Rangers FC have announced the signing of Indian international Ngangom Bala Devi on an 18 month deal subject to international clearance here in Glasgow on Wednesday.
The prolific forward has scored 52 goals in 58 appearances for the Indian National Team and has been the top scorer in the Indian Women’s League for the past two seasons. Last season, Bala Devi scored an astonishing 26 goals in seven games for Manipur Police SC in the IWL. She was also top of the charts in the Senior Women’s National Football Championship scoring 21 goals in five matches with Manipur.
Rangers Women’s FC approached the 29-year-old Bala Devi for a trial in late November last year and that has culminated into a professional contract which is a first for an Indian women anywhere in the world.
Starting her career when she was just 15, the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016 used to work as a policewoman for the Manipur Police Department and has also captained the National Team.
To play my football in Europe with one of the biggest clubs in the world is something I could never have dreamed of.
I hope my move to Rangers serves as an example to all the women footballers back home in India who dream of taking up the sport professionally.
I’m looking forward to making the most of the top-class facilities and coaching and I am certain I will benefit immensely from the standard of training and competition.
I’m very grateful to Amy McDonald, the coaching staff and the entire management at Rangers for believing in me.
Also, this move wouldn’t have been possible without Bengaluru FC who have been instrumental throughout.
I can’t wait to get to Glasgow, join my teammates and give this my best shot.
Ngangom Bala Devi
The current ISL champions Bengaluru FC have been instrumental in facilitating Bala Devi’s trial – they had announced a partnership with the Scottish giants in September of 2019.
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