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Minerva Academy Football Club & Cricket Club is a professional club based in Mohali, Punjab .It is owned and founded by Mr. Ranjit Bajaj who himself represented India at the U-19 level in the Asian School games. Minerva Academy FC has won 7 National league titles, 6 youth league titles and has a record of winning the Hero Junior League title for Four times in a row.

In 2015, Minerva Academy Football Club won the Chandigarh state championship and was nominated for entry into the National 2nd Division League

Minerva Academy Football Club finished runner’s up in the debut 2015-16 season in the 2nd Division league and were promoted to the I-League which is the top tier of football in India operated by AIFF (All India Football Federation) and renamed Minerva Punjab FC.

In 2017-18 Minerva won the Hero I-League bringing back the national football trophy to North India and Punjab after 21 years and once again reviving the former sporting glory of the region.

In 2018-19 Minerva represented India in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Qualifiers held in Iran and in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup group stage against teams from Bangladesh and Nepal.

Within four short years, Minerva rose from a semi-professional football club to one of the best professional clubs of India, having an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian rank 102 behind Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC from India.

History
Ranjit Bajaj set up the Club and Academy in 2014 to revive sports (especially football) in the region in an effort to steer kids away from the streets, crime and drugs towards a rewarding career in sports. The entire set up is self funded by Mr. Bajaj and has made it his personal mission to provide kids from all backgrounds the best opportunities to excel in sports.

In July 2019, Ranjit Bajaj sold 50% stakes of Punjab FC Pvt. Ltd. to Roundglass Sports, subsequently, the club was renamed to Punjab FC in I-League 2019-20. Roundglass Sports completed 100% acquisition of Punjab FC Pvt Ltd in March 2020. Minerva FC is now a completely independent club and academy, owned and managed by Ranjit Bajaj, and it is no longer associated with Punjab FC.

So, far it has supplied more than 49 individual players and 172 selections for Indian teams under various age groups in the last five years.

Minerva Residential Football Academy
The Academy houses more than 160 trainees across U-9 to U-18 age groups year round. The trainees are identified and nurtured after extensive all India open trials are inducted into the football training program with full scholarships.

The Academy is spread out over a 20 acres campus located in Mohali. The Academy campus provides unparalleled facilities and infrastructure, including 2 full size football fields, 6 small sided games fields, hostels, mess, gymnasium, swimming pool, physiotherapy & wellness clinic, basketball court, auditorium, classrooms and much more. All identified children are given 100% scholarships. The Academy provides for all the trainees’ needs year round, including training, accommodation, diet, schooling, medical needs, equipment & kits, transportation etc. at no cost to the trainees.

The trainees of the Academy make up the Junior and age group teams of Minerva FC. They participate in various regional and all India tournaments like AIFF U-13, U-15 and U-18 leagues, Subroto Cup, Reliance Sports Foundation and many more.

Minerva’s junior teams comprising of Academy trainees have won following trophie
s: winning all the following trophies and many others;

Champions AIFF U-15 Youth League 2015-16 Champions AIFF U-15 Youth League 2017-18 Champions AIFF U-13 Youth League 2017-18 Champions AIFF U-15 Youth League 2017-18 Champions AIFF U-18 Youth League 2018-19 Champions AIFF U-15 Youth League 2018-19

Major Championships/ Trophies/ Titles Won by various squads of Minerva FC
Runners Up 2nd Division League 2015-16 Champions U-15 League 2015-16 Champions U-15 League 2016-17 Champions Hero I-League 2017-18 Champions U-13 League 2017-18 Champions U-15 League 2017-18 Champions U-18 League 2018-19 Champions U-15 League 2018-19 Champions Punjab Super League 2018-19 Champions Punjab Super League 2019-20

For four months in 2018, Minerva FC squads held all the national titles across age groups, The Hero I-league 2017-18, AIFF U-15 League 2017-18, AIFF U-13 League 2017-18 and AIFF U-18 League 2018-19. The is a record unmatched all over the world for a single club and academy to hold all national titles across age groups.

Star Products/ Players from Minerva Residential Football Academy
The Academy has supplied more than 49 individual players and 172 selections for various age group India teams in the last five years.

Thounaojam Jeakson Singh Academy product Thounaojam Jeakson Singh scored for India against Columbia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 and brought the whole country to its feet in cheer!

'Anwar Ali Academy product Anwar Ali scored for India against Argentina U-20 national team with a beautiful free kick which stunned the opposition.

Nongdamba Naorem Academy product Nongdamba Naorem scored a beautiful goal in the I-League playing for Indian Arrows against Shillong Lajong dibbling past five defenders to score what was voted as the goal of the season.

Arjun Sharma Academy product Arjun Sharma won the Golden Boot in the Mission XI Million endeavor OORJA CAPF U-19 Football Hunt Tournament 2017.

Himanshu Jangra Academy product Himanshu Jangra became the highest scorer to help India win the SAFF U-15 Championship 2019.

Awards Received from State Government/ Central Government/ Other agencies
Best Centre of Youth Excellence- 2017 Awarded by Federation of Football Coaches in India (FFCI)

Appreciation for Contribution to Indian Football- Indian Football Awards 2018. Awarded by Football Players Association of India (FPAI)

Recognition of Valuable Contribution for Developing Football at Grassroots Level- GOAL 2019 Awarded by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

Current squad
'Head of Youth Development

Surinder Singh

Head Coach Yan Cheng Law

Stadium
Tau Devi Laal Stadium, Panchkula Guru Naka Stadium, Ludhiana

Kit manufacturers
Spartan

Seasons

 * Key
 * Tms. = Number of teams
 * Pos. = Position in league
 * Attendance/G = Average league attendance

Seasons by season

 * ''DNP − Did not play

Head coach's record
updated as of now

Kit manufacturers
Spartan