Footballer Aditi Chauhan Becomes First Indian Woman to Join Top English Club

“But of course I have watched the West Ham men’s team on television and it was like a dream come true when I donned their jersey with the same logo”, a jaded Aditi told TOI from London.

India women’s national football team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan has been signed by English club West Ham United Ladies.

While the team lost against Coventry United in the FA Women’s Premier League game on Sunday, the fact that a woman from a country which hardly recognized football made it to an international club is being celebrated. Aditi Chauhan is currently studying in UK and her student visa does not allow her to play for the 1st or 2nd division team in England.

Scores of people have begun congratulating her on Twitter, including the Indian football team and her former club FC Goa.

Chauhan sought to clarify that on her Facebook page, tagging Hans, who replied: “This is the truth”.

In reaction to her signing and subsequent debut, Chauhan tweeted: “Thank you all for the overwhelming response and wishes”.

Of their opening 5-0 defeat, she added: “There is no other way but to improve from here”. She has attended Loughborough University and represented its soccer group previous to her affiliation with West Ham. I could have played better. Not only were they tweeting links to shirt purchases with Chauhan’s name and number (42) on the back, costing £54.99 (Dh314.93), but they were also appealing for more followers from the subcontinent. Aditi, who played for the under-19 Indian national women’s team for AFC Qualifiers at Malaysia, becomes the first ever woman from the country to play for an English football club. But I did not let it get to me because my aim was very clear – to be the first-choice goalkeeper for the team.