How just two weeks with Villareal in Spain changed everything for footballer Mandar Rao Desai

For Mandar Rao Desai, football is everything. After playing for FC Goa in the Indian Super League and Dempo FC in the I-League, the 24-year-old is currently in Rio de Janeiro, training with his team for the upcoming ISL season.

Completely in love with the beautiful game, he began his love affair at the age of 10 and since then never looked back. “I started playing football at the age of 10. I used to play in the village and the school. It was my hard work and perseverance that paid off. You don't always do well at first, but you have to keep trying. You have to be mentally strong to face tough situations. I take any defeat or negativity in a good way so that it pushes me to do better in the next game,” Desai told Scroll.in.

Playing alongside your idols

Growing up in Goa, a state known for its football frenzy, Desai knew he wanted to be like his idols Ronaldo or his Indian counterparts Clifford Miranda. “I used to watch Brazil a lot, especially guys like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. Additionally, I used to watch Dempo a lot too. Guys like Clifford Miranda, Anthony Pereira and other wingers caught my attention. Later in life they were my teammates too and I really learned a lot from them. Mahesh Gawli and Climax Lawrence were role models. My parents initially thought that I would play the sport for some time and then eventually do something else. But as I grew, people began to notice me. They then began to support and motivate me. This was very important to me,” said the Dempo winger.

Desai recently travelled to train with Spanish club Villarreal for two weeks. The experience he says had changed his perception towards the game. “Villarreal wanted an Indian player to come there and train with them in order to gauge the quality of players from here. So they contacted me in the process and asked if I would be interested to which I agreed."

He goes on, "It was completely different there. Football in Spain is completely different. There's absolutely no comparison to football here. The facilities available there are so different from here. They treated me very well, like their own player. I improved my skills there. We trained twice a day. The coaches noted that there wasn't much difference between their players and me. It's just that I need more time to completely develop and given that time, I could be able to play in Europe."

Erasing last season's heartbreak

With ISL around the corner and a heart-breaking defeat for FC Goa in the final, Desai is optimistic about the third season. “After the final last year, it wasn't a good feeling. But I had to overcome that quickly because I had to go back to Dempo. They were in the second division and we had the task of bringing our team back to the I-League first division. I managed to perform well there after scoring three goals and managed a few assists along the way as well and eventually got Dempo promoted again. Everything went well thankfully after the finals last year,” acknowledged Desai.

The team is currently training at their manager Zico’s academy in Rio and hoping to finally win the ISL title this season. “We have played really well for the last two years now. After the stint in Brazil, we should be able to play better. Keeping the same players helps a lot. The chemistry is there and that is a big positive. If there are too many new players, it takes time to gel and understand each other. I think FC Goa will perform well this year,” opined the 24-year-old.

Talking about the difference between the I-League and ISL, Desai categorically stated that they were two different experiences. “It is completely different in the ISL. The quality is remarkably different," believed the winger. "In the ISL, you have a number of quality players coming from outside which helps us develop and hone our skills. The ISL is much more competitive.”

And has ISL changed Indian football? To which Desai answered, “The fan base has increased tremendously due to the ISL. With the I-League, we are hardly able to draw crowds. But now, with the ISL, people stand in long queues to buy tickets and fill the stadiums up for games. I think it will only get better from here.”

Talking about his long term plan, Desai said he has his sights set on Europe. “I want to be able to play in Europe. That's where I see myself,” he signed off.