From playing in the bylanes of Songadh, Gujarat, to leading India’s U-20 women’s football team to a historic qualification for the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, Shubhangi Singh’s journey inspires a generation.
The 19-year-old captain received a warm welcome in Tapi, Gujarat, after guiding India to their first appearance at the continental tournament in 20 years. Under the guidance of head coach Joakim Alex Andersson, India sealed the top spot in Group D in Yangon, Myanmar, with a 1-0 win over the hosts on Sunday.
Acknowledging her teammates’ contributions, Shubhangi said, “I’m beyond happy. The way we worked as a team – especially in the second half – we gave it everything and it was worth it,” “Playing in front of 7,000 fans came with a bit of pressure, but we told ourselves they were cheering for us, and that gave us a real boost,” she said in an interview post-match.
Shubhangi’s rise from small-town Gujarat
Born to a middle-class family, Shubhangi is the daughter of a paper mill employee. At the young age of 12, she saw her brother play football and fell in love with the sport. She joined her brother and other older, stronger boys on the pitch and started playing the sport. “Her determination stunned everyone”, said her father, who often calls her “my pride and my star”.
Despite tight finances, her family always backed her ambitions, supporting long travel to training camps and tournaments. Shubhangi joined a local training academy in Gujarat, where she was selected for the Indian camp, a moment described by her family as one of their proudest. Looking up to Indian captain Sunil Chhetri’s work ethic and skill, she built her game as one of the most trusted defenders for the country.
From U-17 debut to national leadership
Her big break came when she represented India at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, impressing with her tactical awareness and resilience. The exposure at the global tournament paved the way for consistent appearances in age-group national teams, ultimately leading to her appointment as captain of the U-20 team in 2025.
Alexandersson praised her leadership after the win in Myanmar. “This is very special for the girls. They’ve been preparing for many months now. Qualifying for the Asian Cup was our only goal when we arrived in Myanmar, and now we’ve done it,” he said.
Way forward for the next generation
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has rewarded the U-20 women’s squad with $25,000 for their performance. The real prize, however, is this team of young girls inspiring an entire generation to take up the sport and to never stop dreaming.
Shubhangi’s story mirrors that of her teammate, Neha, who missed qualification by a margin two years back. “Before the match, my father told me, ‘Beta, go do something for Team India today.’ I feel proud I could keep that promise,” Neha said post-match. The team led by Shubhangi went on to do just that, to make the country proud.
Coming up next is India’s U-17 women’s side, who aim to complete a hat-trick of Asian Cup qualifications for Indian women’s football this year. But for now, Shubhangi Singh stands as the face of a new era, proving that from the gullies of Gujarat to the grand stage of Asia, dreams can be turned into reality.
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Yash Desai is a renowned journalist with over 10+ years of experience covering sports around the world. He began his career as a News Reporter in Delhi, India, and got an opportunity to cover several World events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Games. He often felt that women’s sports are sidelined and given step-motherly treatment by the mainstream media. To bridge this gap and to build an equal playing field, Yash co-founded FemaleInSports and is currently working as a Lead Editor here.
