Pranav Kotra, new football star in making
19-year-old goalkeeper Pranav Kotra became the first footballer in his age group from Delhi to sign a contract with a foreign club Cove FC.
Mumbai: Pranav Kotra — the 19-year-old goalkeeper from Hindustan FC (Delhi’s football club) — threw his hat in the ring and earned his due on Monday.
He became the first footballer (in his age group) from the capital to sign a contract with a foreign club — Cove FC in Adelaide, Australia.
Originally from Noida, the youngster went to Adelaide to study. “I came to Adelaide in 2015 for my Diploma in Marketing from Durban International College. But my first priority was to become a professional footballer,” says Pranav.
The youngster short-listed clubs and kept his training videos ready. “I sent them my resume and videos for them to understand my gameplay. Soon, offers started pouring in for trials,” he added.
The lad also tested his luck with Mohun Bagan Sail Academy (Durgapur) and PIFA Sports FC (Mumbai) before joining Hindustan FC which fought tooth and nail till the final round of I-League U-19.