Wish to popularise freestyle football in India, says Logan Ragouramin

CHENNAI: A 10-year-old child, who abandoned football because of the rudeness of his coach, to securing a spot in the Top 8 of the World Championship in freestyle football, Logan Ragouramin has carved a niche for himself. Having his roots in Puducherry, he was born in Paris. He was recently in Chennai as part of his India tour to promote and share his passion.

“During my childhood, my coach used to scream at me, and I lost my confidence. After three years, I stopped playing football after a lot of agony. I was introduced to freestyle football during an event, and I had an instant connection with it,” says Logan, who has been playing freestyle football for 14 years now. He won gold in the European Championship in 2020. “We had separate hours for sports in our schools, and I used to practice for more than 10 hours a day. After making a mark for myself in the field, I wanted to promote the sport in India, which is quite unique for people here. In European countries, it is popular because we associate it with football. I would like to apply the same in India,” he shares.

Freestyle football is not as easy as it sounds. The first hurdle is controlling the ball. Adding more, Logan says, “Getting a stage is key. The only way to prove our skill in the sport is when we get a stage to showcase it. I didn’t get many stages initially, but consistency and patience are the major keys to gaining the recognition we deserve.”

Though many sports are prevalent in India, none has reached the fame of cricket. “I would like to bring in more budding players into the sport. As a first step towards that, I teach freestyle football free of cost to schools that cannot afford it in Puducherry. The goal is to help children excel in the sport and not stop due to financial constraints. We need to develop the infrastructure for football in India and make it accessible to everyone. Children’s lives should also be made easier so they can pursue their passion for sports without worrying about society,” concludes the 27-year-old.