The seeds sown in football cannot be reaped in a day, but they do bear fruit with time. Despite reflecting the same craze for the sport that is characteristic of the northeast, Meghalaya has always fallen short in its footballing achievements when compared to its sister states like Manipur and Mizoram, albeit till now.
The history of the northeastern state’s fate at the senior national men’s tournament – Santosh Trophy – is littered with optimistic runs that were never enough to break the final-round barrier. However, all that changed in their latest Santosh Trophy campaign where they not only qualified for the knockout stage but rewrote history by reaching the summit clash of the premier national competition at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
