Jalandhar’s Ryan Sharma makes waves as young International football star

While Ryan Sharma’s family is known for manufacturing footballs, this eighth-grader is already making a name for himself as an international football player. Representing Minerva Academy Football Club in the under-15 category, Ryan’s team has not only brought home three major trophies but also created history in the sport.

During their recent European tour, Ryan’s team claimed victory in the Gothia Cup in Sweden, defeating Argentina 4-0 in the final. They triumphed in the Dana Cup in Denmark, overpowering Kazakhstan 15-0 and also won the Norway Cup in Norway, defeating the host team 14-1. This historic tour marked the first time the club secured back-to-back wins in all three prestigious tournaments.

Ryan, a student of Mayor World School in Jalandhar, has been showcasing exceptional football skills for the past two years. His talent earned him a spot at the Minerva Football Club, where he was selected for the European tour. Ryan is the only player from Jalandhar currently playing for the renowned club.

Inspired by his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan has grown up watching his matches, according to his proud father, Amit Sharma. The owner of Spartan Sports, a company that manufactures quality sports products including cricket bats, footballs, volleyballs and basketballs, Amit shared, “Our family has been known for making top-tier sports equipment, but we never imagined that the next generation could wear the player’s jersey, knee-length socks and step onto the field. But Ryan has realised his passion and we’ve been fully supportive of him.”

To hone his skills, Ryan has been practicing football for three to four hours every morning and evening, while balancing his love for the game with his academic studies. “He started his training at PIMS Soccer Training Academy in Jalandhar and even now, as part of the club team, Ryan continues to excel both on the field and in his studies. He is still in Jalandhar but will be moving to the academy in Mohali by the end of this month,” his father explained.

Amit Sharma further added, “Ryan has been training under Ranjit Bajaj and we are confident that he is in the best hands for further development.”