As Ferran Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in the FIFA World Cup final in the 106th minute, it brought back memories for Vijay Patil, watching from the stands at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium.
Torres’ footballing journey had gone through India and Navi Mumbai, when he was part of the Spanish squad for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup held in India.
One of his teammates in the current senior squad, Eric Garcia, also played at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium.
Vijay Patil owner of DY Patil Stadium during FIFA World Cup final. Torres played at DY Patil Stadium in 2017. (Special Arrangement)
“Torres and Garcia came with the under-17 team and played at my ground. To see him scoring a goal in the World Cup final was an amazing experience and a memory to cherish. I had seen him in Navi Mumbai as a young boy and like most of their players, he too was looked at as one to watch out for,” Patil told The Indian Express from the USA.
The DY Patil Stadium, which was a cricket venue, was converted into a football arena for the U-17 World Cup.
“It’s very special to see somebody who came to India in his formative years and then see him scoring the World Cup-winning goal. Spain had beaten Mali in the 2017 tournament but I remember dragging a few of my friends to see this young crop of players. I told them ‘who knows, some of them may become great footballers in the future’,” he added.
Patil recalled that even at the U-17 level, some of the Spanish footballers impressed him with their level of play, especially as in India, one doesn’t get an opportunity to see such raw talent coming up on the world stage.
Spain reached the final of that tournament but went down 2-5 to England despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the game. For England, Phil Foden scored a brace.