Aiming to be on top down under

Elangbam Panthoi Chanu

Elangbam Panthoi Chanu is eager to bring India on the global footballing map after securing a move to South Australian Women's National Premier League outfit Metro United WFC. The 28-year-old goalkeeper has been inspired by stalwart Bala Devi's switch to Scottish giants Rangers WFC in 2020, and was eager to follow the footsteps of her senior teammate ever since.

Panthoi with two teams

A-League team Adelaide United FC coach Adrian Stenta had spotted Panthoi during the Women in Sports elite football trials in 2023, bringing about her move to Down Under. Whilst representing Metro United WFC, Panthoi will also be training with Adelaide United, and she believes that this is her first step towards playing in the A-League, whose next season begins in September."I began my career with the Women's Football Academy, and then went on to play for the Eastern Sporting Union, before playing for Manipur Police. I have garnered valuable experience representing them, and I showcased impressive performances all due to my hard work. However, now the challenge is different. It's to go abroad and demonstrate the talent that is prevailing in Indian football to the outside world. I have a reasonable period left in my career and I am confident that I will be learning and implementing my takeaways appropriately, all the time," Panthoi said.

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"I have always been intrigued by the possibility of playing abroad professionally. I remember being immensely motivated when Bala Devi made the move to Rangers WFC in Scotland a few years ago, and it really opened the gateways for players like me to dream big and achieve those objectives in our career," she added.

Panthoi represented the national team at the U-16 and U-19 levels, before making the debut for the senior women's side in 2014. However, her appearances in the senior side have been limited due to the presence of Anuja Chauhan, who has been rock solid between the posts for the Blue Tigresses. Panthoi has earned 13 caps for the first-team, but she believes that she has learned insights that symbolise her strengths as a player and will assist her moving forward in her career.

Lessons learnt

"My association with the national team has been hugely beneficial so far. Aditi Chouhan is senior to me, and I have learnt the art of giving my best in a team where there are multiple players competing for a solitary spot due to my spell with the Indian team.

I believe that communicating properly with my backline, keeping the defence organised during tough situations or set pieces, and maintaining a constant channel of talks with my team to work in cohesion towards getting our desired objectives is fundamental to my strengths as a player," she signed off.