Kerala’s footballing ambitions received a major boost this week as Muthoot Football Academy, under the aegis of the Muthoot Pappachan Group (MPG), announced a strategic partnership with German football powerhouse Borussia Dortmund.
The collaboration is set to reshape the grassroots and youth football landscape in the region, bringing world-class training standards and exchange programs to Indian shores.
Borussia Dortmund, famed for its commitment to youth development, has a storied track record of nurturing world-class talents such as Mario Goetze, Jude Bellingham, and Erling Haaland. The German club’s academy system is regarded among the best in Europe, having produced players who have gone on to lift prestigious titles like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League.
“I have been to several places in India and have had the chance also to meet with some of the ISL clubs,” said Christian Diercks, Managing Director of Dortmund’s Academy. “What I feel, on working with Muthoot, is that the holistic approach is more important than just supporting one player to become a professional and make a living out of football, and get transferred to Europe one day. I think this is the most important factor.”
The tie-up marks a significant milestone for Muthoot Football Academy, which has already made notable strides in Kerala’s football scene. In recent years, the academy has tasted success by winning the Kerala Premier League and securing a third-place finish in the Reliance Foundation Development League (U19) — achievements that underscore its growing presence in India’s youth football circuit.
As part of the collaboration, a structured exchange of knowledge and resources is planned. “The first six months to one year will be about assessing what our requirements are in Kerala to start, from the grassroots upwards,” said Hannah Muthoot, Director of Sports at MPG. “Coaches will be travelling to Dortmund, and coaches from there will come to Kerala. We’ll have players from here going to Dortmund and the same way back.”
This partnership marks Dortmund’s third foray into Indian football. A prior engagement with Hyderabad FC in 2020 was curtailed due to the pandemic, while its ongoing partnership with Chennai’s AMM Foundation continues to support underprivileged communities through football.
The Muthoot-Dortmund alliance now aims to combine German footballing discipline with Kerala’s passion for the sport, potentially laying the groundwork for a stronger, more globally competitive generation of Indian footballers.
