NAVI MUMBAI: Nerul boy Harshal Karle has been obsessed with football since childhood. His years of hard work and perseverance have now paid off. Karle has won a scholarship of Rs23.5 lakhs from Brooke House Football Academy, United Kingdom, where he will receive advanced training under the best coaches.

"This scholarship will help me realise my dream of playing alongside the football champs," said an elated Harshal. Selection camps were held across the country at locations such as Bangalore, Delhi, Surat and Mumbai by highly qualified coaches from Espirit Academy.

Karle is getting ready to attend the year long scholarship program. England-based Espirit Academy had entered into a joint venture with Ryan International Schools to organise a football competition and coaching programme which Karle won.

"This will take care of his studies and football training. He deserved to win the scholarship organised by the Ryan Group and Espirit Academy," said Sunil Poojari, his school sports in-charge.

With his selection, Karle, a student of class IX of St Augustine's High School, Nerul has made Navi Mumbai and his school proud. Karle was the captain of the state team for the football festival organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2012-13.