Godfrey Pereira | The Air India Footballer Who Never Left the Game | Roots to Boots - Episode 15 🇮🇳

Before academies, fancy contracts and the ISL, football in India was driven by passion, sacrifice and the hope of earning a stable job. In this episode of Roots to Boots, former India international Godfrey Pereira takes us back to the football culture that shaped an entire generation. Growing up in a small chawl in Dadar, sleeping on terraces and footpaths, he dreamed that football could change his family's future. That dream took him to the Tata Football Academy, the Indian national team, Kolkata's football madness, Air India, and eventually to winning the prestigious Durand Cup as both a player and a coach. Godfrey opens up about: 👉 Growing up in a Mumbai chawl and finding football through his brothers 👉 Leaving home at 15 for Tata Football Academy 👉 Choosing job security over glamourous football contracts 👉 Playing in packed stadiums that today's generation can barely imagine 👉 Coaching the next generation, including players like Raynier Fernandes and Jayesh Rane 👉 Why rest, discipline and consistency matter more than talent 👉 The one thing he hopes people remember about him This is a conversation about football, but more importantly, it's about humility, perseverance, family, and dedicating an entire lifetime to a sport that gave him everything. Roots to Boots is a Sportfolio original series that explores the journeys of Indian footballers — where they started, what shaped them, and where they’re headed. We're putting out new stories from the Indian football community EVERY FRIDAY. Make sure to subscribe! 🫵 Watch Travellers Guide to Indian Football -    • Travellers Guide to Indian Football 🇮🇳 | S...   Get In Touch! 📩 Ashish Kothari:   / ashbytheball   Sportfolio Productions:   / sportfolioproductions   #RootsToBoots #IndianFootball Tags - Godfrey Pereira, Godfrey Pereira interview, Godfrey Pereira podcast, Godfrey Pereira Roots to Boots, Roots to Boots, Indian football, Indian football podcast, Indian football stories, Indian football history, India football legend, India national football team, Air India football team, Air India football, Air India cabin crew footballer, Mumbai football, Mumbai football legend, Mumbai football podcast, Tata Football Academy, Durand Cup, Durand Cup winner, Indian football documentary, football documentary, football podcast India, grassroots football India, Indian football coach, football coaching India, football motivation, football journey, football stories, Indian sports podcast, Kolkata football, Kerala football, Indian football nostalgia, Indian football culture, football interviews, Jayesh Rane, Raju Gaikwad, Mohammed Habib, Indian football legends, football in India, sports podcast India, football memories, Indian football fans, football conversation, football history India