FIFA U-17 World Cup: Jeakson starved himself when told to stop football

Jeakson Singh Thounaojam was so passionate about football that he once gave up on food for more than two days when his parents told him to stop playing and concentrate on his studies. His mother Bilashini Devi said she and her husband Deben Singh wanted their son to become a bureaucrat but he was adamant on taking up the game. "Jeakson was a topper and Amarjit Singh (current India captain) was second from class II to IV in local school. We wanted Jeakson to become an IAS officer but he did not agree at all. He started playing when he was four. We have a small playground in front of our house and he plays all day, even forgetting to eat food," Bilashini said yesterday.

Jeakson Singh Thanoujam

"I remember once he fasted for more than two days for telling him he should stop playing football and concentrate on his studies. After that we did not tell him again. Since his father was also a footballer, we stopped pressurising Jeakson and gave him permission to play football," she added. Bilashini said that she had goosebumps when her six feet two inches tall son scored India's equaliser against Colombia to enter his name in the record books. "We never thought he would score. We were happy that our son played for India and even scored a goal," she said.