Bundesliga Dream: Visit from India

As early as April 2025, a delegation including long-time Lilien professional Sandro Sirigu and world champion Roman Weidenfeller traveled to India to observe the Indian talents during a scouting training session and ultimately select the teams for the visit to Germany.

This visit has now become a reality. On Friday morning (October 31st), the 16 talented youngsters landed in Frankfurt with their coach, Abdul Hafiz Basha, and embarked on a full day’s program. In the morning, the youngsters completed their first training session at the SV Darmstadt 98 youth academy before heading to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor in the afternoon.

The program also included a meet and greet with Fabian Nürnberger, who spent 45 minutes answering questions, offering advice, posing for photos, and signing autographs. One topic that concerned the Indian players was: „How can I make the leap to European football?“ Nürnberger replied: „I know that this path is very long and sometimes even seems impossible. But if you have a dream and firmly believe in your chances, then you should do everything you can to achieve that dream. In today’s football, great talents don’t stay hidden. Work hard, always do a little more than the others, and try to improve a little bit every day. Then anything is possible.“

… A stadium tour and a meeting with Lilien managing director Martin Kowalewski rounded off the day.

On Saturday (November 1st), the boys completed another training session at the youth academy and watched the SV 98 U14 match against FSV Frankfurt’s U15 team. The highlight of the day was attending the evening match between Darmstadt 98 and Arminia Bielefeld.

On Sunday (November 2nd), the Indian national team was in action themselves. In the morning, the visitors from the world’s most populous country faced the youth team of DJK SSG Darmstadt in a friendly match. The final score was a decisive 8-0 victory for the Indian U15 team, which was coached by Basha and academy coach Bogdan Ficut.

The match marked the sporting conclusion of the visit. The Indian team spent the afternoon sightseeing in Darmstadt before beginning their journey home on Monday (November 3rd).

Coach Basha: „Our visit to Darmstadt as part of the Bundesliga Dream India project was an incredibly educational experience. The first-class facilities, the professional coaching, and the structured approach to player development were truly inspiring. We greatly appreciate Darmstadt’s hospitality and the opportunity to experience their professional and holistic football culture – valuable lessons that we will take back to India.“

Mano Nhouvannasak, Head of Strategic Projects Asia Pacific Bundesliga International GmbH, who accompanied and coordinated the entire visit, also drew a very positive overall conclusion: „Bundesliga Dream is more than just a football project – it builds a bridge between cultures, driven by a shared passion for football. Our goal is to open up real development opportunities for young talents and coaches and to introduce them to the Bundesliga philosophy both on and off the pitch. India is one of the most exciting emerging football markets in the world – full of passion, energy, and potential. With Bundesliga Dream, we want to work with our clubs to promote the country’s football development from the grassroots level and share our values, expertise, and experience to inspire the next generation of Indian players and fans. From the DFL’s perspective, the project demonstrates how football can connect people, promote learning, and create long-term opportunities for growth and exchange across borders. We would also like to sincerely thank SV Darmstadt 98 for their outstanding hospitality and support in hosting this edition of the project.“