Jeakson Singh
Midfielder · India international
Scored India’s first-ever goal at any FIFA World Cup — a header vs Colombia at the 2017 U-17 World Cup. Came through the Chandigarh/Minerva pipeline. [Khel Now]
One man bet his house
on a 15-year plan.
The man
Ranjit Bajaj is the founder and director of Minerva Academy FC in Punjab. In 2017-18 his shoestring-budget Minerva Punjab won the I-League — India’s top division at the time, and the first title for a North Indian club since 1996. [Wikipedia]
In 2020 he sold the senior club (it became RoundGlass Punjab FC) and kept the part he actually cared about: the academy. On record to the AIFF president, his pitch was one sentence: “Give me complete freedom, let me choose my own coaching staff, and I promise I’ll get you the World Cup.” [Sunday Guardian]
When the 2026 European tour needed paying for, the money reportedly came from crowdfunding, personal loans and mortgaged personal assets — not from any federation. The tweet celebrating the Liverpool result was the government’s; the bill was his. [Gulf News]
The plan
“World Cup Batch 2034” launched around 2019 as a backward-mapped 15-year program: scout thousands of kids across India, give the best full scholarships — training, education, boarding — and develop one generation with a single explicit target: qualify India for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, when an Asian host and 48 teams open the widest door Indian football has ever seen. Heart of Football called it “the most ambitious youth football project in the world.” [Heart of Football]
The receipts so far
Not friendlies, not exhibition games — the biggest open youth tournaments in the world, won against European and South American academies on their own soil.
- Jul 2025
Gothia Cup, Sweden — two titles in one edition
Per the organisers, the first Indian team ever to win the "World Youth Cup." The B13 final: 3-1 vs Ordin FC (Brazil); another final won 4-0 vs CEF 18 Tucumán (Argentina). [Gothia Cup (official)]
- Jul 2025
Dana Cup, Denmark — champions
First Indian club to win it. The final: 15-0 against Malta’s KFF, one week after the Gothia triumph. [Gulf News]
- Aug 2025
Norway Cup — the treble
130 goals in 8 matches, a 14-1 final, and a first-ever Indian sweep of three of the world’s biggest youth tournaments in a single summer. [Khel Now]
- 2026
Liverpool FC U15 0 — 6 Minerva
Mediterranean International Cup, Spain. The first Indian academy to beat Liverpool. India’s Sports Minister called it "a new beginning for Indian football." [Gulf News]
- Jul 2026
Helsinki Cup, Finland — champions
Beat hosts and two-time defending champions HJK 1-0 in the final. First Indian side to win it. [Gulf News]
The pipeline already works
The academy claims 250+ players produced for India’s national teams across age groups (ThePrint corroborates 240+ by 2025). These are the names you can check:
Anwar Ali
Centre-back · India international
Minerva academy product; part of the 2017 U-17 World Cup squad, later capped by the senior India national team. [Wikipedia]
Manvir Singh
Forward · India international
Minerva academy product; forward capped by the senior India national team. [Wikipedia]
Anirudh Thapa
Midfielder · India international
Minerva academy product; midfielder capped by the senior India national team, seen here at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. [Wikipedia]
Baoringdao Bodo
Forward · 2017 U-17 World Cup squad
Minerva academy product; part of India’s 2017 U-17 World Cup generation. [Wikipedia]
Photos: Wikimedia Commons / GODL — full attribution on the About page. No rights-cleared image yet = initials, not a lifted photo.
Roughly a third of India’s 2017 U-17 World Cup squad came through the Chandigarh FA / Minerva pipeline; The Tribune reported six Minerva players called into the Indian team. [The Quint][The Tribune]