‘That survival instinct never left me’: Kajol D’Souza on how she went from playing in Pune society to the global football stage

Which survival skill from your Pune upbringing has proven valuable in your football journey?

Kajol D’Souza: I had no academies, no fancy clubs when I was in Pune. Just the boys in my society who played every evening, and they were my only option. Being the sole girl meant I was always on trial. One slack pass, one moment of hesitation, and I would be out. The boys had no patience for mediocrity. I had to match their pace and stay sharp with the ball. That survival instinct never left me.

Your mom was a sprinter. How did her athletic background influence your interest in football and your overall approach to sports?

Kajol D’Souza: Definitely, my mom’s athletic genes ran in my blood. We would play together. She taught me badminton first, then, one random day, we kicked a football around, and I saw myself being utterly absorbed. What started as after-school fun turned into an obsession. And somewhere in those games, she saw that I possessed the potential to excel in sports. And so began my football journey.

You spent your formative years at Sethu FC before moving to Al-Amal SC of Saudi Arabia. How did that training prepare you for international football?

Kajol D’Souza: Sethu scouted me when I was 16 and barely experienced. For a club to take the risk of believing in raw potential is rare. But they had a lot of faith in me. And the environment they gave me was exactly what I needed. I was surrounded by players my age, hungry and relatable. We grew together as we went through rigorous training. I started to understand what it meant to be part of something bigger than myself.

This became the launchpad for a full scholarship to the La Liga Academy in Madrid. This transition, from Sethu to Madrid, stretched me in ways I did not think was possible, and made me resilient.

Walk us through your mindset during the December 13 match in Riyadh, where you scored a hat-trick against Al-Angaa.

Kajol D’Souza: At first, the pressure was suffocating. We needed to perform, I needed to perform, and the scoreline was not helping. Eventually, I stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about the team. We needed to win. That’s it. When you put the collective first, the individual pressure dissolves. And that’s what happened. I stayed calm, stayed present, and gave everything I had. The goals came not because I was chasing them, but because I was chasing the win.

What does true sportsmanship mean to you?

Kajol D’Souza: For me, true sportsmanship is about being a good human. It is about checking on a teammate who is having a rough day, respecting someone’s beliefs even when they clash with yours, and offering a hug when words won’t cut it. I learned this most powerfully during my international stints. I roomed with people from completely different worlds — different languages, different values, different ways of processing emotion. And yet, we shared a pitch, a dream of playing together and winning. Beyond technical skills, football taught me how to connect with people, and be there for them.

Do you feel pressure now that young Indian athletes, especially female footballers, are looking up to you?

Kajol D’Souza: There is no pressure. If anything, I feel a sense of duty and pride. Football is still finding its feet in India, especially women’s football. If my journey can make the path a little clearer for someone else, then that is not a burden, it is a privilege. But where I do feel the weight is in my club in Saudi Arabia. I’m a foreign player there, and that comes with an unspoken expectation: you have to be better than the locals. Age doesn’t matter. You are foreign, so you had better be worth it. That is why the real pressure is not in inspiring others, but in proving, again and again, that I deserve to be here.

How do you maintain confidence during rough patches? What keeps you from giving up?

Kajol D’Souza: I used to think football was everything. And when we lost the U-20 match against Vietnam — a game we should have won — I crumbled. I was devastated and vulnerable. But I realised, I can’t be like this after a loss. Football is a huge part of my life, but it is not all of it. I play piano. I sing. I study. I have interests outside the pitch. This balance saved me. Now, when football gets heavy, I have other places to lean on. That is how I keep going.

What is driving your focus right now on the career path?

Kajol D’Souza: Three things. First, representing India in the national team. That is the dream. Everything I do is building toward that. Second, making it to the U-20 FIFA qualifications. That is the immediate target. And third, excelling at my club in Saudi Arabia. It is a juggling act of being an international player while also being fully committed to the team that is investing in me now. But I love the challenge, and I’m proud to be in both spaces at once.

What’s your take on the Indian football ecosystem for young women players today?

Kajol D’Souza: 2024-25 has been a monumental season for Indian women’s football. Qualifying for the Asian Cup is a milestone. We are in a good place, momentum-wise. But here is what I would say to the young players coming up: hard work is non-negotiable.

Football and effort are practically synonyms. But beyond that, it is crucial to build your network. Find agents and mentors who can connect you to clubs, and give you exposure. Talent alone won’t get you there. You need people who believe in you and who know how to open doors. That is how I built my career, and I genuinely believe it is the missing piece for so many young athletes.

Swasti Jain is an intern with The Indian Express.