Hendry Antonay started playing football like most children in his neighbourhood in the Austin Town suburb of Bengaluru: with a ball that was often torn and shoes in similar condition. But unlike most kids, Antonay didn’t just play for fun, he made his life about the game. The 17-year-old went on to play football for Ozone FC, FC Pune, Karnataka and India U-14s, and is now part of his country’s first ever Fifa World Cup squad, for the Under-17 World Cup starting October 6.

However, until a few weeks ago, Antonay was not even sure if he would make it. His name was not in the 30-strong probables list and he was considered a surprise selection despite being part of the Indian setup since 2015, spending the last two years with the team in Goa after being spotted at a World Cup selection trial.

“When Nicolai Adam was there, he didn’t get as many chances to perform,” Antonay’s twin brother Ajay Alex told The Field. “He used to tell me that, ‘I am not getting to play in friendly matches.’ But when he got the chance, he proved himself. He is very happy because he is now getting a chance to perform.”

Now that Antonay has finally made it to the Indian squad under new coach Luis Norton de Matos, he is on the verge of fulfilling his potential spotted as a young kid at a playground in Benagluru.

Raw talent

Coming from a place where football fanatics have raised a Pele statue, there was very little chance that a young kid would not be drawn to football. But Antonay had more than just passion for the game: he had the rare, raw skill of a natural player.

“Hendry came to my camp in Austin Town when he was around 9-10 years old,” said Mary Victoria, a senior Sports Authority of India football coach and Antonay’s first proper coach. He was a small boy for his age but he was very dedicated and showed a lot of interest in what was being taught and he picked things fast.”

She added, “There were around 100-200 kids in the camp, which was part of the ‘Come and Play Scheme’ by SAI. Not all children are so serious and some 20 drop off after a few weeks. But not Hendry, he was addicted to football.” This was a thought echoed by everyone The Field spoke to about the young defender.

“He always wanted to be a football player, he used to not concentrate on studies and all, he just wanted to play football,” his twin brother asserted.

Victoria spotted the raw talent in Antonay and his twin brother Ajay Alex, also a football player for Ozone FC, very early. “At that age only, they had excellent footwork and Hendry understood and grasped things immediately,” she said. “With their footwork only you can make out they are serious about the game and that they can do very well in the future.”

A tough childhood

Some of that natural talent could be credited to his grandfather, who raised him. But other than his flair, the family had little going for them to help him forge a career as a professional football player.

“My grandpa was goalkeeper, he played in Bangalore for Karnataka State Police,” Ajay Alex informed with pride. “He is very excited to see a World Cup in India.”

Although the boys belong to a very poor family, they were not discouraged from playing football despite their tight financial situation. “We were a poor family so sometimes if anyone said go for work to earn money, my other family members would say no concentrate on football and work hard. Nobody in my family will say don’t play football,” Ajay added.

Breaking in

The big break for Antonay came when he joined Ozone FC in Bengaluru after he shone at the selection trials.

“Ozone was scouting for young football players,” said Christopher Mendes, a coach at the club. “Our intention was to have a program for underprivileged kids and give them good training. My boss was interested in starting something for football in Bengaluru only for underprivileged kids who can’t afford to play, so we began this program in 2011.”

Once at Ozone, Antonay had access to good quality football gear and training, which helped him hone his natural ability and become a more complete player. “He represented the Karnataka state team at the U-14 at Kalyani in Kolkata, where his talent was noticed,” recounted Mendes.

Antonay went on to captain the U-15 team of I-League club Pune FC. He was at the Pune FC academy for almost two years and from there he was called into the Indian setup in 2015 after the selection trials in Mumbai where former coach Nicolai Adam spotted him.

He got selected for the Indian team at the U-14 level and stayed in Goa. He even visited about 18 countries playing with the team, according to Victoria.

Second chance

Antonay’s name was dropped midway from the potential players and he didn’t play in the U-16 AFC Championship last year under Adam. But when de Matos took over, he brought back several talented players and widened the probables pool, giving Antonay a second chance.

“Baba”, or little boy, as Mendes calls him, always wanted to be a defender and not a striker. “His mind was fixed, he has a clear understanding of the game. On field he is aggressive and very intelligent, even though he hasn’t had much schooling,” added the Ozone coach.

Off the field, however, Antonay is described to be a soft-spoken and emotional lad. Before he goes anywhere, he still meets Mary Victoria and sends her photos and updates about his matches. When there were heavy rains and flooding in his neighbourhood, he kept messaging his teammates and coaches back home asking if everything is all right. He started looking after his house and grandparents soon as he started earning and hopes to be able to give them a better life.

Despite all the early struggles, Antonay’s story of surviving odds and second chances seem him at a World Cup now. For the young boy from Austin Town, the world is his stage.