Kolkata: From watching ‘Chak De! India’ to taking yoga classes and training in Kolkata-like sultry conditions, Chileans have not left any stone unturned in their bid for the maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup title.
The Hernan Caputo-coached 21-member squad and his support staff were seen watching the 2007 Shah Rukh Khan blockbuster with rapt attention at a theatre.
“This visit was appreciated by all the delegation, especially because the film tells the story of how a group of women hockey players emerge World Cup winners conquering all odds,” read a post in their official website.
“Chak De! India”, the movie that inspires #LaRojaSub17,” they posted on their official Twitter handle.
The special afternoon screening was arranged by Anurag Chourasia, CEO of the movie’s distributor, and it happened two days before they headed off to an ‘unknown’ destination in India.
The conditions may be new to them but coach Hernan Caputo, a former Argentine goalkeeper, ensured that they have a feel of the same at home. The La Roja U-17 trained in sauna-like conditions of 35-degree centigrade and a humidity of 95 per cent, the video of which was posted to their official Twitter handle.
“#LaRojaSub17 performs physical activity at high temperature (35 ° and 95% humidity), same conditions that we will find in India,” the post read referring to Kolkata’s sultry weather.
They also took yoga classes from Bikram Choudhury, a Kolkata-born Hatha Yoga teacher, and posted a video with a caption ‘Mind, Body and Soul’.
“As you know, #LaRojaSub17 is in Bikram classes, yoga mode that helps us get used to the heat of India. That’s how it works,” the post read as the team members were seen performing various postures and taking notes.
In their final build-up game, the La Roja U-17 team defeated Bolivia 2-0 September 22 in Rancagua, at the same venue where they made the World Cup cut for the fourth time by finishing runners-up in the South American U-17 Championship.
La Roja’s best result came in their tournament debut in 1993 at Japan when they had finished at third place and Caputo’s boys will be eyeing their maiden triumph this time. In Egypt-1997, Chile were knocked out in the group phase while they made a last-16 exit on home soil two years ago.
Chile will open their campaign against England, October 8 in the 5pm match at the Saltlake Stadium. They also have Iraq and Mexico in group F.
press trust of india
