India, March 26 -- Nathan Rodrigues had one of the best seats in the house, as he watched Mumbai City win the Indian Super League title last season. With a smile, he describes those moments as the "worst feeling ever."

The title came at the end of the defender's first season at the club - his first in top-flight Indian football. But, it happened to be a season in which he did not get to play a single game.

"It was a difficult moment for me, to come into the first team but sit on the bench," he told HT. "But I realised that I had things I needed to do. I had to work on my physicality and intensity."

His fortunes have changed this year though, as the 21-year-old has featured in 22 of his team's 24 matches in the league. This has been a d...