Mumbai’s Kalina Rangers edge out Aizawl Underdogs FC to clinch the title and secure a spot at the World Finals in Brazil
Mumbai’s Kalina Rangers came out on top at the national finals of the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five, defeating Aizawl Underdogs FC 1-0 in a closely fought title clash. The victory not only earned them the trophy but also the honour of representing India at the World Finals in São Paulo, Brazil, later this July.
The national showdown, staged at a venue in New Town, Kolkata, brought together the best sides from across the country — all winners of the regional qualifiers. With the stakes high, the Rangers held their nerve in a tight contest to ensure they booked their passage to Neymar Jr’s hometown, where the world’s top amateur five-a-side teams will battle it out.
This year’s tournament saw participation on an impressive scale, with over 3,000 teams competing in qualifiers spread across 17 cities, including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Guwahati, Calicut, Shillong, Delhi, Aizawl, Chandigarh and Jaipur.
From that massive pool, four sides advanced to the semifinals: Friends United (Bengaluru), Boom Boom FC (Goa), Aizawl Underdogs FC (Aizawl) and Kalina Rangers (Mumbai). Each had battled through intense knockout rounds, but it was the Rangers who eventually went all the way.
Adding to the atmosphere at the finals was Indian goalkeeper and Red Bull athlete Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who was on hand to encourage and cheer the teams.
For Kalina Rangers, the triumph is yet another milestone in their remarkable journey as one of India’s most successful futsal outfits — and this time, the road leads to the global stage in Brazil.
