Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:46pm on 06 Nov 2025,Thursday Sports
Former Australian winger Ryan Williams officially became an Indian citizen, receiving his passport from Bengaluru FC teammate Sunil Chhetri in a ceremonial moment. Williams, who has Australian-Indian heritage through his Mumbai-born mother, represents AIFF's historic first step in including Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) in the national football setup. Before the handover, Chhetri quizzed Williams on Indian street food and pop culture. Williams has scored 13 goals with five assists in 46 games for Bengaluru FC since 2023. Nepal-born defender Abneet Bharti is also attending the Indian national team camp on trial. Williams' reported inclusion ahead of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers brings speed, direct running, and finishing qualities India has lacked.
