Nepali footballers get closer to WC Trophy

KOLKATA: The Nepali football players of the Radhika Secondary School of Morang lived the moments of their lifetime getting a close view of the World Cup Trophy here at the Salt Lake City Stadium today.

Each individual of the team took a close view of the 18 carat 6,175 gram gold trophy and got the chance of taking picture with the trophy. Earlier, the team was the highlight in the carnival where they danced with the cheer leaders, demonstrated their football skills and took the glimpse German football legend Lothar Matthaus.

“These are really the moments of our lifetime. Today we are proud that we have chosen football as our sport. Coming from a weak footballing nation like Nepal, we have achieved what we never dreamt of,” said the team member Raj Kumar Dhimal. The players earned the opportunity to get a close glimpse of world football’s greatest prize after they lifted the title of the Coca Cola Cup Inter-school National Football Tournament from August 11-17 in Kathmandu last year.

The coach of the team Dipendra Dhimal said: “It was really a great day for me and my team. There might be few people in Nepal who have seen the real World Cup Trophy from so near. This is the greatest prize for us.” The coach also said the moment will motivate the other aspiring footballers in Nepal. “It’s not only an achievement for us, but also the motivation for other youngsters who aspire to be footballers,” added the coach.

Apart from the football team, it was the national team goalkeeper Bikash Malla who was on top of the world after getting the sight of the trophy. “I was speechless when the German football legend Matthaus unveiled the trophy on Friday and today is the greatest day of my life taking a picture with the trophy,” he added.

The Tribhuvan Army Club skipper also said he was nervous in the beginning when he came close to the trophy. “When I neared the trophy for the photo I was a bit nervous but as soon as I stood by its side I felt like kissing the tip of it,” he shared the experience. Malla also danced at the stage with the cheerleaders along with the school football team.

The trophy will remain in Kolkata for one more day with another huge ceremony scheduled at the Salt Lake City Stadium before leaving for Vietnam.