Mumbai: Nita Ambani, chairperson Football Sports Development Limited and Reliance Foundation on Thursday expressed her wish to see the Indian football team play the World Cup in her lifetime.
Calling it her 'dream', she said: “I hope we can make it there one day. That's our dream. Let's hope Indian football can make it at the global stage, at the FIFA World Cup at least in my lifetime," she said, while announcing the landmark announcement of Mumbai City FC tie-up with the City Football Group here on Thursday.
Talking to Free Press Journal on the sidelines of the event, she added, "This is another milestone and I am sure days are not far for Indian football to find its name at the grand FIFA stage."
Certainly, Ambani has all the reasons to believe so, with Football taking shape for better in India going by the last decade.
Further commenting on the grand tie-up, she continued: “We have joined hands with one of the best and the most professional football club from England, Manchester City, which is good not just for Mumbai, but for the entire country."
English Premier League champions Manchester City's parent company City Football Group bought a majority 65 percent stake in Indian Super League franchise Mumbai City FC.
Football in India has been on the rise in the last five years, and especially after the Indian Super League which took shape in the year 2014.
“We at Reliance have been contributing to the game in the grassroots levels and it will take some time before we witness these budding players making a name for themselves” said Ambani.
According to the statement released by Reliance group, CFG has agreed on a deal to acquire a majority stake in Mumbai City FC, which could prove to be major move in the long run.
"Today we welcome a global football powerhouse to India, to ISL and the Indian football. I am delighted and proud to announce this," Ambani announced.
Other clubs in the CFG stable include New York City, Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan and Girona FC in Spain.
The Premier League club also tweeted that CFG was delighted to welcome the Indian club to its "family of clubs".
