In April 2026, a youth team from Punjab beat Liverpool 6-0 at a tournament in Spain. That team came from Minerva Academy, a football academy in Mohali. Its under-15 players beat the English club’s side at the Mediterranean International Cup. The result made headlines across Indian football.
What Is Minerva Academy and How Did It Begin?
Minerva Academy is a football academy based in Mohali, Punjab, founded by Ranjit Bajaj. He started its football wing in 2005. At first, it was a small, self-funded squad playing local tournaments in Chandigarh and Punjab. Khel Now notes that a Minerva school team once ruled football in the region. Bajaj wanted to revive that name. Scroll reported that he felt heartbroken to see local footballers drifting into drugs and menial jobs.
The academy now has a 25-acre campus with three full-size football fields, according to The Daily Tribune. It also runs a cricket academy and coaching for armed forces selection interviews, Sportskeeda reports. ESPN reports that at 35, Bajaj even tried out again for the Chandigarh state football team. He qualified. Gulf News says Bajaj has almost single-handedly pushed the academy forward, from scouting talent to taking teams abroad.
How Minerva Rose From a Small Academy to I-League Champions
Minerva soon grew beyond local tournaments. The club entered the I-League as Minerva Punjab FC. ESPN reported that its first season ended in ninth place among ten teams. Scroll reported that the club signed UEFA Pro Licence coaches for its junior teams. It also partnered with the Abhinav Bindra High Performance Training Centre. The next season changed everything. Minerva Punjab won the 2017-18 I-League title. Few expected an academy-first club from North India to lift the trophy. Several Minerva youth players were in India’s squad at the 2017 U-17 World Cup, ESPN noted.
Sportskeeda says only two academies supplied more players to that squad. Jeakson Singh, a Minerva player, scored India’s first goal at a FIFA tournament against Colombia. In 2020, Bajaj sold his stake in Punjab FC to RoundGlass. He then returned to youth development. Reports say he later bought a stake in Delhi FC. Sports Digest says Delhi FC gives older academy graduates a senior stage. It adds that the club climbed from I-League 2 into the I-League.
The 6-0 Win Over Liverpool in Spain
In April 2026, Minerva’s under-15 team played at the Mediterranean International Cup. Gulf News reports that Minerva was the first Indian club to compete there. The team first beat CS Braves Ahuntsic 3-0 in the knockout stage. Then came Liverpool in the Round of 16. Minerva won 6-0. The Statesman reports that captain Wahengbam Raj Singh scored a hat-trick. Mohammad Azam Khan scored twice, and Lisham Amarson Singh added the sixth.
Elite clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid also played in the tournament. The run ended a day later.
UE Figueres won the quarter-final 2-1. Even so, the result drew praise across the country. The win also came during a tense period for Indian football, with a domestic tournament impasse. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reportedly called it a new beginning for Indian football. This was not the first big stage for Minerva Academy. Gulf News says the same group won the Gothia Cup, Dana Cup and Norway Cup in 2025. At the Mina Cup in Dubai, a Minerva under-12 side beat a Barcelona academy team, The Daily Tribune reported. The Tribune reported that a Minerva youth team also won the Helsinki Cup 2026, beating HJK 1-0 in the final.
The Money Struggle Behind the Success
Success came without big sponsors. Reports say Bajaj turned to crowdfunding to send the team to Spain. Several outlets also say he took a personal loan and mortgaged his property. Bajaj has said his players train on 100 percent scholarships, according to The Daily Tribune. The Udaipur Times puts the number at about 250 boys. He also says players must start young to reach the top. He argues that a player who gets the ball late in life will never reach elite level. The academy teaches European training methods from the age of seven, The Daily Tribune reports. Bajaj’s goal is to see India play at the 2034 World Cup.
Sportskeeda reported that the club was once recommended for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar. Bajaj is also outspoken. Wikipedia notes that in 2019, Minerva refused to play a Super Cup qualifier. The club was protesting uncertainty over the future of I-League clubs. ESPN has noted that Bajaj runs his club in an unorthodox way and faces criticism.
The Wise Take
Minerva Academy shows what stubborn belief can do in Indian football. It built a youth system with very little outside help. Its players beat a famous English academy side. Money remains the biggest hurdle, as the crowdfunding story shows. India needs stronger grassroots support so such stories become common. The win in Spain proves that talent exists in small towns and local grounds. It now needs steady funding, good coaching and fair opportunity.
Bajaj’s goal of a 2034 World Cup place is bold. It will only come true if many academies get the same chance. Critics may question his methods. Still, the results are hard to ignore. For young players in Punjab and beyond, Minerva offers a clear message. Start early, train hard and believe that Indian football can compete with the best.
Also read our other article on How Ranjit Bajaj Has Kept India’s FIFA World Cup Dream Alive Through Its Young Footballers
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