Youngsters should take to football so much that it beats the craze for cricket in the country, Union sports minister Vijay Goel said today.
The minister was speaking at the closing ceremony of the ‘Oorja- CAPFs U-19 football talent hunt tournament phase-I’ for the Delhi region organised by paramilitary CISF at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here.
The minister said his department will leave no stone unturned to ensure that better facilities are created for the sport and its players in the country.
“The government and the Prime Minister desire that football talent is nurtured and developed in India. I will urge youngsters and players to take to football so much so that it even beats the craze for cricket in the country,” Goel said.
The tournament is a pre-cursor to FIFA U-17 Football World Cup this year that is being in the country.
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the Central Industrial Security Force and others have been entrusted to hold the talent hunt trials in various cities across the country.
Goel also awarded the winning teams at the end of the event.