(Image source from: Hindustan Times)

Dalima Chhibber, India’s young and promising football player of the country’s women’s football team, is heading to Canada to pursue her Masters in sports psychology and also play for a Canadian club.

The 21-year-old earned fame when she turned an internet sensation earlier this year when a video of her striking 40-yard goal in SAFF Women’s Championship 2019 match went viral. It was when Dalima took a free-kick from 40 yards and the ball thudded into the left corner of the goal.   

DAAAAAALIIMAAAAA. @DalimaChhibber @WomensFootieIND @rIndianFootball @IndianFootball #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/TkGKgvWZ1x

— Sayak Dipta Dey (@sayakdd28) March 22, 2019

Three months later, Dalima made a career decision. She posted a video on Twitter, saying that she had made up her mind to move to Canada to pursue her Masters in Sports Psychology.

The move was hailed on social media, for an Indian women athlete had decided to give importance to studies.  

Dalima says this move comes in an effort to learn more about football from abroad and can return as a better player and help the national team. Concurrently, her decision has a lot to do with how she can pursue her dream of playing the sport for a long period knowing the financial difficulties for a woman player to not only grow as a footballer but even play it.

According to Dalima, Canada, gives her the ground to come one-on-one with international talent and exposes her to more football.

                       (Image source from: YouTube)

"I will not be there with the national team but I am exposing myself to more football. I am going to a country which is known for women's football. I would not really say that I am taking a break and concentrating on studies (alone). I have got a 100 percent scholarship to study there on the basis of my performance (in football). There I get to play more football with players from all around the world. And I feel I can also manage my academics. It will only help me help develop as a player," Dalima was quoted as saying by Firstpost.

While Dalima sees Canada as an opportunity to grow on the pitch, she sees the completion of her studies as a big support to continue playing the sport as well.

She further emphasized on how money is a huge factor in women taking up the sport as it is challenging to continue playing the sport if you have nothing else to lie back on.

                        (Image source from: News18.com)

With the women athletes all around the world fighting wage battles, Dalima said that it is a bit of an unrealistic expectation in India, mentioning that the decision to move to Canada has a lot to do with her not finding any sponsor.

She said, "Women's football, in general, is something that has started to gain a little recognition now. People are entering it. But in India, I see that as a far-fetched goal at the moment. That is the reason I chose Canada. Otherwise, I would be playing for a club. Europe is pretty expensive. I did not get enough sponsors, stakeholders to invest their money. I have not received that kind of support from people when I asked for. I can see a future as a footballer but I cannot see football sustaining me as a person. That is why I opted for Canada to play there, also complete my Masters because you need to sustain yourself financially while playing football."

However, the young footballer has made it clear-cut that she hasn't called it a day on the national team, and plans to come back and put on the blue jersey.

By Sowmya Sangam