“When I first saw the news online about playing Brazil, I honestly thought it was a fake post” — Ryan Williams

Since surrendering his Australian citizenship to acquire Indian nationality last year, Ryan Williams has become one of the most talked-about figures in domestic football. The Bengaluru FC forward scored a memorable goal on his India debut in Kochi, instantly cementing his place in the hearts of Indian fans.
In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Williams reflects on settling into life in Bengaluru, BFC’s preparations for the upcoming Indian Super League season, and the surreal prospect of lining up for India against global powerhouses like Brazil and Uruguay.

Q: Since you became an Indian citizen, how are you settling into your life in Bengaluru? Have you managed to pick up any Hindi words along the way?

Ryan Williams: I knew you were going to ask about the Hindi! Actually, I made a deal with one of the boys whose English isn’t very strong. I told him that if he takes English lessons, I’ll take Hindi lessons. So, I’m just waiting for him to start his side of the bargain! To be honest, not much has changed day-to-day apart from my passport. I’ve been here for three years now. As each month passed, I became more settled, and Bengaluru started feeling like home. Getting the passport was a natural progression. Moving to India initially was one step, but now being able to represent the country and feel the immense passion and pride that comes with wearing the shirt is something truly special.

Q: What kind of role did Bengaluru FC and your teammates, like Sunil Chhetri, play in making this transition possible for you?

Ryan: I wouldn’t point to one specific player, though Arata Izumi was certainly an inspiration because he was the first to give up his foreign passport for an Indian one. He showed us that it was actually possible, and now I’m showing others the same path.
When I first brought it up, many people, including players, didn’t quite believe it would ever happen. At times, even I had my doubts. But I stuck with it, got the passport, and my life here is amazing. To represent India on the international stage and look forward to the kind of matches we have coming up, I just feel incredibly grateful to everyone who helped me along the way.

Q: Taking you back to that debut in Kochi, you scored early on in a memorable victory. What was the reaction back home from your family?

Ryan: It was incredible. Having my family in the stands to witness me singing the national anthem and pulling on the blue jersey was emotional enough, but to top it off with a goal so early in the match was a huge sense of pride, relief and joy. Even if I had written the script myself, I couldn’t have made it that good.My wife and son were in tears because they knew the intense effort behind the scenes to secure the passport. To cap it all off with a win in front of that Kochi crowd, it’s a memory money can’t buy.

Q: Looking at Bengaluru FC now, you are going into your fourth head coach in three years. How is the squad shaping up for the new season?

Ryan: Changing managers four times in three years usually points to results not being where they should be initially, but I feel I’ve grown into the club. I’ve earned the backing of the fans through hard work and leaving everything on the pitch.We are genuinely excited and quietly ambitious about this season. We finished the previous campaign strongly and want to carry that momentum forward. We have a great mix of quality foreign signings, promising youth coming through, and six to eight core players who feature regularly for the national team. For me personally, and for BFC as a club, it’s been a bit of a trophy drought recently. Making that right is our primary goal.

Q: Last season was truncated, but this year returns to a full-fledged calendar. Is the physical demand going to be a major challenge for the squad?

Ryan: I have complete faith in our physical department and technical staff. Communication across the club is solid, so I don’t see it being an issue.Coming from the English league system, I was used to playing a minimum of 50 matches a season, so 24 games is entirely manageable. In fact, I wish we had more. I’d love to see 16 or 18 teams in the ISL, extending the season to 10 or 11 months. More matches mean more opportunities for young Indian talent, established players and foreign recruits alike. As footballers, playing matches is what we live for.

Q: Who drives the locker-room culture at BFC? Who holds the title of the funniest or fittest player in the team?

Ryan: If you asked the other players, they’d probably say I’m the funniest because of all the practical jokes I pull! Fittest? I’d like to claim that title for myself too, though young Soham is right up there. In terms of pure unintentional humour, Monirul Molla takes it. He doesn’t try to be funny, which makes him hilarious. It’s a tight-knit squad of genuinely good human beings who happen to be very good at football.

Q: Wait, isn’t Sunil Chhetri still the undisputed fitness champion at BFC?

Ryan: Look, to be fair to Sunil, finding a 42-year-old as fit as him anywhere in world football is rare. If you adjust for age, sure, he’s at the top. But he’s had enough seasons being labelled the fittest; it’s about time he passed the torch to someone else!

Q: Turning to international football, India has lined up marquee friendlies against World Cup nations like Brazil, Panama and Uruguay, including a fixture right here at the Kanteerava. How excited are you?

Ryan: It’s a complete full-circle moment for me to play at the Kanteerava in front of the West Bloc Blues in an Indian shirt. When I first saw the news online about playing Brazil, I honestly thought it was a fake post! As an Arsenal fan, the chance to test myself on the pitch against players like Gabriel Magalhães and Bruno Guimarães brings out the kid in me. If our ultimate goal as a nation is to reach a World Cup, these are precisely the teams we must test ourselves against. Result aside, it’s a day of celebration for Indian football. It’s the first time Brazil’s senior set-up is visiting India. We should have no fear, put our best foot forward, and play with absolute pride and passion without any regrets.

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