Kochi (Kerala), March 28 -- For four months, there was only one date on Ryan Williams' mind. March 31.
"Since we got the clearance, all I've been thinking about is March 31," he admits, reflecting on the long wait that followed his FIFA eligibility approval. The frustration was real. The clearance from FIFA's Players' Status Chamber arrived just hours too late for him to be part of India's last matchday squad against Bangladesh on November 18, 2025.
He trained, integrated, and even travelled to Dhaka, his first journey on the shiny new Indian passport, but couldn't step onto the pitch at the National Stadium in the Bangladesh capital.
And yet, even in that moment, Williams chose perspective over disappointment.
"You always try and look ...