# Manisha Kalyan: From Hoshiarpur to European Football

- Link: https://hoshiarpurtoday.com/manisha-kalyan-from-hoshiarpur-to-european-football/
- Published: 2026-10-28T13:18:21+05:30
- Author: RAMAN KUMAR SAHDEV

**Manisha Kalyan’s journey from Muggowal village in Hoshiarpur district to European
club football is a landmark story for women’s sport in Punjab.** Her achievements
connect local encouragement with national recognition and opportunities abroad.

## Village roots and early encouragement

In a 2021 interview with the All India Football Federation, Manisha credited her
parents, her sister and people in her village for supporting her football ambitions.
Her progress offers a concrete example of how family and community encouragement
can help a young player pursue the sport.

## Success with Gokulam Kerala and India

Manisha won the Emerging Player award in the 2019–20 Indian Women’s League and helped
Gokulam Kerala win the title. She was separately named the AIFF Women’s Emerging
Footballer of the Year for 2020–21. These are distinct awards, rather than two names
for the same honour.

She then received the AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year award for 2021–22 and 
again for 2022–23. In November 2021, she also scored for India against Brazil in
an international match, an achievement highlighted by the AIFF.

## A European first

On 18 August 2022, Manisha became the first Indian footballer to appear in the UEFA
Women’s Champions League, coming on for Apollon Ladies in a 3–0 win over SFK Rīga.
The match was in the competition’s first qualifying round, not the group stage.

In September 2023, the AIFF reported another milestone: her goal for Apollon against
WFC Samegrelo made her the first Indian to score in the competition. These dated
achievements describe her time at Apollon and should not be read as a statement 
about her current club.

## Why her story matters locally

For girls in Hoshiarpur, Manisha’s career makes an international football pathway
visible. Her story also highlights the people around a player—family, teachers and
coaches—whose support helps turn early interest into sustained participation.

## Sources

 * [AIFF: village roots and Emerging Player honours](https://www.the-aiff.com/article/want-to-inspire-more-young-girls-declares-emerging-footballer-of-the-year-manisha)
 * [AIFF: 2021–22 Footballer of the Year](https://www.the-aiff.com/index.php/article/manisha-sunil-named-2021-22-aiff-footballer-of-the-year)
 * [AIFF: 2022–23 award and European achievements](https://www.the-aiff.com/media/uploads/2023/07/Vision-2047-July.pdf)
 * [The Indian Express: Champions League debut](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/amidst-the-gloom-manisha-provides-cheer-as-she-becomes-the-first-india-to-play-a-champions-league-match-8100616/)
 * [AIFF: September 2023 European milestone](https://www.the-aiff.com/article/manisha-kalyan-the-first-girl-of-indian-football-making-waves-in-europe)