Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. First match of the season for Bengaluru FC. East Bengal FC the visitors. Sree Kanteerava stadium is buzzing. 

Spectacle. 

A Bengaluru FC win. A clean sheet. What else could you ask for if you are a Blue. 

How about a local Bengaluru boy, an academy graduate who has been at the club since its inception scoring the only goal of the game to hand his team a winning start to the league season?

Stuff of dreams, isn’t it?

That’s the story of Vinith Venkatesh in a nutshell, good enough to give you goosebumps. Imagine what it would feel to be at the Kanteerava to witness it live. Better still, what would it feel to be Vinith Venkatesh, Bengaluru FC’s pride.

The day was already a special one for the 19-year-old attacking midfielder who was handed his ISL debut by head coach Gerard Zaragoza. After playing a big hand in the Blues’ bright start to the game against the Red and Gold brigade of Kolkata, Vinith delivered the reward for his team’s early dominance – a low drilled shot that zipped across the face of the East Bengal FC goal where a helpless Prabsukhan Gill stood only to watch it ruffle the side netting. 

Pandemonium. 

Vinith rushed to the crowd with his arms stretched outside. He is hustled by captain Sunil Chhetri who’s done it all for club and country like no one else has in Indian football, pumping the teenager’s chest like a teenager himself. 

Chhetri’s reaction to Vinith’s goal summed up what it meant to the team, the Kanteerava crowd and to the club. It was a goal and something more. In the end, the goal secured the points but there was still something more special about it. 

“It was a really special night for me, scoring against such a big team in my own city. I feel really happy,” said Vinith after the game.

He was the story of the day. Not the clean sheet, not the win, not the winning start to the season. It was all about Vinith and culmination of a journey that Bengaluru FC pride on and want to make a part of their DNA. 

Vinith was awarded Bengaluru FC's Reserve Player of the Year earlier this year and has made the year more special scoring the winner for the senior team. He played in the Reliance Foundation Development League last year and captained the team against Chennaiyin FC.

Owner Parth Jindal summed up the emotion perfectly in his tweet. 

Head coach Zaragoza offered the calm that the youngster needs to develop further in his journey, typical of a coach who is keen to turn his potential into something concrete. 

“He had a good first half, but he’s young. He has quality, but he needs to improve his body, his movements, and his tactical understanding of the game. We’ll work with him to make him better,” Zaragoza said after the game. 

“He was nervous; it was his first match at Kanteerava, playing alongside people like Sunil Chhetri and Rahul Bheke. Then came a slight injury, and we hope it’s nothing serious. He’ll be ready to play again soon,” Zaragoza added. 

The remarkable debut will bring in expectations, at times more than warranted, but Vinith deserves his night of accolades and celebration, Bengaluru FC deserve it too, so do those fans before they all head back to business the next day preparing for future endeavours. 

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Bengaluru FC2024-2025