Mohammed Rafi on comeback trail

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M. Mohammed Rafi has astonished football lovers in India with his skills and grabbed the first multimillion rupee deal by an Indian player in the I-league.

However, the Churchill Brother SC - Salgaocar SC match played in Goa on Thursday was a different experience for Rafi, a native of Kasargod.

After being out of action for nine months due to an injury, Rafi finally appeared on the bench for Churchill Brothers in the match against Salgaocar. With his second coming, Rafi has set his sights on making an impressive re-entry to India’s premier football tournament.

“I am all set to play for Churchill. I have been waiting for the past nine months for this moment. Though I missed plenty of playing opportunities, I need a decent comeback,” said Mohammed Rafi.

“Scouts from two Portuguese second division clubs visited me and I was on the verge of signing a contract. But I got injured and the talks collapsed,” he added.

Mohammed Rafi was at the peak of his career in both the international and club levels when injury struck.

“There is still some pain in my legs but the physio has said that it will sort itself out once I begin playing. I have also played some matches in the Goa division,” he said. Rafi took care of his fitness levels even when he was resting.

“Usually players put on weight when they are inactive. But I controlled my food intake and tried to keep my weight in check. Now, I have passed the physical test without a problem,” Rafi said.

“I need to return to the Indian camp soon. I have worked hard in the last one month and hope I can get into the national team soon,” he added.

The striker will be spearheading the Churchill’s attack in the coming matches. Churchill is now in sixth position with 13 points. They will also be playing a match in Thiruvananthapuram against Chirag United Kerala next month.