After 'high intensity' Belgian training stint, Apuia targets ISL trophy with Mumbai City FC

Calmness and clarity are the hallmarks of India and Mumbai City FC midfielder Lalengmawia Ralte’s football and it’s the same traits that come to the fore when he talks about the game. Only 21, the footballer from Mizoram, who is also popularly known as Apuia, has seen his stock rise sharply in Indian football in recent years. The Indian Super League’s (ISL) Emerging Player of the League in 2020-21 joined the City Football Group (CFG) owned Mumbai City FC last year for reportedly a record transfer fee of Rs 2 crore. He recently had a two-week training stint with Belgian side Lommel SK. The Belgian First Division B club are also owned by CFG as is Premier League side Manchester City. The idea was to give Apuia a taste of high-level football in one of the best-performing nations in the game and the Indian footballer was surprised by the intensity of the training. Lommel has players who have played in La Liga and teenagers who are already international players. “The training was of very high intensity because they have a lot of young players who are like 20, 19, 17, so the intensity in training was always quite high, "  Apuia tells Firstpost. “The local coach told me that football in Belgium is of very high instensity, they don’t keep the ball much but believe in quick passing, attack and defence.” While the duration of the training stint may not have helped Apuia improve his game significantly, it was an experience that the youngster cherishes given how it has broadened his outlook. “In two weeks of training, I cannot say I have improved in this or that aspect… but the most important thing is the experience that I have gained from there. I now know what it takes to play in such an environment, in higher leagues. To be able to play in different countries and to learn what to expect is the biggest learning,” he explains.

After experiencing European football, Apuia hopes to make a move to Europe or top Asian leagues in the future, but before that there’s another important goal that he aims to fulfill at home. “Yes, I have set goals for myself. I don’t know if I can achieve all of them but my main goal is to play overseas. Maybe in Europe or in the best Asian leagues. Currently, I am focused on winning a trophy with Mumbai City FC. I haven’t won any trophies. So it’s an important goal for me,” Apuia shares. Mumbai narrowly missed out on an opportunity to clinch a trophy recently as they lost to Bengaluru FC in the final of the Durand Cup . Apuia, who scored in the summit clash, however, is confident that they will be able to finish the job in the upcoming season of ISL. In Alberto Noguera, Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Greg Stewart, Mumbai have acquired some proven and high-profile foreign players for the 2022-23 season, and Apuia says the Des Buckingham-coached side should target nothing less than the championship trophy. “We had a good preseason in Dubai and also we played in Durand Cup. We did well there but were unlucky in the final… we are playing well. We will try to be even better in ISL. We are in better shape than last season. We have retained most of the players from last season and we know each other much better. We have brought in some top players, Greg Stewart, Diaz and Noguera. This season we will be fighting for the trophy. Our aim is not just the playoffs, we will play for the trophy,” he signs off. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .