Mohali: Punjab FC have been awarded the Indian Super League Award for Best Elite Youth Program for the 2024–25 season in recognition of the club’s outstanding contribution to youth development and its successful integration of academy players into the senior team.
This season, the Shers fielded the youngest squad in the league with an average age of 25 years and 216 days, underlining the club’s vision for long-term growth and sustainability. A total of nine academy graduates featured in the senior team, with six making their first-team debuts.
The club led the league in giving the most minutes to teenagers and development players, with U23 players accumulating 7,522 minutes on the pitch – more than any other team.
Head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis’ trust in youth was evident through consistent performances from youngsters like Abhishek Singh, Muheet Shabir, Pramveer Singh, Ricky Shabong, Manglenthang Kipgen and Muhammad Suhail F.
The Shers also celebrated key individual milestones this season with Pramveer Singh becoming the youngest starter in ISL history and Singamayum Shami emerging as the youngest goalscorer. Vishal Yadav became the third youngest debutant and Muhammad Suhail stood out as the third youngest assist provider.
The award marks a significant milestone in Punjab FC’s mission to nurture young talent and strengthen the Indian football ecosystem from the grassroots.
The Shers made a flying start to their campaign and were, at one point, sharing the top two spots with Bengaluru FC. However, as the season progressed, they lost momentum, slipped out of the top half of the table, and ultimately fell short of a playoff berth with a 10th-place finish.
Despite the disappointment, Punjab FC made significant strides by seamlessly integrating their academy players into the senior setup, laying the groundwork for the club’s future. In a season filled with high hopes that ended in frustration, the Shers built a squad capable of competing for years to come.
(IANS)
