From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Sep 5: NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) forward Parthib Gogoi, who scored the third goal in the key Durand Cup semifinal match against Shillong Lajong, is all praise for the soccer-crazy fans at Polo last month.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the 21-year-old from Sivasagar, while recalling the match which NEUFC won 3-0 to seal a berth in the Durand Cup final, said the Shillong crowd appreciated the Highlanders in that match.
“After we won the match against Lajong, they could relate to us as a football team representing the Northeast region, and hence wanted us to win the Durand Cup,” Parthib said.
The promising striker also revealed that he had, once upon a time, harboured a wish to play for Shillong Lajong. And he had a reason as well.
“My elder brother, Pragyan Gogoi, started his football career with Shillong Lajong (U-18). I grew up watching him play, and so, I too, had a wish to play for Lajong,” Parthib said.
But his journey has been an emotional one, from a desire to play for his home club to finally winning the prestigious Durand Cup against Mohun Bagan SuperGiants in Kolkata, where he played a key role.
“My father, Paban Gogoi, had back in 2005 started a football coaching centre where I (since 2008) and my elder brother learned the basics of the game. Thereafter, I started playing with senior players. From under-13 district level to the under-15 level, under-20 level, my soccer journey progressed smoothly. Subsequently, I played the I-League for Indian Arrows before sealing a berth in NEUFC in 2021-22,” Parthib said.
Now, the young striker is looking to carry forward his good run in the Indian Super League 2024-25, which kicks off mid-September.
“We are working hard for it. My final goal is to play for the Indian team,” he said.
