Mrinal Muthanna’s blazing run drives Kodagu FC into Super Division contention

Bengaluru

Mrinal Muthanna has made significant strides in this year’s KSFA Super Division, scoring several goals for Kodagu FC and helping his team reach the top three after eight games. News Trail spoke with him about his football journey, Kodagu FC’s grassroots development, and their chances of winning the Super Division League. Muthanna, a Coorg native, began his football journey in Cameroon, where he was raised until the age of ten. “The whole country runs on football there.

My dad is really into sports too, so that’s where the passion came from. Football was the only thing that kept me entertained as a kid. It just kept growing year by year as I got older,” he said. After returning to India at the age of eleven, he trained diligently and eventually joined Kodagu FC, contributing to grassroots football development in Coorg. “Kodagu FC is doing a fantastic job of giving underprivileged and local players from Coorg a platform to experience and understand football. They are fans, no doubt, but it’s a very remote place and it’s not like there are tournaments the way there are in Bengaluru.”

Based at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, the club makes full use of the facilities on offer. “We get everything – gym sessions, the ground, physios, in-house doctors. We go to them only for any rehab. We are taken care of really well.” The facilities complement the team’s playing style, which relies on intense pressing to create chances and transitions to exploit opponents. “Our game plan revolves around intensity, constant pressure, and using individual quality,” Muthanna said. The club’s tactics also suit his style: “My favourite players are pacy, fast players like Ronaldo and Mbappé.

My entire game is based on speed and power. One ball in behind and I’m almost through. That’s where I thrive,” he added. The strategy and team quality have yielded four wins and only one loss in eight matches. Muthanna credits the coaching staff for fostering team spirit and cohesion, which have been key to these results. With a strong foundation in place, the quick winger believes Kodagu FC can win the Super Division. “Last year we finished fourth, and there were only four points between us and the leaders, so it’s very achievable.

The leaderboard shifts with each game, so it’s definitely possible for us to win it.” While praising Kodagu FC’s professionalism and ambition, Muthanna is focused on progressing to higher divisions and competing with the best. “I want to move up the leagues. But interestingly, some players returned after leaving and said they want to take Kodagu to the top. I’d love to do that too, but my personal goal is to play in the higher leagues,” he said.