Khelo India: Kerala’s ‘Invincibles’ turn on the style in beach soccer

Diu: Rohith Yesudas laughs at the suggestion that India could have deputed the Kerala squad for better results at AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup. There were four Malayali players or one third of the squad for the tournament in Thailand last year.“We should have had at least six, if not more,” Rohith told TOI. “There are technically good players in other teams like Goa, but we’ve played together for so long that we know each other like the back of our hand. Together we are very strong.”Rohith, who captained India, might sound like he’s exaggerating but he’s spot on. When it comes to beach soccer, Kerala are the true Invincibles, who have not lost a single game.For three years, Kerala have won every tournament they have played. It includes the National Games, National Championships, Beach Games, and two editions of the Khelo India Beach Games in Diu, without losing even an inconsequential group-stage game where nothing – apart from their pride and record – was at stake.“We are used to playing on the beach, on the sand,” said captain Musheer TKB, one of the four internationals, the others being Umarul Mukthar and Sreejith Babu. “It’s completely different to regular football. When we step on the beach, it feels like we are playing at home, our backyard. Everything comes naturally. We’ve had the same team for three years.”Kerala’s domination was there for all to see in Diu where they won their second gold at the Khelo India Beach Games. In the semifinals, they demolished Maharashtra 16-1, and in the final, former finalists Goa were no match as the defending champions won 8-2. Their group-stage matches were hopelessly one-sided contests against Karnataka (15-2), Daman & Diu (7-0), and Himachal Pradesh (21-0).And they did it in style, bringing the crowd on its feet with brilliant footwork, overhead kicks, and stunning volleys.“They are the best beach soccer team,” admitted Goa coach and former India captain Bruno Coutinho, who scored twice when the country took part in an Asian beach soccer tournament for the first time in 2009. “For beach soccer, you need a different skill set.”Kerala seems to have everything. The state has close to 600kms of coastline which includes ten of the 14 districts. With a strong football culture, playing and winning on the beach comes naturally to these players, who mostly hail from districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram and Kasaragod.In particular, Vettucaud, a coastal fishermen’s village in Thiruvananthapuram, has a strong football tradition rooted in its beach culture and clubs like St Mary’s Sports Club. The village has produced several notable players who excelled in Santosh Trophy, I-League, and Indian Super League (ISL), often rising from humble fishing community backgrounds.“If you take more players from Kerala in the Indian team, we can have better results,” said Rohith. “No state can play better than us. We are confident, together we can beat anyone.”Rohith doesn’t lie, and neither does the results.