KOCHI: Tehsin Jamshed is on track to do what few Indians expected to see in the World Cup. The 19-year-old is set to become the first Indian passport holder to play in the World Cup after Qatar included him in their 26-man squad for the showpiece event in the US, Canada and Mexico.Born in Doha to Kerala parents, Tehseen is every Indian football fan’s dream come true on the grandest stage of the world game. Along with an Indian passport, he holds a Qatari mission passport, a special document that allows foreign-born athletes to represent Qatar in international competitions.“It is a moment of joy for me personally. To see my son achieve the heights that I have seen at his age is truly remarkable,” Tahsin’s father Jamshed Thachankundi told TOI over phone from Doha. Jamshed himself had played for the Kerala sub-junior team in 1985.how A boy from Kerala Tahseen flew with Qatar.Unlike full citizenship, the Mission Passport is limited in scope and does not provide the broader social rights, permanent status or financial benefits available to Qatari citizens.Jamshed hails from Thalassery, while his wife Shaima hails from Valapatnam in Kannur district. The family moved to Qatar years ago in search of better opportunities, but Jamshed kept his love of football with him.Fakhar’s father said, “Tahseen’s greatest strength is that he can play on both wings and can also be used as a striker. He has exceptional dribbling ability and is aggressive inside the box”.Tahseen’s development was accelerated through Qatar’s Aspire Football Academy. The young midfielder grabbed attention in 2021 when he joined Qatar’s under-16 national team. He then moved to the under-17 squad and continued his development at Qatar Stars League powerhouse Al Duhail. He was also part of the Qatar U-17 team that played India’s youth team during the exhibition tour in 2023.After impressing at the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup in China, he made his senior debut for Qatar in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in June 2024.For Tahseen, selection in Qatar’s World Cup squad is almost like fulfilling his father’s cherished dream, as his own football journey shaped his son’s path. A former player at Calicut University, he became Tahseen’s first coach and mentor, introducing him to the sport early on and guiding his development.Jamshed’s own playing career was promising. He represented the Kerala sub-junior team in 1985 and later progressed through the junior and youth levels, playing alongside former India international Joe Paul Enchery. However, his rise was cut short when an injury forced him to retire at the age of just 25.However, this setback did not dampen Jamshed’s commitment to football. After moving to Qatar, he stayed close to the game, working for a private company in Doha. In his spare time, he would accompany Tehseen and his elder brother Michel to the football fields and oversee their systematic training.
