Q&A session with Barak FC midfielder Kevisanyu Peseyie, NSL Golden Ball winner
Kevisanyü Peseyie is a professional footballer from Jotsoma village, Nagaland. His career began with early recognition at the Subroto Cup and progressed through the youth ranks of Delhi United FC and the HERO I-League U-18. While in college, he won the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports national title and later played for Delhi FC and in the Calcutta Football League. In 2022-23, he played professionally in Thailand for Siam FC before returning to India to join Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC, where he became the top scorer in I-League 3 and helped the team earn promotion to I-League 2. He has also represented and captained Nagaland in national tournaments, including the Santosh Trophy and North East Games. In the recently concluded Nagaland Super League, Peseyie, now representing Barak FC was awarded the Golden Ball.
Performance & NSL Experience
1. Congratulations on being named the Best Player of the inaugural NSL season! How does it feel to receive this recognition in the league’s debut year?
Thank you, FFR. I feel BLESSED. I couldn’t be more proud of myself—growing up as a little village boy with big dreams. It has been, and still is, an absolute pleasure to be part of this journey and win it all. I’m truly honored to have received such a prestigious award and feel incredibly humbled to be recognized by professionals in this way – INTEGRITY.
2. Can you walk us through your most memorable match or moment from this NSL season?
Personally, the most fun and intense battle was against NUSC in the semifinal, which went all the way to penalties. The difficulty, intensity, and pressure made it the best match of the season. It was also undeniably the most thrilling to watch for the thousands in the stadium and online. Even sweeter, I took and converted the most pressured penalty. Quite frankly, it was the best set of moments in a single match that captured the essence of the whole league.
3. Barak FC had an impressive run this season. What do you think were the key factors behind the team’s success?
BARAK FC has its own blessings. Many contributing factors helped us triumph. While I can’t name every detail, we did everything collectively. Our unity and teamwork made the difference, and we showed that consistently. GOD has been GRACIOUS.
4. The NSL introduced a playoff format to conclude the season. How did this structure impact your approach to the games?
The playoff format is clearly inspired by the ISL format laid out by AIFF. Since the start of the League when we heard that there won’t be League winners, our focus and goal instinctively changed and we prepped up for the playoffs. Every match felt like a final in that way.
5. With the league offering individual awards like the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player, how did this influence your performance on the field?
Individual awards are always present in every tournament regardless of how big or small these awards are. I wasn’t even focused there. In all honesty, I didn’t see any reason to be overly proud in spite of consistent performances. Football is played on grass with 11 players, 10 to support you. So it’s a team game and our goal/desire should only be to win/do it together. No one should think of individual glory even though at times we need individual brilliance.
Personal Journey & Development
6. Which football club do you support, who was your childhood idol, and is there a player whose style or career you aspire to emulate?
I grew up watching a lot of football. I’ve loved Liverpool since Istanbul 2005. Stevie G, the captain, is a player I really adore. There isn’t any specific player growing up that I took as an idol or tried to imitate. I never tried to copy anyone’s style—I would be terrible at emulating others anyway. I really like Trent & KDB’s style as well.
7. Can you share a bit about your early football journey? What inspired you to pursue the sport professionally?
I already loved football from first sight of it and had such a passion for the game since age 5/6. I vividly remember watching the 2002 FIFA WC and how my interest in the game grew alongside. In all honesty, there wasn’t any specific player that inspired me “to dream” “to pursue” Football. It was just pure raw attachment to the sport and loving the sport entirely in general. Mad young me already made peace with the thought/idea that the boy would do anything to play professional football and make a career out of it.
8. Were there any significant challenges you faced while climbing the ranks in Nagaland’s football scene?
In Nagaland, there are so many challenges, you really can’t go without whining about to yourself and others. A sporting event that too football is always a big ask to host or to play though there are so many lovers. The Infrastructure and resources are major hurdles always but we have made quite a significant improvement in the last 5 years. The lack of grassroots football, the lack of club culture, the lack of football knowledge all adds up to the difficulty of playing it comfortably. Vast improvements to be made, but hopefully one step, one thing at a time, eventually changing the whole scenario for the better very soon.
9. How has participating in the NSL contributed to your growth as a player?
It was really amazing and an absolute pleasure to be part of the tremendously organised first Nagaland Super League. The opportunities, the experiences, the highs and even the lows. All of it has been part of what has been a great development both as a human being and a player.
10. Are there any mentors or coaches who have played a pivotal role in your development?
There are so many good coaches, elite ones who really helped me develop into what I am as a player today. The foreign coaches, the Indian coaches all have different knowledge and coaching styles from which I have greatly learned. The local ones here couldn’t be written off as they have played so many key roles differently.
11. What does a typical training day look like for you during the NSL season?
We normally trained almost everyday keeping aside Sundays. We mostly engage in 2-3 hour long sessions followed by ice bath for recovery plus some days at the gym for strength & conditioning. We hit the swimming pools too for hydrotherapy. On some days we go for light morning sessions and go for intense sessions in the evening.
Perspectives on Nagaland Football
12. The NSL aims to elevate football in Nagaland and provide a platform for local talent. How do you see this initiative shaping the future of football in the state?
No one can question Nagas when it comes to the raw talent, gift, ability in playing football. We are no different from the rest of the country and in fact, we are far more gifted. However, one can raise questions about platforms, infrastructure, opportunities to showcase the gifted talent because the chances of get picked from the mainland is minimal or non-existent. This hinders the path and comes as a major obstacle for people in Nagaland in comparison to the rest in the country. NSL coming into the picture in Nagaland has the potential to change the narrative. The main goal for them is to create a platform and to enable players to attain bigger and greater opportunities in the country and beyond India too. I am convinced that it has impacted a lot of lives. Starting from the individual benefit of being scouted and recognized by clubs outside Nagaland. Being a professional league, it just didn’t touch the players and the clubs but also the sports fraternity and people from different walks of life. There is economic opportunity through NSL.
13. The league’s collaboration with organizations like the Nagaland Olympic Association and the All India Football Federation suggests a broader vision. How do you envision this influencing opportunities for players like yourself?
The NSL aims at professionalizing Football in Nagaland through collaboration with the NOA and is approved/licensed under AIFF. It’s going to and hopefully it does put a shift in transforming the state and Indian Football in general. Despite immense talent amongst the youth, Nagaland is yet to match the expectations or make any impact in Indian Football. With Indian football also at stake and often overshadowed by cricket, it’s important that regional and state leagues like the NSL continue to take place consistently and help transform the sport. Football, the most loved, most played, most watched sport in the entire world is unfortunately so much below bar in India. Coming to Nagaland, we need to start unearthing talents from every corner, foster grassroots development and also build again the broken ‘Footballing and Sports culture’. As much as NSL will change the sports scenario and pave way to other pathways, it is greater to build/set up/focus on GRASSROOTS development. Invest more money, spend more energy, more time in creating academies to develop young talent. You can’t study in standard 5 after skipping the standards before.
14. What advice would you give to young aspiring footballers in Nagaland who look up to players like you?
It is often during childhood or student life that the critical inflection point arrives — when someone asks, “What do you want to do?” Do you dream of playing football and building a life around it? Step forward, young men and women. Leave your comfort zones. Be prepared to face challenges and obstacles, perhaps more than you enjoy success. To anyone who desires to pursue football, I urge you — first and foremost — to submit to God and allow Him to work through you. We’re talking about football: the biggest, richest sport industry in the world. So let your dreams and goals be just as big. You never know what God has already prepared for you, even before He created you. Trust Him. Have faith. Walk patiently and obediently with Him. God has a plan and purpose for your life — and when the time is right, He will call you. Play football for the glory of God. Everything else in life will follow.
15. Beyond the NSL, what are your personal goals and aspirations in your football career?
Setting realistic goals is the key. I’m not revealing right now but things are in the pipeline. When the right time comes, I’ll announce. On the other hand, it hasn’t sunk innnn, the dream to play for your country.
