The 16-year-old Manchester City Football School Corvuss American Academy cadet recently got a call-up to India U20 national team…
Priyanka Sujeesh, a 16-year-old cadet from Manchester City Football School Corvuss American Academy in Maharashtra, India, has been called up to the India U20 national team for the qualifiers of the 2022 AFC U20 Cup.
The talented footballer started her career as a striker and later shifted to the right flank and now plays as a midfielder. The Manchester City Corvuss Academy trains their cadets five days a week for two hours where Sujeesh takes her lessons under the academy’s head coach Ben Charlton.
Ahead of joining the national camp in order to motivate the young girl, Manchester City even arranged a virtual session with the club women’s team and the England national left-back Demi Stokes who featured in the 2019 World Cup.
Priyanka also entered the #SameGoals campaign and believes it is a great motivator for young girls like her.
“I love the idea of the #SameGoals campaign as when I was growing up as a footballer I never had a role model to look up to from India which is quite important for a sportsperson to learn from or get inspired by. This campaign encourages girls to play football and learn and I am all in for it,” said the youngster on the benefits of the club’s #SameGoals campaign.
“When you go to camp, make sure you’re confident and if you ever feel like you’re not, just think: ‘I’m one of the youngest here. I’ve got a lot more learning to do,’ Stokes advised Priyanka.
“Good luck, but I don’t think you need it! I think you’ll be just fine, you’ve worked very hard but keep it up!”
Man City started the #SameGoals initiative in 2018 in an attempt to increase female participation in football. The main aim of the social movement is to inspire the next generation of women footballers.
The campaign has been a success since its inception, seeing over 4000 girls participate around the world. #SameGoals pledges to deliver a special limited-edition football provided by PUMA to every girl who shares a video showing them scoring – or saving – a goal to grow her passion and help her focus on
achieving her dreams.
To receive their free ball, girls need to post a video on Twitter or Instagram that shows them scoring – or saving – a goal using #SameGoals. The goal can be created anywhere using any kind of ball; the more creative, the better.
Alternatively, participants can upload their video at www.mancity.com/samegoals