IntervieW/Lallianzuala Chhangte, Indian footballer
Football has literally taken Lallianzuala Chhangte places. Born in Lunglei, a hilly town in Mizoram, around 160km from Aizawl, Chhangte was introduced to football by his grandfather. He also gave the boy his first boot, writing the prologue to a story that would see him train with Liverpool’s youth academy, and, eventually, become the Indian national team’s best player.
The start was not easy. The puny second son of a teacher couple was not the best of his peers during his academy days. But, the Cristiano Ronaldo fan took inspiration from his idol’s work ethic and put in the hard yards with the dream of playing for the national team and the biggest clubs in the country.
His efforts bore fruit, and how. The 27-year-old Mumbai City winger has been named the All India Football Federation’s men’s player of the year for two consecutive years (2022-23 and 2023-24). He joined City in 2021-22, initially on loan, and played in 13 matches without scoring or assisting. If there were concerns, they evaporated quickly in the 2022-23 season. Chhangte scored 10 and assisted six as City stormed to the ISL title. He was the club’s top scorer with 18 goals in 32 games in all competitions (nine assists). In 2023-24, though he scored seven goals and provided six assists in the 22 league games, City were only able to finish second. But, his inspired showing in the play-offs (three goals in three games) helped the club win the ISL Cup. He had 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Ahead of the 2024-25 season, City made Chhangte its captain.
He is only the second Indian, apart from Sunil Chhetri, to win the Hero of the League award in the ISL (2022-23). Known for his dribbling and incredible pace, Chhangte is lovingly called The Mizo Flash. In fact, he is among the fastest football players in the world today―his top speed in 2023-24, 35.18kmph, comfortably puts him in the top 50 (Tottenham Hotspur’s Dutch defender Micky van de Ven was first, for the season, with 37.38kmph).
But, Chhangte’s identity extends beyond football. He reads the Bible twice a day, has helped many in need and runs a foundation for the growth of Mizoram football. He is also an avid sports bike and music lover. In an interview, he told THE WEEK that he still has a long way to go and that he believes he can do more. Excerpts:
Q/ You have won the AIFF men’s player of the year award two times in a row.
A/ I am delighted to have received this award in consecutive years. It is truly a blessing that God has provided me with the strength and motivation to work hard. My family has played an important role. I want to thank Mumbai City teammates, the coaching staff and all my brothers in the national team. Without them, I would not have been able to achieve these honours.
My dream was to become one of the best players in India and to play for one of the best clubs in the country. I never thought that it would come so soon, but it was the dream―to become one of the best players in India―since I was in academy. I know that I still have a long way to go and I believe I can do more.
Q/ How would you describe your journey from Lunglei to Mumbai, via Liverpool, to becoming the best Indian footballer?
A/ It was long. I did not get the right opportunity [early on]. Where I lived, it was not easy. My parents pressured me to study. Fortunately, I got selected to the Liverpool DSK International Academy in Pune. There were countless ups and downs. I still remember, when I joined the academy, I was one of the shortest lads. I did not have much muscle; I was not that strong and I was not the best. But, that did not stop me. I knew I had to work hard. I dedicated myself everyday.
Q/ Tell us about your experience in Liverpool and how the training there helped.
A/ Even though we stayed there for two weeks only, I want to thank the coaching staff there for giving us an opportunity to go there and train. It was amazing. We learned many things, like decision making. The mentality they have is different from what we have in India. When players come for training, they want to take something out of the training. They want to improve, learn something new and become better every single day. I have had that mentality since then. And I feel this is what we Indians need to develop.
Q/ Tell us why you liked Cristiano Ronaldo and Frank Lampard growing up?
A/ As a Chelsea fan, Frank Lampard was my favourite footballer because he could score with both feet. Even though he was a midfielder, he could defend when needed. He was a master of all trades. I admired the way he dressed, too. The way he looked; and he was such a gentleman. Simple and elegant.
Even though I was a fan of Chelsea, I used to like Cristiano Ronaldo a lot because of the way he played, the way he moved, the way he dribbled past defenders. I am also a winger, so I used to copy what he did. But not just on the pitch. I used to like the way he looks after himself, the way he takes care of his body. I love the way he worked; it just showed that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything.
Q/ How important has Mumbai City been in your growth?
A/ Mumbai City has played the most important role in my career so far. They helped me to become a better player, a better person. I feel secure here. It is not just about how I play and train here. It is all about the environment. If you get the right environment at the right club, you get more confident. You want to give more. If the club takes care of you, you want to give something more for the club. That is how Mumbai City has been. I believe there is so much more to come. I can give [more than] what I am capable of.
Q/ Tell us about the Gulab Jamun Cup you organised to help a family that owned a sweet shop after Covid-19 made their lives tough.
A/ I remember this cup. We named it Gulab Jamun Cup because we wanted something to play for. Most of the players were not professionals, so I put up my money. Winners got gulab jamuns [bought from the shop] and some bonuses. Charity is close to my heart and I love doing something good for my community, especially my home town. I was fortunate enough to do that. The Gulab Jamun Cup continues to this day.
Q/ How can you use your position for the betterment of your state?
A/ What I have been doing is that, during the off-season, we travel around villages, do some coaching and teach kids how to train properly and how important diet is. How to take care of their body.
Recently, we have created the LzChangte7 New Life Foundation. This will help kids [learn] how to take care of themselves. The foundation will guide them to become better footballers, if they want to be. We have a lot of plans. I hope we can achieve more because there are a lot of talented footballers in Mizoram. But, they need the right opportunities and the right mentors. I believe that I and my team could be those mentors.
Q/ What is your goal with the national team?
A/ Expectations are high. Once you become older, expectation is higher every year. But, I like that because I want to challenge myself and I believe I could be an example for kids and my teammates. I want to be a player like Bhaichung Bhutia, who took Indian football to another level. I will work hard and I will give my best to take my club and Indian football to new highs.
Q/ Lallianzuala means someone destined for big things. What big things are you hoping for in life?
A/ Multiple trophies, individually, collectively. But, most important, I want to be an inspiration for kids, my colleagues and especially to those who want to be footballers [I want to tell them] that if you dream big enough, you can achieve what you want. That is the meaning of my name―dream bigger.