UditVani, Jamshedpur : Jamshedpur FC’s 16-year-old forward Heeranganba Seram played a pivotal role in India’s U17 team’s historic qualification for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026, starting all four matches and logging nearly 270 minutes on the pitch. His sharp movement earned a crucial penalty in the do-or-die 2-1 win over Iran on November 30 in Ahmedabad, where captain Dallalmuon Gangte equalized before Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam sealed victory.
Back home with quiet confidence, Seram eyes the AIFF Elite League with Jamshedpur FC U18, aiming to channel national team lessons into domestic success. “Starting every match for India felt amazing and built my confidence amid high intensity,” he said, crediting four months of camp preparation. Last year, he topped scoring for JFC U18 as runners-up, and now targets consistent goals to aid qualification.
The Iran clash stands out: chaos in the box led to Seram being fouled for the halftime penalty, reviving India’s comeback against unbeaten favorites. Earlier nerves against Palestine taught resilience against physical defenses, sharpening his game.
“I missed my JFC teammates’ support and want to bring national speed, discipline, and off-ball movement to Elite League matches,” Seram added, focusing on improvement post-internationals. India topped Group D on head-to-head over Iran, marking their 10th Asian Cup appearance in Saudi Arabia.
