India, May 9 -- For many young Indian footballers in the past, the AIFF Elite Academy and the Indian Arrows project served as a pathway into professional football. For Sumit Rathi, that experience not only kickstarted his football career but also his determined mentality. But fast-forward to 2026, and the 24-year-old is without a club, with his future remaining uncertain.

Although his resume boasts clubs like Mohun Bagan, ATK, and NorthEast United, and he has trained within AIFF's developmental structure, the situation is hard to ignore. Rathi is a player shaped by one of AIFF's most ambitious youth projects in the past, but now finds himself searching for a new club and also trying to rebuild his career.

Despite the stressful situation...