Harshika Jain's rise: From IWL with Gokulam Kerala to Romanian first division side CS Atletic Olimpia Gherla
It put her on a tough yet rewarding path, culminating in a move to the Romanian first division team CS Atletic Olimpia Gherla.
'Everything still feels new. But I need to get into the zone quickly because the league starts soon,' she told The Hindu, reflecting on her first few days training with her new team.
At the helm of the club is Mirel Albon, a man with a legendary coaching career in Romania. He was so impressed with videos of her time in India that he asked to see her in trials ahead of a permanent move.
'He is the father of women's football here. His aura and the environment that he creates are something else. The way he explains and understands you as a player is top class,' she said.
The 22-year-old has already experienced how different the approach to football is in Romania.
'The intensity, standard, speed. Everything is extremely different. The pre-season starts almost a month and a half before the tournament. In India, they call you a week before the tournament starts,' she explained.
While she is yet to kick a ball in the Superliga Femina, she has zeroed in on her short-term and long-term goals.
'I want to score as many goals as possible and win the league. And then play the Champions League playoffs. Later, maybe get into a much better club in the distant future. Barcelona or Chelsea, those are the teams I would love to play for; they are also the ones I support'.
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