kalyan wins League Hero Award in Indian Women’s League 2022
Facts/Trivia
- Before taking up football as a professional sport, Manisha Kalyan practiced sprinting and basketball. She also said that physical education teacher Bramjit Singh convinced her to play football after seeing her playing it with boys her own age. In an interview, she spoke about the incident and said:
I like sprinting and basketball. After training, I often play football with the kids. One day my coach saw me playing and asked me if I wanted to play football. I said yes. “
- According to Manisha’s father, when Manisha told her parents that she wanted to pursue a career in football, her father was skeptical of her decision because he had not heard of a women’s football team in India. He also claimed that her decision to play football did not go down well with the villagers and neighbors started talking about Manisha. Talking about this incident, her father said:
When she said she wanted to play football, I said there was no women’s football team in our village. She said she was playing alone. People started talking and I said, “Don’t worry.” Boys and girls have equal rights. Manisha travels with the boys team to a competition in a distant village. Ten boys and one girl. “
- Manisha recalls pretending to be a boy to participate in a men’s soccer tournament. She was caught when the towel she was wrapped in came loose. Talking about the incident, Manisha said,
I once turned into a boy while wrapped in a towel and was being kissed, but no one raised any objections and instead complimented me. “
- When Manisha Kalyan was in ninth grade, her father met with an accident that left half of his body paralyzed. The family had to spend around eight rupees on his treatment. Her sister said in an interview that the family had to sell land to treat Narinder, so they were unable to do much for Manisha. she says,
We can’t afford her much. She didn’t even have proper soccer equipment. She understood this and did whatever she could to help the family. We couldn’t even feed her a special sports diet and she thrived on homemade food. “
- According to Manisha Kalyan, she used to cycle 2.5 miles from her village to the football coaching academy every day.
- Manisha’s sister said in an interview that during the financial crisis, the family received help from Manisha Kalyan’s coach Bramjit Singh and Teja Singh, a wealthy businessman from the same village who lives in the UK. . she says,
Bramjit Singh says she wore worn-out boots for a long time [her coach] Bought it, it’s a lucky charm. At other times, Teja Singh, a British businessman in the village, helped us a lot. “
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education