‘Brother sacrificed dream so I could play’: Shubho Paul prepares for Bayern Munich journey

Pressure doesn’t faze Shubho Paul. He was agency when he knew he can be following a dream his brother had to surrender for need of cash. And he’s agency now, when an invite from German soccer giants Bayern Munich has been adopted by tweets from Chief Ministers and Indian soccer legends.
The 17-year-old from West Bengal’s Salkia — till a couple of years in the past a barefoot footballer who would use a cycle borrowed from his coach to go play after college — is now making ready for a flight to the Bundesliga champions’ coaching centre. There, Paul will play towards a number of U-19 sides of the German prime division, with the eventual goal of signing a senior skilled contract with Bayern Munich.

My heartiest congratulations to Subho Paul, who has been chosen to signify FC Bayern Munich World Squad in Germany.
At the younger age of 17, he has proven the world what soccer actually means to Bengal – past sport, it’s an emotion.
Proud second for our nation.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 11, 2021
“My family is telling me not to think too much about the trip, about selection into Bayern Munich. They are just telling me to enjoy myself and to keep in mind that I am representing India. But I can tell from their voices that they are very happy,” mentioned Paul, who performs at Sudeva FC, a Delhi-based I-League membership.
Paul has been staying at Sudeva FC’s residential facility all through the pandemic, and it was solely on a cellphone name that he received to convey the information to his household. That cellphone name would have been particular for his elder brother, Raju Paul, who left soccer 10 years in the past due to monetary constraints for the household.
“He had to support the family, so he took a job. Our family couldn’t afford the both of us playing,” mentioned Paul.
“It was my brother who was the footballer. I used to knock around smaller balls with the other kids, I played more cricket than football. It was he who motivated me to think about football seriously, who took me to coaches,” he mentioned.
It was a coach in Salkia, Tapan Karmakar, who believed in Paul a lot that he lent him his bicycle in order that he may come to play. One day quickly after, Kolkata soccer legend Chima Okorie, who was within the space, was so impressed by Paul that he purchased him his first soccer boots.
Kolkata soccer legend Chima Okorie drops Shubho Paul off at his residence after a coaching session (Special Arrangement)
In 2017, Paul was snapped up by Sudeva FC to play within the U-13 I-League. What occurred subsequent is stuff of legend for the Delhi-based membership’s house owners.
“Paul is a very straightforward person. Before a junior game, we asked him what he wanted to do in the match. He had a simple answer — to score 10 goals. We were a little surprised, but not as surprised as when he scored 13 goals in the match,” mentioned Vijay Haqari, Sudeva FC co-owner.
Paul as soon as scored 58 targets in a span of 12 matches within the U-13 I-League, in keeping with Haqari and Anuj Gupta, the membership’s co-owners.
Promoted to the senior I-League workforce this 12 months, Paul was additionally given the captain’s arm-band — on the age of 17.

Led by membership legend and World Cup winner Klaus Augenthaler and their coach of worldwide programmes, Christopher Loch, Bayern Munich launched a world expertise hunt in March this 12 months to select 15 gamers for a ‘World Squad’. This workforce will play pleasant matches within the German pre-season and can prepare at Bayern Munich for round two weeks.
“I got to know of the talent hunt from a Bayern representative. I prepared a CV for Paul, made a video collection of his performances, and sent it across. In April, they had a call with me and Paul,” mentioned Gupta.
While that decision proved decisive, there’s one other each day name that Shubho Paul credit as a secret to his success.
“My brother and I talk on the phone everyday. He tells me not to stay up late. Now, he is telling me everyday not to take undue pressure of the Bayern trip,” he mentioned.
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But stress, it appears, has by no means been an issue.
“Paul, like all superstars, thrives under pressure. He has very straightforward thinking, he enjoys attention and performs best when the stakes are high,” say the Sudeva FC co-owners.
That the stakes have risen is evident from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s tweet on Friday, citing Bengal’s emotional bond with soccer. Former Indian nationwide workforce goalkeeper Subrata Paul was additionally amongst those that shared information of Paul’s feat.
But Paul is stored humble by a way of gratitude — in direction of his coaches at Sudeva FC, his buddies on the membership who don’t let him miss residence, to the few individuals who believed in him — his brother who sacrificed his desires, his coach Tapan Karmakar, who lent him his bicycle, and Chima Okorie, who purchased him his first boots.
“When I spoke to Chima sir about Bayern Munich, he told me he had never thought I would reach this far,” Paul mentioned with a smile.
 

The ‘World Squad’ will play pleasant matches in Mexico later this month earlier than travelling to Munich, the place matches are scheduled towards Bayern Munich U-19 and different Bundesliga U-19 groups in July. Standout gamers might be provided knowledgeable contract with Bayern. The undertaking can also be going to be made right into a six-part documentary, thus presumably opening doorways to different golf equipment world wide as effectively.
A fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski, Paul’s goal continues to be as clear as when he mentioned he would rating 10 targets in a match. “I want to play in the Champions League with Bayern Munich,” he mentioned.