All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel on Thursday congratulated the AIFF Elite Academy players and staff for their sterling performance in the recently concluded Under-19 I-League which the team won, remaining unbeaten throughout the campaign.
"The whole academy programme that we started in 2012 is beginning to pay-off and the way these boys, who are 1997 born, played is a clear indication of how a structured youth development programme can raise the bar," Patel said.
"These boys consistently defeated the opposition in a convincing manner and I hope other clubs learn from this and create a structured youth development programme including academies."
The AIFF Elite Academy boys have all dispersed to their respective homes and will return soon for the preparation of the AFC U-19 Championship.