Football: Rahul KP becomes first Indian to join Premier League team
West Ham United call up Odisha winger Rahul KP
Indian football has endured a tough year, with the India national team managing only a single victory over the last 12 months, with their most recent match ending in a disappointing goalless draw against Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup third round qualifiers.
However, in a ground-breaking moment for the country, Odisha’s bright winger Rahul KP has been presented with an official invitation to represent English Premier League side West Ham United at the 7 vs 7 The Soccer Tournament (TST) later this week.
The tournament is set to take place in North Carolina, United States, between June 4 and 9, and will feature a total of 48 teams from across the globe, including players from the UK, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria, among others. You can keep up with all the live football action from across the globe via our football livescore tool here on SportyTrader.
Rahul will become the first Indian player in football history to play for a top-flight English Premier League team, and his call-up not only signifies a massive achievement for himself but is also a significant moment for the state of Odisha and all of Indian football.
Following his call-up, the 25-year-old winger shared a video message via social media, saying:
“Hello, Hammers fans, it’s Rahul KP here. I’m excited to play for West Ham United at TST this summer. See you soon. Come on, you Irons.”
Rahul came through the ranks of the All Indian Football Federation Elite Academy and made his professional debut for Indian Arrows in 2017 before signing for ISL outfit Kerala Blasters in 2019, where he went on to score eight goals in 87 appearances.
TST set to light up North Carolina
TST will be held throughout the upcoming week and will be staged in Cary, North Carolina. The competition will feature clubs from all across the globe, including the likes of European giants Atletico Madrid, Villareal and Borussia Dortmund, along with UK representatives Bournemouth and Wrexham.
A total of 48 teams will enter the competition and will be split into 12 groups of four teams each. West Ham have been drawn into Group G, which includes Brown Ballers FC, Tenfifteen FC and Villareal CF. The Hammers will face Brown Ballers FC in their opening game on June 4.
The tournament will also see several celebrity personalities and former football greats in attendance, such as former Manchester City star Sergio Aguero, former Manchester United winger Nani, and former NFL star Pat McAfee.
At the end of the group stage, the teams that occupy the top two spots in the group, along with the eight third-placed sides with the highest points tally, will progress to the knockout rounds, which commence on June 6.
