Manisha Kalyan becomes the first Indian to play in UEFA Women’s Champions League

Tags: Sports Person in news

Striker Manisha Kalyan became the first Indian footballer to play in the UEFA Women's Champions League, making her debut for Apollo Ladies FC at the European club tournament in Cyprus.

IMPORTANT FACTS -

• Kalyan replaced Cyprus’ Marilena Georgiou in the 60th minute at the Makareio Stadium, as Apollon Ladies FC beat Latvian top flight club SFK Rīga 3-0 in their UWCL opener on 18 August.

• 20-year-old Manisha Kalyan became the fourth Indian female footballer to sign for an overseas club when she signed a multi-year contract with Cyprus' top division winners Apollon Ladies.

• Kalyan has performed impressively for the national team and the Gokulam Kerala team in the Indian Women's League (IWL).

• Manisha won the 'Player of the Season' title in the last season of the Indian Women's Football (IWL) League. Manisha scored 14 goals in that tournament.

• Kalyan was recently awarded the AIFF Woman Footballer of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

• Kalyan shot to fame last year by scoring a goal in an international friendly match against former World Cup runners-up Brazil.

UEFA Women's Champions League :

• It is an international women's association football competition.

• It consists of the top club teams from countries affiliated to the European governing body UEFA.

• The competition was first played in 2001–02 as the UEFA Women's Cup.

• Lyon is the most successful club in this league competition's history. It has won the title eight times, including five consecutive titles from 2016 to 2020.