Vishnu Vaghela, the star of Indian Blind Football shines bright at BRICS Tournament

By Diptayan Hazra
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], January 26 : Vishnu Vaghela's exceptional performance in the BRICS Blind Football Tournament earned him the prestigious Best Player of the Tournament award. His defensive prowess, attacking contributions, and ability to execute the coach's strategies on the field were pivotal in India's remarkable campaign. Vishnu also scored a crucial penalty against Brazil in the shootout, further solidifying his reputation as a key player in India's blind football team.
Reflecting on his journey, Vishnu told ANI, "I am from North Gujarat and a member of the Blind People's Association in Ahmedabad. I studied there and now work as a coach and trainer for football while continuing as a player myself. Initially, I was a cricket player and even represented Gujarat as the vice-captain of the state's blind cricket team in 2016-17. However, when I learned about blind football in 2017, I was drawn to it because of the immense hard work it required. I started playing seriously, and by 2019, I played my first international match."
"I play as a striker for Gujarat and defend for the Indian team. My passion for the game continues to grow. I have received immense support from the Blind People's Association in Ahmedabad, and that has been crucial in my journey," he added.
The Indian team started the tournament on a high note, defeating Turkey 1-0 in their opening match on December 18, 2024. Tushar Kumar scored the decisive goal, marking his first international goal and helping India adapt to the challenging conditions.
India's momentum continued in their second match against Belarus, where they secured a commanding 3-0 victory. Goals from Tushar Kumar, Mohd Sabir, and Pradeep ensured India's place in the semifinals. This marked a historic achievement, as it was the team's first semifinal appearance in an international tournament in years.
In their final group-stage match, India faced hosts Russia. Both teams delivered strong defensive performances, resulting in a 0-0 draw. India emerged as group champions with 7 points, a testament to their consistent form throughout the group stage.
India faced Brazil, one of the tournament's strongest teams, in the semifinals. Despite the challenge, the Indian team displayed remarkable resilience. The match ended 0-0 in regulation time, pushing the game into a penalty shootout. Vishnu Vaghela stepped up under immense pressure and scored a crucial penalty, but India narrowly lost 1-2.
Speaking about the tournament, Vishnu said, "I think this was my best performance in any tournament so far. The atmosphere, the weather, and the place were excellent. It was a very good tournament for my Indian team. Our performance was commendable, especially taking Brazil to penalties. Stopping a team like Brazil and pushing them into a shootout was a big achievement. It made our coaches, staff, and other countries aware of India's growing presence in blind football."
Blind football comes with unique challenges, particularly in noisy environments.
Explaining these difficulties, Vishnu said, "There is a lot of noise in blind football. In Moscow, the matches were played indoors, which made it even harder due to the echo and sounds from the crowd, players, and the ball. It was challenging to judge the ball, but we adapted and stayed focused."
Vishnu is now focused on nurturing future talent in blind football.
"I am coaching in Gujarat at the Blind People's Association. My goal is to develop good players. I want to contribute to the growth of blind football in the country," he shared.
India's performance at the BRICS Blind Football Tournament was a important milestone, and Vishnu Vaghela's stellar display played a central role in this success.