New Delhi: As India suffered a crushing 0-8 defeat against the US in its first Group A match of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 in Bhubaneswar, what was unmissable was the presence of a 16 year-old Indian-origin midfielder from Petersburg.
Mia Bhuta, who has become the first-ever player of Indian descent to represent the US women’s national team in a World Cup, said she hoped to inspire young girls in India to take up football.
“It is truly special for me to be here. My father was born here in India. He grew up in Rajkot in Gujarat. When he was 16, he came to the USA to pursue his passion for tennis and to get a better education,” Mia said at the pre-match press conference.
“I have been to India a few times before. My grandparents still live here in India. Indian culture has influenced me a lot. I am very proud of my heritage,” she said.
Mia scored a goal in the second-half despite India committing the numbers in defence.
Mia lives at Mt Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh and plays for Internationals SC. One of the most experienced players of the US team, Mia has been capped 10 times for the U-17 national team. She has also worn the captain’s armband earlier.
Mia has been training since she was 11 years-old with the Internationals Soccer Club, based out of Medina, Ohio. She began her soccer development in her backyard, learning the basics and playing with her father and siblings.
“I learned a lot about the game when I was very young, and started playing with my dad and my brother,” Bhuta said. “We watched drills on YouTube and tried them on the field,” she told PGH Soccer Now.
After this World Cup Mia will join Stanford University to further her academic and sporting future.
