Baoringdao Bodo

Baoringdao Bodo

Bodo with Minerva Punjab in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth	(1999-10-17) 17 October 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth	Haflong, Assam, India
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Arabian Falcons
Number	11
Youth career
2011–2013	SAI Guwahati
2013–2016	AIFF Elite Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2019	Chennaiyin	2	(0)
2017–2018	Chennaiyin B	1	(0)
2016–2017	→ Minerva Punjab (loan)	10	(1)
2018–2019	→ Gokulam Kerala (loan)	2	(1)
2019–2020	Kerala Blasters	2	(0)
2020	Bengaluru United	5	(0)
2020–2022	Odisha	1	(0)
2023–2024	TRAU	17	(4)
2024–	Arabian Falcons	0	(0)
International career‡
2014	India U14	6	(2)
2014–2016	India U16	8	(5)
2016–2019	India U19	8	(7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:18, 6 March 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 October 2017

Baoringdao Bodo (born 17 October 1999) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a winger for TRAU football club Manipur. ^[1]

He became India's youngest player in history to play, upon making his senior debut in January 2017. Born in Assam, Bodo represented the India under-19 team and captained the nation at under-17 level.

Early career

Born to a Dimasa Kachari family in the town of Haflong, Dima Hasao, Assam, Bodo started playing football at the age of 8 and then his father Mr. Jibon Bodo enrolled him at SAI Guwahati for better football training. In 2013, Bodo was selected for India camp for under 14. He joined AIFF Regional Academy in Kalyani, Kolkata under coach Gautam Ghosh. Bodo was the part of India U16 squad which has won the 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship and also AFC U16 Championship Qualifiers in 2014. Bodo improved a lot then he was promoted to AIFF Elite Academy in Goa. There he has represented India U19 in I-League U18, Subroto Cup and IFA Shield.

Club career

Chennaiyin

In May 2016, Bodo along with four AIFF Elite Academy boys signed with former ISL Champions Chennaiyin FC on a long-term contract. Bodo became the youngest player to ever contracted with any ISL club. ^[2]

Minerva Punjab (loan)

On 1 January 2017, Minerva signed Bodo on loan from Chennaiyin FC for 2016-17 I-League season. On 21 January 2017, Bodo made his league debut, coming-on as 46th-minute substitute for Kamalpreet Singh in an away match against Shillong Lajong at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong. He made his first start for the club against Mumbai FC at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana where he also scored for the club and become the Youngest player to ever score in I-League. ^[3]

Kerala Blasters

On 23 January 2019, Bodo made a permanent transfer to Kerala Blasters FC on a long-term deal. ^[4]

Odisha FC

On 11 June 2020, Bodo signed a two–year deal with Odisha FC. ^[5]

Arabian Falcons

In January 2024, Bodo moved abroad, signing with UAE Third Division League club Arabian Falcons. ^[6]

International career

Bodo first represented India at the under-14 level. ^[7] He was part of the under-16 side that won the 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship and participated in the qualifiers for the AFC U-16 Championship. Bodo then went on to represent the under-19 side in the IFA Shield where he was adjudged MVP of the tournament and Top scorer of the tournament.

Style of play

Former AIFF Academy coach Gautam Ghosh has described Bodo as "a really talented player with a bright footballing brain" who has the versatility to play as a winger on either flank, as a playmaker or as a striker. Bodo has been praised for his aerial ability, creativity, and bursts of acceleration. He has been referred to as a Neymar and has also been called the Indian Neymar Jr. by mainly Indian media.

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 March 2023 ^[8]

Club	Season	League			Cup		AFC		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chennaiyin	2017–18	Indian Super League	2	0	0	0	—		2	0
Chennaiyin B	2017–18	I-League 2nd Division	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
Minerva Punjab (loan)	2016–17	I-League	10	1	0	0	—		10	1
Gokulam Kerala (loan)	2018–19		2	1	0	0	—		2	1
Kerala Blasters	2018–19	Indian Super League	2	0	0	0	—		2	0
Bengaluru United	2020	I-League 2nd Division	5	0	0	0	—		5	0
Odisha	2020–21	Indian Super League	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2021–22		0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Odisha total		1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
TRAU	2022–23	I-League	13	3	3 [a]	1	—		16	4
Career total			36	5	3	1	0	0	39	6

1. Appearance(s) in Durand Cup

Honours

India U16

• SAFF U-16 Championship: 2013

AIFF Elite Academy

• I-League U18: 2015–16

Chennaiyin

• Indian Super League: 2017–18

Individual

• IFA Shield MVP: 2016
• IFA Shield Top Scorer: 2016

See also

• List of Indian expatriate footballers

References

1. Media Team, AIFF (15 November 2022). "Aizawl, TRAU share spoils". i-league.org. Aizawl, Mizoram: Hero I-League. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
2. "16 Year Old Baoringdao Bodo from Haflong, Assam to Play in ISL | Voice of Greater Assam". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
3. "Minerva Punjab's Baoringdao Bodo becomes youngest ever scorer in I-League, overtakes Samuel Lalmuanpuia - Goal.com". Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
5. "Odisha FC signs wingers Baoringdao Bodo and Premjit Singh". sportscafe.in. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
6. "Indian Winger Baoringdao Bodo Adds UAE Flavor to His Career, Joins Arabian Falcons FC in Style". first11.in. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
7. "Baoringdao Bodo - the future of Indian football's attack - GoalBold". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
8. Baoringdao Bodo at Soccerway

External links

• Profile at the Indian Super League