Indian players must enjoy U-17 World Cup experience: Norton

With less than a week to go for India to face the US in their campaign opener at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, India U-17 head coach Luís Norton de Matos wants the young colts to enjoy every moment of the mega event.

"Liberty and responsibility is what I believe in. The capacity of taking decisions is what football is all about along with enjoying every moment of playing on the pitch," Matos said.

"The level of the Indian U-17s is very high and I want them to enjoy every moment they play in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. At the same time, we will fight as we want to show the world that we belong on the same page as them," he added.

"All games are winnable in football."

India have been drawn in Group A of the FIFA U-17 World Cup along side the US, Colombia and Ghana.

The Indian boys face the USA on October 6, before locking horns with Colombia and Ghana on October 9 and October 12 respectively at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

"We have nothing to lose and we have everything to win. If we can show the world that we belong on the same page as them, then we have a victory in that," Norton said.

"The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 India is a big moment for Indian football and I am glad to be a part of it", the Portuguese coach added.

"We have a destiny in life and I think coming here to India was mine. My great-grandfather was born here and I always heard about India back in Portugal hence it is an amazing feeling to be here, associated with a keynote in Indian football's history."

--IANS

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