Exclusive: Ranjit Bajaj Outlines Roadmap for India’s FIFA World Cup Dream Through Team Building and Grassroots Investment: ‘One Ronaldo Can’t Make You Win The World Cup’

Football in India is facing quite a difficult situation at the moment, but Minerva Academy has given a solid reason for hope. The team gave a great show and beat Liverpool FC 6-0 in the U-15 group of the famous MIC Cup in Catalonia.

The MIC Cup, a competition that has been around for more than 25 years, has been the platform for young players like Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Gerard Piqué, Lamine Yamal, and Pedri; and the appearance of top clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and Liverpool.

Minerva had already shown an outstanding performance earlier in the competition with a 4-1 win over an American team, but the one against Liverpool was just great. Mohammad Azam Khan scored the first goal in the match in the second minute, and Lishan Amerson Singh scored one shortly after. Azam scored his third one while Raj Singh also scored a hat-trick to make a total score of 6-0. Minerva FC founder Ranjit Bajaj uplifted the youth academy over the years.

In an exclusive interview with News X, Ranjit Bajaj speaks openly about his journey with Minerva FC’s comeback, the patience needed to build up the youth academy, and the Road Ahead for Indian Football.

Q: You’ve described 2018–19 as a historic season. What exactly did your club achieve?

Ranjit Bajaj: That year was unprecedented. We won every possible title across all age groups, U-13, U-15, U-18, and senior level. At that time, the I-League was India’s top competition, so winning it meant we had literally conquered everything in Indian football.

Q: After such dominance, what kept you motivated?

Ranjit Bajaj: Honestly, repeating the same success didn’t excite me. Winning again and again wasn’t the goal. I want to shift the focus to developing players who can represent India internationally.

Q: Your academy has produced a remarkable number of internationals. How significant is that achievement?

Ranjit Bajaj: In the last 10 years, we’ve produced over 250 internationals across age groups. That’s more than the combined output of I-League clubs, ISL teams, and other academies. It shows the system works—but it also made me rethink the end goal.

Q: What triggered that rethink?

Ranjit Bajaj: Producing internationals isn’t enough. The real question is—are they succeeding at the highest level? That’s when the vision changed. We don’t just want internationals; we want world-class players. The dream is to produce someone like Mohamed Salah and take India to the FIFA World Cup.

Q: You made a bold decision to step away from senior football. Why?

Ranjit Bajaj: In 2019, I decided to stop focusing on senior football entirely. There was no point continuing in that space. Instead, I wanted to build the best academy in the world and compete with elite global setups.

Q: You unconventionally funded the academy. Can you explain?

Ranjit Bajaj: We became the first club in India to generate revenue purely through player sales. We sold around 120 players across age groups—no land, no infrastructure deals, just talent. That money, nearly ₹20 crore, was reinvested into building a world-class academy.

Q: What does your academy look like today?

Ranjit Bajaj: It’s now a top-tier facility attracting players from across the country. We’ve had close to 6 lakh trial applications. Out of those, we select only about 30 players, maintaining a highly competitive environment with regular turnover.

Q: You’ve openly criticised the federation. What are your key concerns?

Ranjit Bajaj: The biggest issue is mindset. Instead of supporting young talent, there seems to be jealousy or insecurity. These kids are the future of Indian football—they should be celebrated, not ignored.

Q: How do you assess India’s long-term football planning?

Ranjit Bajaj: There have been several hiccups in the planning process. In the 2047 vision, it was planned that the U-17 teams would qualify for the World Cups by their own strength however we have failed in that aspect. The truth is, one cannot develop a team overnight; it all starts with having a good U-17 team, followed by U-19, U-23, and then the senior team.

Q: Many fans wonder—can India realistically qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

Ranjit Bajaj: Yes, it can be done. However, it starts with faith. When Indian players and fans deeply trust that we deserve to be at that platform, it will be evident. Just like we believe any Indian can play in the UEFA Champions League one daywhy not the World Cup? But to be the World Cup winners, we had to bring up young players, not by signing the big names. You can’t win the World Cup with only one Ronaldo. You need a full team and a culture.

Q: Finally, what is your ultimate vision for Indian football?

Ranjit Bajaj: My vision is very straightforward: to develop a system capable of continuously producing world-class players. Not just players who can take part in the matches but players who can win matches on the global stage. From that point on, all the other things – World Cup qualification, international recognition, etc. – will come naturally as a result.

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