Indian women’s football has found a new reason to celebrate. While uncertainty continues around the future of the men’s national team, players from the women’s side are steadily making their mark on the global stage. This time, it is Indian forward Manisha Kalyan who has scripted history in South America with a landmark goal for Peruvian club Alianza Lima Femenino.
The 24-year-old footballer from Punjab scored the winning goal in Alianza Lima’s 1-0 victory over CA Mannucci on Friday. With that strike, Manisha became the first Indian footballer to score in a South American league, adding another milestone to her rapidly growing international career.
Historic goal creates Indian football record
After spending three years in European football, Manisha recently joined the Peruvian league champions Alianza Lima Femenino. She made her debut for the club on February 6 in a 3-1 win over Deportiva Universitaria, though she did not get on the scoresheet in that match.
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However, her breakthrough moment arrived against Mannucci. Manisha found the net in the 31st minute, and her lone goal proved enough to secure all three points for her side. The strike instantly entered the record books, making her the first Indian player ever to score in a South American domestic league.
Manisha continues impressive international rise
This was not Manisha’s first memorable moment on South American soil. Back in 2021, she scored India’s only goal in a 6-1 defeat against powerhouse Brazil — a strike that had already announced her arrival on the international stage.
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She also impressed recently during India’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaign and has continued that form with her new club. Before Friday’s league goal, she had already scored in a friendly match against Universidad Catolica in Chile, where Alianza Lima registered a dominant 4-1 victory. Manisha’s latest achievement once again highlights the growing impact of Indian women footballers abroad, even as the country continues to search for consistency in the men’s game.
