Goa’s Kalina Rangers defeated Pune’s Sunny Boys in a heated final to book their spot in the global showdown in Qatar later this year
Goa: Mumbai-based Kalina Rangers claimed the national title at the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five tournament, overcoming Pune’s Sunny Boys in a dramatic finale at Carambolim’s Ella Ground. With this win, the Rangers will now represent India at the World Finals in Qatar later this year.
The final began with Kalina seizing control early on. Skipper Clinton D’Souza struck in the seventh minute to put his side ahead, as the Rangers’ defence stood firm against repeated attacks from Sunny Boys. Frustration grew for the Pune side when their appeals for a penalty — claiming a Kalina defender blocked the ball illegally inside the ‘D’ — were turned down by the referees and technical officials.
In the chaos that followed, Kalina doubled their lead, making it 2-0 by the eighth minute. The decision did not sit well with Sunny Boys, who walked off the pitch in protest with two minutes still left on the clock, forfeiting the contest and handing Rangers the title.
“We are obviously very happy. The referees made their decision and we think it was the right call. This is a big moment for all of us,” said captain Clinton D’Souza after the victory.
The Neymar Jr’s Five format is unique and high-octane: ten-minute matches without halftime, no goalkeepers, and squads of up to seven players with rolling substitutions. The rules state that each time a team concedes, one of its players must leave the pitch. This often turns matches into fast-paced, tactical duels where possession and finishing are everything. In case of a draw, ties are settled by a one-on-one showdown until one player scores.
Kalina Rangers’ triumph marks them as the national champions of the tournament’s fifth edition. They will now test themselves against the best at the global stage in Qatar, where more than 60 countries are expected to compete through a group and knockout format. For the Rangers, the journey carries extra motivation — the possibility of meeting Neymar himself, the face of the tournament.
Open to players aged 16–35 in both men’s and mixed team categories, the India leg of the event saw qualifiers held across 18 cities with more than 2,700 teams taking part. After the pandemic forced a break in 2020, the return of the tournament saw Kalina Rangers once again underline their dominance. Back in 2019, representing Mumbai, they won the national finals and went on to Brazil, where they famously beat eventual world champions Hungary.
With another national crown in their cabinet and the global stage ahead, Kalina Rangers will look to carry their aggressive, fearless style of five-a-side football into Qatar, determined to make an impact against the world’s best.
