--- title: "Player Recognition: Inspiring Youth Football Talent in Mumbai" description: "See our star players at South Mumbai Football Academy. We recognize hard work, discipline, and talent across our youth and competitive football squads in Mumbai." canonical: https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/player-recognition last_updated: 2025-09-30 --- # SMFA Player Recognition: Celebrating Hard Work and Growth Tribe Verified · Active participant in MFA league divisions. By [South Mumbai Football Academy](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy) · Training at academy in Grant Road and across Mumbai · ₹3,000 per month (estimate) Part of [Football Academy & Training](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/gallery) We believe in celebrating more than just goals. Every month, we spotlight the players whose effort, discipline, and progress on the pitch inspire our entire SMFA family. ## Photos and videos - ![Player of the Month for December 2024: Dominic Lobo. His relentless effort, skill, and commitment on the field have truly set him apart.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/0993bc37-8a73-4f60-ade2-9f4fb9880433) - ![Player of the Month: Vinayak Aarya. Congratulations to Vinayak for showcasing exceptional skills and embodying the spirit of our academy.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/2362dc0a-53b0-4eb9-b108-69c1b42d4937) - ![Player of the Month for February 2025: Raj Tambe. His commitment, skill, and relentless effort have been truly inspiring.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a1e07c5d-60df-4a3f-95b2-86df5dfeb057) - ![Player of the Month for February 2025: Shashak Mishra. His hard work and consistency for our MFA third division squad have set a high standard.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a344ab82-24a1-4e68-bcd1-ee1678be3924) - ![Player of the Month for May 2025: Abbas Nazam from our 3rd Division team. His dedication on and off the pitch inspires everyone at the academy.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/8207b2a6-2a21-4506-94c5-e86af4399c3d) - ![Player of the Month for May 2025: Vinayak Arya from our 2nd Division team. He has shown what it means to wear the SMFA badge with pride.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6c5ad9c1-a4e8-467f-a877-dff1227408be) - ![Player of the Month for December 2024: Samit Gundaye. His focus and unmatched dedication have set a gold standard for our young footballers.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/b02d7177-b36f-471d-9783-aa7dc07195c1) - ![Man of the Match winner Atharva, whose outstanding performance fueled a 3-0 victory for his team.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/0365a230-aa06-4d5f-b1cd-a7574e3c4594) ## About Player Recognition It is not just about who scores the winning goal. Our recognition process looks at the player who consistently stays behind to perfect their directional first touch, or the teammate who motivates others during a grueling conditioning drill. We evaluate based on discipline, progress in our tactical sessions, and pure attitude—because we believe technique can be taught, but character has to be built. At South Mumbai Football Academy, we know that the biggest victories happen in the training ground, long before the referee blows the final whistle. The 'Player of the Month' awards you see here are a testament to our DTA (Dream, Train, Achieve) philosophy. We do not just hand out awards for flashy play; we recognize the quiet, consistent work that actually wins matches. ### How We Recognize Talent Whether you are in our U-7 grassroots batch, the girls' squad, or our MFA 3rd Division competitive team, the criteria are the same: - **Discipline:** Punctuality, attendance, and adherence to our coaching feedback. - **Growth:** Measurable improvement in technical drills, such as passing accuracy and ball mastery. - **Resilience:** How a player handles a tough loss, an injury, or a tactical correction from the coach. ### Why It Matters Football is a high-pressure environment. By celebrating the 'grinders'—the players who put in the extra hours at our Grant Road facility—we set a standard for everyone else. It shows our younger kids that the path to playing in professional MFA leagues is built on persistence. When a player like Vinayak or Abbas wears the SMFA badge, it means they have earned it through sweat and commitment. We are not just creating footballers; we are shaping the kind of people who carry that same hunger into everything they do. ## About South Mumbai Football Academy We started SMFA with nothing but a promise and a few footballs, and today, we are a family. We aren't here to just run drills; we are here to build better humans through the game we love. Whether you are a toddler just starting out or a senior playing competitive MFA leagues, you bring the passion, and we will provide the pathway. [See all of South Mumbai Football Academy's services](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy) ## More from Football Academy & Training by South Mumbai Football Academy - [Featured](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/featured) - [Our Champions: Tournament Victories](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/our-champions-tournament-victories) - [The First Kick: Grassroots Football (Ages 2+)](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/the-first-kick-grassroots-football-ages-2) - [Forging Future Stars: Youth & Senior Squads](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/forging-future-stars-youth-senior-squads) - [The Girls' Squad: Empowering Female Footballers](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/the-girls-squad-empowering-female-footballers) - [The SMFA Playbook: Our Certified Coaches](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/the-smfa-playbook-our-certified-coaches) - [More Than a Game: Our Community & Values](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/more-than-a-game-our-community-values) - [Pathway to Pro: Partnerships & Progression](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/pathway-to-pro-partnerships-progression) - [Match Day Central: Results & Fixtures](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/match-day-central-results-fixtures) - [The SMFA Brand: Our Story & Style](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/the-smfa-brand-our-story-style) - [Additional Media](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-academy-training/additional-media) ## More services by South Mumbai Football Academy - [Football Team Selection Trials](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/football-team-selection-trials) - [Residential & Summer Football Camps](https://mytribe.in/southmumbaifootballacademy/residential-summer-football-camps) ## Similar work from other experts - [Celebrating Our Stars: YFA Player Achievements](https://mytribe.in/youthfootball_academy/academy-merchandise/celebrating-our-stars) by Youth Football Academy · Academy Merchandise · Delivers across Mumbai - [SFL Player Awards and Recognition](https://mytribe.in/sportsforlife_in/youth-sports-coaching/celebrating-our-stars-player-awards-recognition) by SFL · Youth Sports Coaching · Coaching at multiple academies across Mumbai and Pune - [Player Achievements and Championship Awards](https://mytribe.in/sg5fa/youth-football-academy/player-achievements-awards) by SG5 Football Academy · Youth Football Academy · Training at 9 academy centers across Mumbai - [Player of the Month Recognition](https://mytribe.in/learntoplayfootballschool/youth-football-academy/player-of-the-month-recognition) by Learn to Play Football School · Youth Football Academy · 5 training centers across Mulund, Airoli, Thane, and Bhandup - [Rising Stars: TFA Player Spotlights & Individual Awards](https://mytribe.in/tfa_totalfootballacademy/elite-football-program/player-spotlights-individual-awards) by Total Football Academy · Elite Football Program · Training at 3 turfs (Andheri, Jogeshwari, Malad) & across Mumbai - [Our Players, Our Pride: Football Success Stories in Mumbai](https://mytribe.in/elite_football_schools/elite-academy-teams/our-players-our-pride) by Elite Football Schools · Elite Academy Teams · Academy training at 6 venues across Mulund, Thane, and Bhandup ## Book To book South Mumbai Football Academy, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%2C%20I%20saw%20the%20Player%20Recognition%20page%20for%20SMFA.%20I%E2%80%99m%20interested%20in%20joining%20the%20family%20and%20would%20like%20to%20know%20about%20upcoming%20trial%20sessions.)