The Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, has announced that the Indian men’s football team will receive a cash reward of Rs 1 crore for winning the Hero Intercontinental Cup. The team won the cup by beating Lebanon 2-0 in the final at Kalinga Stadium on Sunday night. The team’s captain, Sunil Chhetri, scored his 87th international goal and Lallianzuala Chhangte also contributed a goal.
During the closing ceremony, Naveen expressed his pride in hosting the tournament and congratulated India on their victory. He also stated that Odisha intends to hold more football events and support the growth of the sport in India. Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation, thanked the Odisha government for successfully hosting the tournament and providing support and hospitality to all participating teams.
