Kashmina, Kiran Pisda sign one-year contracts with Dinamo Zagreb

Kashmina and Kiran Pisda became the latest Indian women's footballers to sign one-year contracts with Croatian heavyweight WFC Dinamo Zagreb following a trial at the Nation Centre for Excellence in Rajarhat, Kolkata. The duo was spotted by the club's head coach Marija Damjanovic.

Kashmina, who hails from Manipur, and 22-year-old Kiran, a tribal girl from the Balod district of Chhattisgarh, had their first training stints with the team on Wednesday in Zagreb, the Croatian capital.

For both Kiran and Kashmina, who came out of poverty-stricken rural areas, it was a dream come true moment.

"I am thrilled to join WFC Dinamo Zagreb and am committed to giving my best for the club. The confidence gained from my domestic performances will drive me to excel on this international platform. Though the season has already started we are sure we will adapt soon and perform well," said an excited Kiran.

Equally elated, Kashmina shared her enthusiasm, stating, "This is a dream come true for me. Playing in Europe has always been my aspiration, and I am eager to gain valuable experience at the highest level. I look forward to embarking on this journey with the team."

For Kashmina, who could not even afford to buy a pair of boots and picked one from a dustbin, it is a rag-to-rich story. Kashmina, who played for several clubs in the IWL, won the inaugural IWL with Eastern Sporting Union before completing a hat-trick of titles with Gokulam Kerala.

24-year-old Kashmina and Kiran became the fourth Indian signings for Dinamo Zagreb after Soumya Guguloth and Jyoti Chouhan joined the club in 2022. Jyoti is the first Indian footballer to score a hat-trick in European club football. Soumya had a one-year stint with the Croatian club.

27 footballers participated in the trials vying for contracts with clubs from Australia and Europe.

Apart from Dinamo Zagreb, Western United FC Melbourne, Adelaide United FC, Perth SC, and Marbella FC conducted the trials.