Kickstart FC is slowly taking shape to become one of Bangalore’s best football clubs, earlier this year one of their players Nikhil Raj signed for the Indian Super League team Odisha FC, and now he is taking strides towards representing India. Nikhil Raj was named in Igor Stimac’s squad for the U-23 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, the first step towards playing for India. Nikhil was first spotted at the Kickstart Foundation’s initiative at Murphy Town grounds when he came for the U-18 selection for the Holland trip. In the first match of that trip, he scored a spectacular goal in the game’s third minute. His wonderful performances on the pitch caught the eye of many foreign scouts. After Holland, he accompanied Kickstart FC coach Laxman Bhattarai in the U-19 trials in Esbjerg, Denmark. He has been a part of the Karnataka team at two editions of the Santosh Trophy and was awarded the Best Midfielder award in the BDFA Super Division 2020 season.

Source : The Bridge