Thiruvananthapuram, February 8 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated the state football team on Sunday for finishing as runners-up in the Santosh Trophy, praising their fighting spirit and saying it made the entire state proud.
In a Facebook post, Vijayan said that although the team could not win the title, it fought till the very end and emerged as a matter of pride for Kerala.
In an exciting final, Kerala lost to the Services team following a goal in the second half of extra time.
"The fighting spirit displayed by the Kerala team throughout the tournament gives positive hope for the future of the sports sector in the state," Vijayan said.
He wished the team "many more achievements in the days ahead".
The Services team defeated Kerala to win the Santosh Trophy 2025-26, held at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in Assam.