All You Need To Know About Bala Devi, 1st Indian Female Footballer To Sign With A Foreign Club

From the streets of Imphal to the royal lanes of Scottish capital Glasgow, Bala Devi's journey is finding its new home on the foreign shores. Historically so, the move is massive.

Bala Devi has become the first Indian woman football player to bag a contract with a foreign club. That too a renowned one at it, Scottish giant's Rangers F.C. On Wednesday, she was unrelieved by the club and will wear the number 10 jersey.

The 29-year-old, a former India captain who earlier played in Maldives for New Radiant sports club said after the move, ¡°I¡¯m excited to get this 18-month contract and to play in the No. 10 jersey. For the Indian team too I played in the No. 10 jersey. For the Indian team too I played in the No. 10 jersey. That makes it doubly sweet,¡± the new face of Indian women¡¯s football told reporters after the formal announcement.

The Imphal native has been team India's talisman for years now. Since making her debut for India in 2005, she has scored 52 goals in 58 caps and found the back of the net more than 100 times in domestic football.

A strong woman who can hold her own, Bala Devi also serves with the Manipur Police Department. In the inaugural season of Indian Women's League 2016-17, she represented the Manipur Police Sports Club.

After spending the second season with KRYPHSA F,C. she re-joined Manipur Police Sports Club for the 2018/2019 season.

It marks a watershed moment for women's football in India and it could go a long way in giving a big boost to the sport in the country. This will also act as a good precedent for the upcoming generation to strive for bigger and better things.

A mainstay in Indian team and a player capable of scoring and setting up goals, Bala Devi has all the attributes to make the grade at a big foreign club. The onus will now be on her to show that she is made up for the big league and is ready to fly her country's flag high on foreign soil.

Rangers are confident that Devi will improve their team massively and make an impression in the league.

McDonald, women's and girls' football manager at Rangers FC said: "We are thrilled to welcome Bala to Rangers. She is an exciting signing on so many levels. Bala is a playmaker who likes to play as a number 10 and we believe she will contribute goals and assists to the team.

Bala's arrival in Glasgow has been possible thanks to the network that has been provided through the club's partnership with Bengaluru FC that was announced in September 2019.