The Guardian’s Next Gen 2022: India’s Suhail Bhat features among the 60 best young talents in world football

Suhail Bhat, a 17-year-old Kashmiri footballer has won a rare honor after being named in The Guardian’s list of the top 60 young talents in world football.  It features players like Mathys Tel, Amadu Balde and more who play in elite European clubs and for teams across the globe.

The Guardian, a national British daily, has released a list of 60 of the best young talents in world football who were born in 2005. Interestingly, India’s Suhail Bhat also features in the list of the best 60 wonder kids in world football.

Suhail Bhat features in The Guardian’s 60 best young talents

Suhail Bhat hails from the northern part of India, that is Kashmir. The valley produces brilliant footballers and the youngster is representative of the quality that the region possesses. The recognition coming Suhail’s way will certainly motivate him to perform better and grow as an individual in the forthcoming years.

Suhail Ahmad Bhat represents Indian Arrows Football Club. The 17-year-old has been excellent at all youth levels and also scored on his Under-16 debut for India against the United Arab Emirates last year. Indian Arrows is a developmental project aimed to give budding Indian footballers more exposure and aid in their growth. However, it has been disbanded to refocus on Indian football’s future and its direction. Suhail Bhat is one of the players that came through the Arrows project and has a bright future ahead.

It is a great moment for the young Indian forward who plays for the All India Football Federation (AIFF) developmental side, Indian Arrows. While it is worth noting that the AIFF Executive Committee has decided to disband the Indian Arrows project, players like Suhail Bhat benefited from it nonetheless.

“This hard-working striker was identified as one of the brightest talents in the Kashmir region even before he was a teenager. Eager to run in defenders and full of self-confidence, he excelled at all youth levels which he has been thrown in so far – scoring on his Under-16 debut for India against the United Arab Emirates in 2021 – meaning there are high hopes that the youngster The 17-year-old will ultimately be the long-term successor to India’s striking legend Sunil Chhetri,” The Guardian said.

Last year, The Goal reported that Suhail Bhat had always dreamed of representing India on the international stage, yet he faced a dilemma before putting pen to paper, as he thought his studies would take second place. plan if he joins the India U16 team. His passion for football eventually got the better of him and the 15-year-old agreed to join the India U16 team.