Aizawl, May 2: Just last year, Leicester City of England showed the whole world that even football is a place where fairy tales can happen if you have sheer willpower and motivation in the side.

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Well, just a year later, Indian football now has its own underdog story courtesy Aizawl FC from Mizoram who have gone all the way to clinch the I-League crown ahead of giants like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Bengaluru FC. [Aizawl win I-League] [Three Musketeers of Aizawl]

Aizawl became the first ever team from the North East to win the I-League eclipsing Royal Wahingdoh's third-placed finish two years back. So, how did such Leicester-like fairy tale happen? Let us take a deeper look.

Beginning and Aizawl FC's historic journey

Aizawl FC was formed back in 1984 in the capital city of North East state Mizoram but they mostly used to participate in various amateur tournaments.

In January 2012, Aizawl were officially certified by the All India Football Federation to participate in the I-League 2nd Division, the second tier of football in India. This was the first baby-step of the club becoming a household name in India.

In September 2012, they participated in 2012 Indian Federation Cup Qualifiers. Finally, the team qualified for I-League 2nd Division in its second attempt.

In 2015, they won 2015 I-League 2nd Division and qualified for India's top-tier football tournament I-League in 2015-16 I-League, the first team from Mizoram to achieve this feat.

On 20 December 2016, Khalid Jamil was announced as the Head Coach of the first team for 2016-17 I-League. On 30th April 2017, they created History by becoming Champions of the I-League. What a story, indeed!

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Khalid Jamil- The history maker

To achieve anything big in football, you need to have the right manager who knows the team and his players inside out and uses them in the best possible way.

Success in football is something you will get only if the manager has the perfect tactical awareness and flexibility and is a true leader of the players.

Khalid Jamal has achieved the status of a hero in Mizoram in just one year after taking charge of the club and he truly deserves the love and respect he is getting.

More than a decade as a player and seven years with Mumbai FC as the head coach, Khalid Jamil knows Indian football inside out and that has come in handy for Aizawl.

He has brought in the right mix of players, changed the system, made Aizawl look compact defensively and dangerous when bombing forward and has used his biggest asset so well and that is his immense experience.

In 2016, Spanish coach Manuel Retamaro and then his replacement former Mohun Bagan coach Jahar Das tried to install an attractive attacking style of play in the team but the outcome was not visible.

Jamil has managed to bring the much-needed balance in the side which is one of the many reasons Aizawl are the best team in Indian football at the moment.

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Team full of stars

Aizawl have a nice blend of local boys and quality players from the rest of India. They are also blessed with a few quality foreign players who suit the system really well.

The new faces brought in this season were Jayesh Rane and Ashutosh Mehta from Mumbai FC, goalkeeper Albino Gomes of Salgoacar, Mahmoud Al-Amna from Sporting Clube de Goa, Kamo Bayi from the Goan Professional League, Zohmingliana 'Zotea' Ralte from DSK Shivajians, Kingsley Eze and Laldanmawia Ralte from the Mizoram Premier League.

All of them played major roles in the team's success which is evident from them scoring 16 of Aizawl's 24 goals this campaign, exactly two-third.

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Tactical changes and experience

Jamil has used his side's banes as their biggest boons in the best possible way. Aizawl had too many wingers at their disposal which was solved by converting a few of them into deep-lying playmakers. The result was evident as Aizawl looked dangerous on the break thanks to their speed on the counter.

David Lalrinmuana, the captain in 2016, left for East Bengal, and in Jaryan, Aizawl found a perfect leader. Jaryan's experience of playing seven seasons in India, and Al-Amna, with his 78 caps for Syria, have provided the leadership the young unit needed. Jaryan sums up the difference between the two seasons big time.

In the end, Aizawl had just one point more than Mohun Bagan as they went on to clinch the title but the story behind their success is truly a massive one. Kudos to the team and their amazing fans and we wish them all the best for their future.

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