Shillong, Jul 25: Meghalaya’s Emboklang Nongkhlaw has been signed by Al Rams Club, a professional football club based in the United Arab Emirates.
The 21-year-old attacking player was a prodigious young talent in his teens and joins Al Rams from Sreenidi Deccan FC. He played seven matches for them in the Indian Football League (then still called the I-League) in 2024-25 but no matches in 2025-26.
He featured for Malki in the Shillong Premier League 2022 but his real highlight came much earlier when he was picked in the India U-16 national team squad and featured in a friendly match against the UAE in 2021.
The step that led to that big break for him was to be selected for the Tata Trusts flagship Centre of Excellence for Football in Aizawl where he was spotted by then India U-16 coach Bibiano Fernandes.
In 2019 Embok was the top scorer of the Mizoram U-15 League. Before being picked to join the Centre of Excellence, he had played for local clubs in Shillong like Royal Wahingdoh and Shillong Lajong, was part of the Meghalaya team that took part in the 2017 Sub-Junior National Championship and played for H Elias Higher Secondary School in the Subroto Cup in 2018. In 2020-21 he joined Bengaluru FC and won the inaugural edition of the Reliance Foundation Development League with them in 2022.
Emboklang is to leave for the UAE today.
Speaking yesterday, he thanked God and his family for their blessings and support, as well as the Meghalaya Football Association, Shillong Sports Association (SSA). He also remembered his roots in the village of Sohryngkham, thanking “everyone from my hometown … for the encouragement and support you have shown me over the years. I will always be proud to represent where I come from.”
The new season in the UAE will begin on 28th August. Al Rams play in the country’s Second Division.
“Joining Al Rams Club is a great honour and a wonderful opportunity for me. This is more than just a new club, it is a new challenge, a new environment and a chance to grow both as a football player and as a human being. I am excited to learn, improve and give everything I have for the club.
“I know this journey will not be easy. Being far away from my family and home will be one of the biggest challenges I have faced. But I firmly believe that with God, nothing is impossible. I will continue to trust His plan and work hard every single day.
“I promise to give my very best, both on and off the pitch, to remain professional, represent my family and my people with pride and bring joy to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey.
“Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my story. Your prayers, encouragement, and belief in me mean more than words can express. This is not the end of a dream, it is the beginning of a new one,” he concluded.
(TSR file photo)