The Indian senior national football team is preparing to add Australian-born forward Ryan Williams to its squad for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Williams is currently a player for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.
If Williams obtains a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Football Australia, he can switch his citizenship from Australian to Indian. This would make it possible for him to play in the important qualifier match against Bangladesh on November 18.
Ryan Williams has a strong connection to India through his family. His maternal grandfather, Lincoln Grostate, played for the Western India Football Association in the 1950s. Williams built his football career in the UK and Australia. A key highlight was winning the English Football League Trophy with Barnsley in 2016. Since joining Bengaluru FC in 2023, he has become a key player alongside captain Sunil Chhetri, scoring 13 goals and making 5 assists in 46 appearances.
This development marks a new phase for Indian football. Amid ongoing talks about allowing PIO/OCI players, the fact that foreign-born players are willing to give up other passports to represent India is seen as a positive step for the sport in the country.
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