MINERVA’S SAILEX OINAM AND WAHENGBAM RAJ SINGH SELECTED FOR INDIAN U-17 NATIONAL FOOTBALL SQUAD

Face2News/Chandigarh 

In another major milestone for grassroots football development, Minerva Academy FC youngsters Sailex Oinam and Wahengbam Raj Singh have secured their spots in the Indian U-17 Men’s National Team. Under the guidance of Head Coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo, the talented duo will don the national colors for the Blue Colts as India aims to qualify for back-to-back editions of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

India has been drawn in Group E of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers alongside hosts Malaysia, Palestine, Singapore, and Guam, with matches scheduled to be played at the MP Selayang Stadium. Only the group winner will secure qualification for the continental finals in Uzbekistan, scheduled for May 12 to 29, 2027. Ahead of their qualifying fixtures against Singapore, Guam, Palestine, and Malaysia, the squad travels to Ras Al Khaimah for final preparations, where they will play two crucial international friendlies against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on November 1 and 4.

Defensive Anchor: Sailex Oinam

Sailex Oinam, a composed and skilled central defender and defensive midfielder, is regarded as one of the country’s most promising youth prospects in defense. In 2023, he captained Minerva Academy’s U-13 team to a historic victory at the Gothia Cup (World Youth Cup) in Gothenburg, Sweden, making Minerva the first Indian club to lift the prestigious trophy. During that campaign, the defense marshaled by Sailex conceded just two goals throughout the tournament while the team scored 46, capping the run with a 3-1 victory over Brazil’s Ordin FC in the final.
His international resume also includes winning the Mina Cup title in Dubai (2022) and standout performances at the MIC Football Cup in Spain. Domestically, Sailex has won the Subroto Cup U-15 title and recently featured in the team that lifted the 65th Subroto Cup U-17 championship in New Delhi, where he scored a memorable quarter-final hat-trick from defense. His aerial dominance and astute reading of the game under pressure have made him an anchor for Minerva across both the AIFF Junior League and Elite Youth League.

Attacking Spearhead: Wahengbam Raj Singh
Leading the frontline, center-forward Wahengbam Raj Singh brings an explosive attacking style and clinical finishing, having previously represented the U-17 national team. At the MIC Football Cup in Spain, Raj famously netted a historic hat-trick in a 6-0 rout of English side Liverpool FC, following it up with another hat-trick against Liverpool at the Dana Cup in Denmark.
Raj has contributed to championship-winning campaigns at the Gothia Cup, Norway Cup, and Dubai’s Mina Cup, alongside impressive outings at the Helsinki Cup in Finland. On the domestic circuit, he made headlines at the 65th Subroto Cup U-17 tournament by scoring a lightning-fast hat-trick within four minutes during the group stages. Consistently finding the back of the net in the AIFF Elite Youth League—including a treble against Himachal FC—Raj’s acceleration, intelligent off-the-ball positioning, and sharp finishing provide a potent attacking edge to the Indian squad.