Indian football has been going on an upward trajectory since the inception of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) in 2014. Indian players have got an opportunity to learn and play with great foreign players, which has improved their ability and knowledge of the game.

FC Goa head coach Derrick Pereira spoke on the positive impact the Hero ISL has had on Indian Football in an interview with the IANS. He said that the league is moving in the right direction, but there are areas to improve in.

“Over the years, I feel the ISL has done remarkable work. Earlier in ISL, we had some big retired international names but now we have some good foreign players and coaches around. It has given an opportunity for Indian players to work closely with foreign players and coaches and get benefitted from their experiences. It helps Indian football.” said the 59-year-old head coach.

However, he feels that the journey of making India a football superpower has just begun. “We need to focus on certain areas to improve and reach that level. We need to focus more on certain areas where we should develop better quality players. I would say we should expand our resources more in the areas where we can develop the quality.”, said Pereira.

India still has a long way to go when it comes to qualifying for a Fifa World Cup, but steps have certainly been taken in that direction and the Hero ISL has been doing its bit on that front.