At eight years old, Ricky Shabong was already familiar with the weight of a hammer. Growing up in Laitlyngkot in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills, Shabong would accompany his father to a mining site and break stones to help support his family. The money he earned helped his younger brother and sister go to school.

For a child, it was difficult work, but Shabong has previously recalled that he did not fully understand the dangers involved. He simply knew that the money mattered to his family.

But those are the years that made Ricky what he is today. Although just 23, the Punjab FC midfielder has endured difficulties, and that has moulded him into an India player. As he is part of the upcoming international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay – Ricky continues to train in Bengaluru at the camp.

And amid this, MyKhel had an opportunity to catch up with the player in an Exclusive Interview, who opened up on a plethora of things.

Football became Ricky Shabong’s escape

After working from around 10am to 3pm, Shabong would have lunch with his family before rushing back to his village to play football. His talent eventually took him into the AIFF’s youth system, and his selection for the India U-14 squad changed the circumstances of his family.

Years later, that dream has taken him much further than he could perhaps have imagined. The midfielder is now an established part of Punjab FC and has broken into the Indian senior national team, preparing for a series of high-profile international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.

And throughout that journey, Shabong says his family has remained central to his ambitions.

“Since childhood, because of my family’s support, I was always dreaming of playing at the highest level, like the ISL, I-League or the national team. It wasn’t easy, it was hard, but I always tried my best to play at the highest level.”

Mohun Bagan was difficult

Shabong’s football journey has not been a straight line. Before becoming an important player for Punjab FC, he experienced the frustration of trying to establish himself at one of India’s biggest clubs, Mohun Bagan.

“Mohun Bagan is a big club in India and a very old club. There are many big players, so you need to fight and give everything on the pitch. For me, it was difficult because I was young and I didn’t get many chances to play.”

That period ultimately became an important part of his development. Shabong knew that he needed regular football to prove himself, and Punjab FC provided the opportunity he was looking for. He has since credited Punjab with giving him the trust and environment required to develop.

“When I joined Punjab, I got the chance and proved that I can also play. Since I joined Punjab, they have helped me a lot as a young player, in terms of developing my skills, my fitness and everything about football. I think Punjab have done a great job in developing young players.”

The trust from the club, he says, has been equally important.

“They trust me a lot. The management and everyone have supported me, and because of that, it has helped me a lot as a player.”

And at Punjab FC, he has found a new best friend in Bijoy Varghese, who is a part of the India squad as well.

The India Dream that became Reality

Shabong’s early experiences have given his international journey a different perspective. He has already represented India at several youth levels and was part of the U-16 side that reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship.

He also left home at a young age to pursue football, something he has admitted still makes him miss his family.

Now, having achieved his dream of playing for India, his ambitions have become bigger.

“My dream was to be in the national team, and I have achieved that. But I want to stay here for as long as I can and help the national team win a major trophy like the AFC Asian Cup, the SAFF Cup and, of course, qualify for the World Cup.”

Brazil, Raphinha and Vinicius: a different challenge

The next challenge is one that Shabong is relishing. India are preparing to face Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, giving the midfielder an opportunity to measure himself against players he has watched from afar. He made his debut against Zimbabwe earlier this year, and now the level of opponents is set to go up another notch.

“I think competing at club level is a little bit easier. You can see the intensity of the game compared to the national team. You play against good opponents like Japan, Iraq and Iran, who are among the top teams in Asia. In the national team, the pressure is always there, so you have to be ready and brave.”

The prospect of facing Brazil, in particular, has generated excitement inside the Indian camp.

“We are all very excited to play these matches. We have a very good team and very good players from each club. It is not only exciting for me, but for all the players. We are really excited because we will play against good players and good opponents like Brazil, Panama and Uruguay.”

Asked which Brazilian players he would like to watch up close, Shabong does not hesitate.

“I would like to see Raphinha and Vinicius and see how they play and challenge myself. It will help us know our level and understand how we can improve from here.”

He also singled out Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur as another player he would like to face.

For Shabong, though, these matches are not simply about the glamour of playing against world-class names. They are an opportunity for Indian footballers to test themselves.

“These three matches are not only important for us, but for all Indian players to challenge themselves and know our level. We have already challenged Japan, Iraq and others, and now we have the opportunity to play against big teams and big countries.”

His message to India ahead of those games is straightforward.

“We need to be brave, play like we normally do and give everything on the pitch. The result does not matter for us. We just need to give everything, and the result will follow.”

‘We need more matches’: Ricky Shabong

Shabong believes that facing strong opposition more regularly is essential if Indian football is to continue progressing. And perhaps ISL will help them this season, as it returns to a traditional home-away format.

“We have to improve more if we want to play at the highest level. We need to have more matches, like we see in other countries. They have more international matches and more league matches as well. So, for that, we need to have more matches.”

The Punjab FC chapter continues

While international football currently provides the biggest stage, Shabong is equally focused on achieving something with Punjab FC.

“My goal for Punjab is to give something back because they have done so much for me since I joined them. I want to win a trophy – the ISL trophy, Super Cup or something like that. For the national team, I want to stay here as long as possible.”

Punjab’s new coach has also challenged him to add another dimension to his game. They have brought in Pavlos Dermitzakis this season, who is said to be a stern tactician.

“He told me that I was a very good player for Punjab last season and that I have the mentality to win everything. He told me that I need to help the team more by scoring and assisting. My defending quality is always there, but I need to improve my finishing as well.”

When asked about an alternative occupation had football not worked out for him, Ricky says, “maybe I would have been driving a car in Shillong, as a local taxi driver.”

Lionel Messi is his favourite player, while Barcelona remains his favourite European club. But the biggest dream is no longer something Shabong has to imagine. He has already reached the Indian national team. It’s all about staying there.