Kerala boy to play with Neymar Jr in Qatar after winning online talent hunt

A teenager from Kerala qualified in the online talent hunt, which received hundreds of entries from across the world. The boy was selected as one of seven freestyle footballers in the show dubbed as the 2021 Red Bull Neymar Juniors Five. Shahzad Mohammed Rafi, a boy from Pazhayangadi, Kannur, has made his state proud by achieving this feat. The 17-year-old will play alongside Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr at the global five-a-side event in Qatar.

The PSG footballer was part of a committee consisting of seven panelists that examined 60-second videos of soccer talent shared by interested contestants on Instagram. He had to upload a clip showcasing his skills with the hashtag: #OutPlayThemAll. Shehzad is one of the two players to qualify for India in the upcoming championship. The Red Bull Neymar Juniors Five is considered one of the largest amateur football tournaments in the world.

The candidates were to be assessed on the basis of their performance under multiple level screening. Shahzad participated in last year’s edition but did not qualify at the national level. A Class 12 student of Wadihuda Higher Secondary School, he is born to Muhammad Rafi and Sherifa Rafi. Shahzad showed interest in football when he was in class 6. Since his family is settled in Kuwait, he is listed as an entry from there.