India might not have been able to make it to the knockout stage of the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup, but skipper Amarjit Singh believes the experience that he, and his team, got at the tournament will prove to be beneficial in the long run.
India ended their World Cup campaign after facing a 0-4 defeat against Ghana in their last fixture of the Group A at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Earlier; they were defeated by the other two teams of the Group-USA and Colombia.
India were the lowest-ranked side in the tournament. They qualified as hosts. This was their first-ever appearance in a FIFA World Cup at any age group.
This was their first-ever appearance in a FIFA World Cup at any age group.
Though the spirit and effort that the young Indian players put in during their three Group A matches made their compatriots proud, the quality of the opposition proved too much for the hosts, as they bowed out of the U-17 World Cup with three straight defeats.
Speaking to ANI after the match, Singh said, "The experience at the World Cup was very good. We got to play with the top teams like Ghana. This experience will help us a lot in the long run. We also got to learn a lot through this tournament."
What made India's three matches such a special occasion was the passion of the support they received in New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The impact of the crowd on the Indian team's efforts was evident in the way they played against their Group A rivals.
The Indian skipper also expressed gratitude to the fans and the AIFF for their support throughout the prestigious tournament.
"I would like to thank the fans and the AIFF for their tremendous support. Those, who even didn't know about football, supported us," he said.
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