Akash Mishra carries fond memories of the Fatorda Stadium. He lifted the Indian Super League (ISL) title with Hyderabad FC here in 2022 and watched his current team — Mumbai City FC — script a stunning 3-2 comeback against FC Goa in the 2023-24 ISL Cup semifinals.
But the second memory is a bittersweet one, as he picked up an injury in the 13th minute of the game – an anterior cruciate ligament tear that kept him out for over 550 days.
“I wouldn’t want any player to get such an injury because only I know what I went through and how difficult it was,” Akash tells Sportstar.
Akash’s injury ruled him out for an entire season, wiping out a critical year of club and international football. He could only watch on as India drew with Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers, lost the Intercontinental Cup defence and had a forgettable Asian Cup qualifying campaign.
“Mentally, it’s tough,” Akash explains, “When you look at other teams playing while you are sitting at home, doubts creep in — Will I be able to play again? And even if I do, will I be the same?”
Akash had his surgery in May last year and then did his rehab at the Assam High Performance Centre in Kokrajhar. On October 24, 551 days later, he returned to competitive football, turning up for Mumbai City in its 4-1 win over Sporting Club Delhi.
And the stadium? The very venue he had left on crutches one-and-a-half years ago.
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“I am very thankful to the people I had, the medical team, of course, the club, my agent, most of all my mom and dad and my younger sister. They supported me a lot to get back,” Akash says.
For the 2022-23 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year winner, acceptance was the only way forward, and he channelled it into reinventing his game, focusing more on positioning than on raw pace.
“When you go out after playing at a level and get injured, then people’s expectations remain the same, and if, after injury, if any part of your body is opened, it will not be the same,” Akash says.
Akash has evolved from being a typical attacking full-back into a more defensively assured one, locking down the left flank with composure.
Be it denying Lamgoulen Hangshing’s key pass in his box with a crucial block or clearing Noah Sadaoui’s cross just in front of the goal line, the 23-year-old has made a mark on his return at the Super Cup.
India men’s head coach Khalid Jamil, in Goa to scout for his squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers, was watching. And on November 5, Akash returned to the national camp.
“My main focus is to build up slowly. We have played three games now, and Coach Khalid must have seen something to call me up. So, I will give my 100 per cent in the camp, and if he feels I deserve a chance, there’s nothing that tops it,” Akash says.
Akash has evolved from being a typical attacking full-back into a more defensively assured one, locking down the left flank with composure.
| Photo Credit:
AIFF Media
Akash has evolved from being a typical attacking full-back into a more defensively assured one, locking down the left flank with composure.
| Photo Credit:
AIFF Media
“Playing for India has always been a dream since I started playing football. I have played for India before, and I am looking forward to doing that again after returning from my injury.”
Against Kerala Blasters — including the clearance off Sadaoui — Akash helped Mumbai City remain defensively resolute as his side found a late winner, off an own goal by Freddy Lallawmawma, which secured the side a semifinal spot.
“If we had not fought, we would not have been qualified. All the players showed very good character. Sometimes there are games where you get trapped, you have to dig deep, and then you will get a goal. Tonight was one such game. That’s why I came to Mumbai City because it has character,” Akash says.
Akash has started all matches for Mumbai City in the Super Cup, and the semifinal will see him face FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium, nearly 20 months after the horrific injury.
“You can never count Mumbai City out. On this very ground, we had made a comeback against Goa, and we hope to do something similar again.”
Life has come a full circle for Akash, one that has turned a 21-year-old boy into a man. With another high-stakes clash – the West Coast derby — lined up at the same venue, he looks ready to go again.
Published on Nov 07, 2025