His senior debut came in the Durand Cup 2025, a tournament that remains close to his heart.
Photo: SNS
Until recently, Muhammad Suhail’s name was familiar only to those who followed Punjab FC closely. That changed dramatically in the 2023-24 season when the Shers clinched the Reliance Foundation Development League (RFDL) title, edging East Bengal 3-2 in the national championship final. Suhail, just 17 at the time, won the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament, an award that fast-tracked his promotion to the senior squad.
His senior debut came in the Durand Cup 2025, a tournament that remains close to his heart.
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“The Durand Cup is where I played senior-level football for the first time, and it was a totally different experience for me. I understood where I was as a player and what I needed to do consistently to play at this level,” said the shy youngster, who until then had featured only in junior-level football for Punjab FC.
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Leaving home at 13 for a distant dream
In 2019, Suhail left his hometown of Olavakkode in Kerala’s Palakkad district to join Punjab FC, a decision made on the advice of his elder brother, Muhammad Sulaiman. He was spotted during trials in Coimbatore and, despite never having played even at the district level, suddenly found himself 2,761 kilometres from home.
“It was very tough at the beginning, new culture, professional setup, everything was new for me. Motham neram karachil tanne ayirunnu (I was crying the whole time). I had no friends and was the only player from Kerala at the time,” Suhail recalled.
His parents encouraged him to return if things became too difficult, but his brother urged him to persevere. Support from his friends back home and his boyhood club Marhaba FC also kept him going. Looking back, Suhail says staying on was “definitely the correct decision.”
The position change
Suhail’s rise was swift, helped by a positional switch that unlocked his potential. Initially a centre-back at the academy, he was moved to a forward role in the U-17s.
“That was the time when I realised my true game, which opened up my chances in the senior team,” said Suhail, who now thrives on dribbling past defenders and cutting inside to shoot.
After impressing in the Premier League Next Generation Cup in England, he was called up to senior team training under head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis. Though he expected only “some minutes here and there,” Suhail ended up making 13 ISL appearances in the 2024-25 season, 11 of them starts.
“I was not even close to being considered for the senior side in the beginning. I had to train harder and improve a lot. I developed physically and mentally, became a thinking player, and got clarity on what I had to do to play more and contribute to the team,” he explained.
Durand Cup heartbreak
Punjab FC endured a disappointing Durand Cup 2025 campaign, bowing out in the group stage after a shock 1-0 loss to Bodoland FC in Assam’s Kokrajhar. They had earlier beaten Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 2-1 and drawn 0-0 with Indo-Tibetan Border Police Football Team.
Despite the results, Suhail stood out with his pace, dribbling and wing play.
“The competition was very high and the opposition were physical. We expected tough matches, but it was more than we expected. Still, it was a learning experience for us,” he said.
Asked about his goals for the future, the soon-to-be 19-year-old smiled: “Satyam paranjal onnum alochitilla (I haven’t thought about anything to be honest). I just want to keep playing, score and assist. Bakki okke verunnathu pole (Will tackle the rest as it comes).”
The lanky boy who once played barefoot on the mud grounds of Palakkad’s railway colony now stands as one of Indian football’s brightest prospects. His journey, fuelled by sacrifice, family support and relentless work, has only just begun, and the coming seasons may well see Suhail’s name resonate far beyond Punjab.
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