Practice sessions with the first team feel like games: Bengaluru FC's Thoi Singh
Thoi Singh has netted an impressive nine goals and provided four assists, earning him the prestigious Golden Ball at the 2023 Reliance Foundation Development League. This teenager, who draws inspiration from the likes of Eden Hazard and Neymar, is now orchestrating the midfield for the Blue Colts at the 2023 PL Next Generation Cup in Navi Mumbai.
Bengaluru FC places a strong emphasis on young prodigies who are poised to make their way to the first team in the coming years.
Having qualified through the ranks of Bengaluru FC, players like Sivasakthi Narayanan, Naorem Roshan Singh, and Leon Augustine have already made an impact on the first team. Additionally, exciting prospects such as goalkeeper Sharon Padattil and midfielder Bekey Oram are also following in their footsteps in the production line.
However, it is often the goal-scoring player who receives the most recognition. This is precisely what Thoi Singh has been doing for the Blues at the youth level, earning him major plaudits.
Thoi Singh is a crafty winger who relishes going one-on-one with the opposition, showcasing his impressive dribbling skills. He possesses the ability to deceive and outsmart defenders with his swift changes of direction and quick bursts of speed.
The 19-year-old has netted an impressive nine goals and provided four assists, earning him the prestigious Golden Ball at the 2023 Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL). This teenager, who draws inspiration from the likes of Eden Hazard and Neymar, is now orchestrating the midfield for the Blue Colts at the 2023 PL Next Generation Cup in Navi Mumbai.
“Indian wingers don’t like taking on 1v1 situations. As for me, I don’t like crossing without knowing what’s there in the box. I want to do well for my team, I want to play in the style of Eden Hazard or Neymar,” Singh said in an interview with The Bridge.
The winger, hailing from a small town in Manipur, has had to live away from home for a significant portion of his life, all in pursuit of his football career. Singh began his career in Manipur before being scouted by the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) as part of its inaugural batch in 2015. He emerged as a prominent figure in the academy, successfully graduating before making his way to the Bengaluru FC's reserve team in 2020.
Recently, the young talent was promoted to first-team training where he received substantial praise from the senior team captain, Sunil Chhetri.
Reflecting on that occasion, he commented, “Training with the Bengaluru FC first team is very different from the reserves team. There’s pressure in playing with all the big stars, practice sessions feel like games, there is no time to breathe.”