Are you the next Indian football icon?

Budding Asian footballers of the future have a golden opportunity with Chelsea FC’s Asian Star Programme.

The ground-breaking Asian Star programme is the only initiative of its kind undertaken by a professional football club and is designed to give a much-needed boost to Asian participation at all levels of the game.

Players from Asian backgrounds take a series of specially designed tests followed by small-sided matches competing for a chance to train for a full season at one of the Foundation’s Development Centres.

Chelsea FC invites managers, coaches and scouts from clubs at all levels of the game to identify talented youngsters.

Since the 2008/09 season when the programme first started, seven players have gone on to sign for professional clubs’ academies. The programme attracts around 400 youngsters each year.

The FA has acknowledged the lack of Asian footballers. Its Chairman Greg Dyke said earlier this year that the FA is making great strides to tackle the issue, after doing various consultations around the country with members of the Asian community.

He explained “The Asian community is the largest ethnic minority in the UK. From my own experiences in club football, I know the appetite is there for Asians to be involved in the game at all levels.”

“Yet only a handful of players have made the professional playing ranks over the past two decades. Players like Zesh Rehman, Harpal Singh, Michael Chopra, Adil Nabi and Permi Jhooti have been the exception rather than the rule”, he added.

To register for this year’s scheme which starts on 25 May, contact asiansoccerstar@chelseafc.com

Are you the next Indian football icon?

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