Imagine this – a 19-year-old boy scoring against all three of Kolkata’s giant clubs. How often do you see something like that? But Vinith Venkatesh isn’t just any player – he’s extraordinary. The young prodigy has already done what many dream of – He has scored against Mohammedan SC, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. A feat that’s rarely achieved.
Recently, Vinith netted a stunning goal against Mohammedan SC in the Durand Cup, and followed it up by scoring against Mohun Bagan in the same tournament. But last night, he delivered his most valuable strike yet – a clinical finish from a tight angle inside the box, giving Bengaluru FC a flying start to ISL 11 with a 1-0 win over rivals East Bengal.
Reflecting on his remarkable goal, Vinith said, “It was a really special night for me, scoring against such a big team in my own city. I feel really happy.”
Bengaluru FC has every reason to be proud of Vinith. He’s one of their own, an academy product who’s been with the club since 2013. He worked his way up through every age-group, winning the ‘Reserve Player of the Year’ award in 2024, before earning a spot in the senior team. What makes his story even more incredible? Vinith was in the stands when Bengaluru made their ISL debut against Mumbai City FC in 2017. He was also there, as a ball-boy, when they lifted the ISL trophy in 2019. Now, he’s scoring in his ISL debut for Bengaluru – a true dream come true.
Even Parth Jindal, owner of JSW Group, couldn’t hide his pride, saying, “When someone we’ve groomed from the age of 8 through our youth academy comes into the playing XI and scores the only goal of the game, it shows that the process has been followed correctly – and that the wait was worth it.”
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Bengaluru FC’s youth academy has been outstanding, producing top-notch talents like Sivasakthi Narayan and now Vinith. The club keeps delivering young stars.
However, Vinith was substituted after the break, feeling some discomfort, as mentioned by head coach Gerard Zaragoza. Zaragoza is confident in Vinith’s potential but admits there’s still much for him to learn.
“He had a good first half, but he’s young. He has quality, but he needs to improve his body, his movements, and his tactical understanding of the game. We’ll work with him to make him better. He was nervous; it was his first match at Kanteerava, playing alongside people like Sunil Chhetri and Rahul Bheke. Then came a slight injury, and we hope it’s nothing serious. He’ll be ready to play again soon,” Zaragoza shared.
For now, Vinith’s focus should be on staying grounded, avoiding too much media attention, and continuing his development. With academy talents like Sivasakthi and Vinith contributing to the senior team, Bengaluru FC is setting a benchmark for other ISL clubs to follow.
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