Hat-trick boy Danny Meitei relishes executing India's plan

Yupia (Arunachal Pradesh), May 11 (ANI): Rare as they are for a player, hat-tricks make matches memorable, especially if they are in international football. Midfielder Danny Meitei Laishram had his moment under the sun, or rather, under the floodlights at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia, as enthusiastic fans from Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu among them, witnessed India defeat Sri Lanka 8-0 in their first match of the SAFF U19 Championship 2025.
The India number 17 became an instant hit among the local fans. Post match, many requested Danny for selfies, autographs, jersey, Instagram account, phone number and whatnot. The 17-year-old obliged with a few selfies, all while holding the match ball close to his chest. He wouldn't stay an inch away from the hat-trick ball earned almost four years after his youth international debut.
"It was amazing to score my first international hat-trick. I would like to thank my coaching staff and teammates for helping me," Danny said, as quoted from the official website of AIFF.
"I'm very grateful to contribute to the team's win, and I hope to continue like this," he said to the-aiff.com
"I would like to dedicate this hat trick to my family. I called my mom and dad after the match. They were watching from home and were very happy," he noted.
A glancing header, a left-footed thunderbolt, and a smart interception inside the Sri Lanka penalty box, which led to the completion of the hat-trick, showcased not only the quality and the presence of mind that the 17-year-old possesses but also his hunger to score.
"The first goal was the header. I attacked the space. The ball arrived and I did the job. Second goal, I saw the angle and just banged it," Danny recalled.
"The third one was easier, but I was tracking his movement (Sri Lanka centre-back Omith Edirisinghe), anticipating his pass. In the first half, he beat me a few times, so I thought I'd take a chance on this and be more deceptive," he noted.
It was his father who wanted him to be a football player, and Friday must have been a fulfilling day for him, seeing his son light up the tournament on the first day.
Danny's footballing journey began at the age of five in Imphal, the place of his birth.
"I played in my locality, and later in some local academies. In 2019, I joined Imphal City FC. That's when things became serious," he said.
"Coach Chencho Dorji came from Bhutan and was at Imphal City for a year before going to Sudeva Delhi. Then he called me there. I made my senior debut for Sudeva in the Durand Cup 2021. After that, I got selected in the national U-17 camp," said Danny, who made his ISL debut for NorthEast United FC in March 2025.
Danny was part of the SAFF U17 Championship-winning team in 2022 and played the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023, both under head coach Bibiano Fernandes.
For the current SAFF U19 Championship, the Blue Colts had been preparing for around two months with Fernandes, first in Bengaluru, before shifting base to Itanagar around a week prior to the tournament - plenty of time for the team to work out their stratagems. The aggressive attacking plan churned out perfectly, and even Danny, as a midfielder, could get into dangerous positions and bag a hat-trick.
"The plan was excellent because the coach taught us where the ball would come and where we should go on that occasion. So it got easier to get goals. He (Fernandes) tells me which spaces to attack, so I just go in and the ball comes," said Danny, who looks up to Kevin de Bruyne and Brandon Fernandes as his midfield heroes.
While Danny has been a part of the junior India sides at a lower age group, playing with a distinct home advantage cheered on by 5,000-odd supporters is not something that he's enjoyed before.
"It's the first time that I played in front of such an amazing crowd. I remember playing in front of the crowd in the U17 SAFF in Sri Lanka, but then the crowd was against us," said Danny.
"When you have the supporters on your side, it feels different. I am grateful to have played in such an atmosphere," he added. (ANI)