From Jalukie, Peren to the Nagaland jersey, a young, winger is building her journey on energy, resilience and an unshakable belief that there is more to come.
There are footballers who wait for the game to come to them.
And then there are players who go looking for it.
Wicheng is the latter.
The right winger from Jalukie, Peren is beginning to carve out her own identity in the game — one built not only around pace, attacking intent and a willingness to take on defenders, but around something she believes defines her above everything else: hard work.
“I’d say I’m a fun and fearless footballer,” Wicheng says. “I play with a lot of energy and I love trying tricks and skills. Football is where I express myself.”
That expression comes most naturally from the right wing.
For Wicheng, there is something about the position that perfectly matches her personality.
“I love running at defenders, hearing the crowd, and chasing every ball. The wing is non-stop and that’s exactly how I like it.”
It is a description that tells you plenty about the player.
She wants the ball at her feet. She wants to attack. She wants to run. And when possession is lost, she wants to be involved again.
Her biggest weapon, however, isn’t something that can easily be measured by statistics.
It is her work rate.
“I may not be the most skillful, but I will work harder than anyone on the pitch and I never stop.”
That relentless energy is also something she wants scouts and coaches to notice when they watch her play.
“I want them to notice my dedication and my fighting spirit. Even when it is tough, I will keep running and keep trying.”
For a winger, that mentality can be just as valuable as what happens in the final third.
Wicheng believes her defensive contribution is one of the most underrated aspects of her game. She takes pride in encouraging teammates, communicating on the pitch and continuing to work for the team even when things aren’t going their way.
Her preferred style is equally clear.
Direct. Fast. Counter-attacking.
“I love fast transitions, running into space, and attacking the goal quickly.”
But every developing footballer has areas that need refinement, and Wicheng is refreshingly honest about hers.
She wants to improve her shooting power and become more dangerous in front of goal.
“I don’t have much shooting power right now, so I want to improve here and be a good one.”
That willingness to acknowledge weaknesses rather than hide them is another important part of her story.
Because Wicheng knows exactly what it means to develop without having everything readily available.
THE ROAD FROM JALUKIE
Her football journey began at school.
A sports day gave her the first real taste of what football could mean to her.
“That’s when I realized I have potential and I really enjoy playing. That’s where my journey started.”
What began as enjoyment gradually became something much deeper.
“Football changed me. It made me confident, brave, and taught me to handle pressure. It became a part of me, not just something I play for fun.”
But growing as a young female footballer in Jalukie was never going to be straightforward.
The passion was there.
The desire was there.
The infrastructure wasn’t.
“There were very limited facilities and opportunities,” she explains. “There was no proper football academy or anyone who could dedicate their full time to training, teaching and guiding us.”
For Wicheng and other young girls coming through the game, that lack of infrastructure meant having to find another way forward.
“We had passion and desire to grow, but the lack of proper support and infrastructure made the journey quite overwhelming.”
Yet those limitations have also shaped her.
“Growing up and playing football in Jalukie was challenging, but it also taught us to work hard and keep pushing forward despite the limitations.”
That resilience has become part of her football identity.
And so has gratitude.
“Coming from Nagaland where we had less opportunities, I value every chance more. That makes me more hungry and more dedicated than others. I don’t take football for granted.”
THE PERSON WHO BELIEVED FIRST
Every footballer’s journey has someone who saw something before everyone else did.
For Wicheng, that person was her first coach.
“She was the first one to tell me that I have something special and if I stay disciplined, I can go somewhere in football.”
That belief matters, particularly when opportunities are limited.
Wicheng points to the lack of tournaments, exposure and opportunities for girls in Nagaland as one of the biggest challenges facing young female footballers.
“At a young age we didn’t get much opportunity and now we are getting older it’s harder because we missed that early exposure.”
But instead of allowing that to become an excuse, she has turned it into fuel.
THE CHLOE KELLY INFLUENCE
Every player has someone they watch and learn from.
For Wicheng, that player is Chloe Kelly.
The qualities she admires are remarkably similar to the ones she wants to develop herself: confidence, speed, dribbling, 1v1 ability, finishing and relentless work for the team.
“I admire her confidence, her attitude and her playing style. She is very fast, very good at dribbling and in 1v1. She works very hard for the team and never gives up. I want to be like her.”
It isn’t simply admiration from afar.
Wicheng actively studies Kelly’s game, particularly her dribbling, finishing and work ethic.
And if she could train alongside one footballer from the men’s game?
The answer comes with a smile — Cristiano Ronaldo.
Not simply because of what he has achieved, but because of the mentality behind it.
“I want to train with him because of his mentality, his discipline and his hard work. He is 40 years old but still works the hardest. I want to learn how he stays so fit and focused every day.”
That answer perhaps reveals more about Wicheng than any list of favourite players could.
She isn’t only looking for footballing ability.
She is looking for mentality.
THE NAGALAND JERSEY
Wicheng has already had the honour of representing Nagaland.
And for her, wearing that jersey isn’t something she takes lightly.
“I have already played for Nagaland and wearing the Nagaland jersey is a matter of pride for me. I aspire to continue representing my state at the highest level.”
The next target is bigger.
Within three years, Wicheng wants to be playing in the Indian Women’s League, regularly representing Nagaland and pushing towards a national camp.
Her ultimate dream?
“To become a professional footballer and make my family and Nagaland proud.”
And beyond the personal achievement, there is a bigger purpose.
“To play for India and inspire the next generation of girls from Nagaland.”
That ambition gives her journey meaning beyond simply making a career for herself.
She wants the path she is fighting to create to become easier for the girls who come after her.
“I’M JUST GETTING STARTED.”
Ask Wicheng what people don’t know about her and she immediately shows another side of the personality that makes her interesting.
“If I tell you guys my secret now, it will become breaking news, so better to let it stay a secret ”
But ask her what she would say to a young girl from Nagaland dreaming of football, and the answer becomes serious.
“Don’t listen to what people say. If you love football, keep playing. Train hard, believe in yourself.”
It is advice born from experience.
And perhaps the most telling answer comes when she is asked why people should keep an eye on her.
“Because I’m just getting started. I have a lot to prove and I’m ready to work harder than anyone to get there.”
That, ultimately, is Wicheng’s story right now.
Not a finished product.
Not a player claiming to have already arrived.
A young right winger from Jalukie with plenty still to develop, plenty still to prove, and the hunger to keep pushing despite the obstacles that have stood in her way.
The shooting power is something she wants to improve.
The experience is something she is still building.
The opportunities are something she continues to chase.
But the energy?
The fighting spirit?
The desire?
Those are already there.
And if Wicheng’s journey has taught her anything, it is that sometimes you don’t need the perfect pathway to start moving forward.
Sometimes, you simply need to keep running.
And Wicheng isn’t stopping anytime soon.
