India’s first footballer to play for a European club made history without ever wearing a pair of football boots.

Despite boasting the world’s second-biggest population, India has seen a remarkably small number of its footballers make the journey to Europe to play in a professional league.

Only 31 Indian players in the entire history of the game have suited up for a professional club in Europe, and most of them have been hidden in the lower tiers.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/11/20/mohammed-salim-the-bare-footed-indian-who-wowed-celtic