'Have To Prove Myself Every Year'! Vikram Pratap Singh Reflects On Mumbai City FC Dreams

Mumbai City FC forward Vikram Pratap Singh, Red Bull’s ambassador at the one-of-its-kind Four 2 Score in Coimbatore, spoke about a variety of topics, ranging from his own journey to the appeal of such off-beat sporting events, in an EXCLUSIVE with CNN-News18.com on the sidelines of the finals.

The 24-year-old forward, who represents the side from the nation’s maximum city, reminisced on his journey to the celebrated side and the transformation the club has undergone in recent years.

Four v Four! No Goalies! Goals in the first and final minutes of the 10-minutes games count double!

That is the prospect Red Bull tossed up as teams from across Indian vied for the domestic crown, which would earn them a place in the finals of the Red Bull Four 2 Score

in Toronto, Canada.

Sides from across 10 cities in the sprawling nation battled it out in the finals of the unique event in Coimbatore, with Kalina Rangers coming out on top in the Indian circuit. The Kochi-based side will travel to the Great White North to represent the tricolour in the 4v4 format.

How has the journey to the ISL been for a boy from Chandhigargh? How crucial was your time at Minerva in shaping what you have become today?

I think it’s very challenging for me because what I think I’m not that talented a player. I believe in hardware. So every year I have to prove myself to gain my position in because of course, if you want to play in Mumbai city, you have to deliver. And you know, before it was between me Changte, and now it is, me, Changte and Brendan. If I want to play at my best, I have to be physically fit because that was my first skill. It’s caused challenges.

You’ve been part of the MCFC setup since 2020, how would you recollect Des Buckingham’s time at the club, and subsequently Petr Kratky’s handling of the side since.

I really enjoy training under both because with Kretke, I have very good relationship, like a friend he teaches me so many things but the playing style is the same as Des and Peter they both have the similar playing style. So that was not a different thing because we want to play that way.

Red Bull’s initiative to make sport more accessible is massive. How do you see Red Bull fitting into the scene in India?

In India, everyone can play these kind of games. You take any city for instance and you can spot people playing cricket or football. If you think that you will only play professional football and I cannot play other formats, it does not work that way.

As a tournament, of course, someone will watch its and go ‘let’s start playing too.’ There is an opportunity because I think that some start perhaps the way I did. I have come som way by playing such tournaments, so they should keep happening.

I just have a simple message for them. Enjoy the journey. Just enjoy every moment going there, meeting new people and of course playing.

Can you tell us about the professionalism or streamlining being under the MCFC group up until last year has had on the team and the city’s football spectrum?

They changed the playing style of course. Even before the City ground came in Mumbai City was like a one of the best club in India. But the only matter was that we did not win earlier. Citigroup changed so many things, like playing style. Like we have our own gym and everything is our own. We can go there anytime. So they bring so many virtues.

Expectations from the season with five matches in the group stage eft to go?

It’s not over like we still have 5 match left. We are playing well, and we are getting a result. But we have to be humble because everyone is good like Mohun Bagan, and BFC, are all good teams.

So we have to stay humble and work more hard because these five matches like a final for us. So we have to do our best and let’s let’s see where we go.