We want Mumbai to be proud of our ISL team: Ranbir

Actor Ranbir Kapoor, whose Mumbai City FC football team in the Indian Super League (ISL) had underperformed last season, is confident of a better showing this season, stating that he wants the city to be proud of the team.

"Our performance last season was not good at all. We have worked and deliberated a lot this year to build the right team since the other teams played well last time. So we're only looking to play an entertaining and fair game. The team that we're trying to make for Mumbai, we're hoping that Mumbai feels proud about the team and supports it," he said at an event here.

Ranbir is himself a self-confessed fan of FC Barcelona, a popular football team from Spain, and has often attended their matches.

He said: "Barcelona's format of bringing up the players at such a young age is doing so much for the community and the sport, making a team that the entire world loves. I think this is definitely inspirational for us."

India's current ranking of 156 doesn't augur well for Indian football. To which, he said: "As far as India is concerned, we have our own challenges. India is known as the sleeping giant of football. We have lots to do. But the endeavour is to make a team which will enter the World Cup. For Indian football team to enter the World Cup, we need it to set up a good team."

The 2015 season of ISL is slated to begin on October 3, and Ranbir plans to cheer for his team from the stands like last time.