Anupam Sarkar seldom goes to bed without kicking a football, a routine that has helped the 15-year-old Calcutta boy corner a prized training stint with German powerhouse Bayern Munich.

The Class X student of DPS-Ruby Park strutted his stuff — skills and confidence — with the coolness of a pro to become one of the two winners at the east zone finale of the fourth Bajaj Allianz Junior Football Camp, held in association with TTIS. Other than the Bayern Munich stint, the prize includes a visit to Allianz Arena and watching the Uefa Champions League champions in action.

He and 16-year-old Ishan Borah of Guwahati edged past almost 25,000 aspirants from more than 400 schools, clubs and coaching centres across eastern India.

Anupam started playing football at age five with older boys on a field near his house at Golf Green and the game became an obsession when he got admitted to DPS-Ruby Park in Class VI.

“Here I got the opportunity to train regularly. On the very first day at the trials, I was selected for the school team. But the school rule doesn’t allow a Class VI student in the senior team. I was shown the reserve bench, something that I hate the most. I started cutting school matches but played in my neighbourhood. Our coach soon came to know about it and listed me in the playing squad,” the central defender said.

Father Ashok Kumar Sarkar, deputy director general (engineering) at Doordarshan, finds his son’s confidence amusing. “A few days ago, I told him to go watch players of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal train. He cut me short, saying he will visit those clubs only to play, not to see others play.”

Anupam kept his word. He went to the Mohun Bagan ground to play the zonal finale. And he is set to return again as he and Ishan are expected to join Mohun Bagan School under its youth development programme.

If Anupam is confidence personified, Borah from Guwahati is an indomitable spirit. “I put in a lot of hard work. I didn’t think of anything but going to Munich,” said the central midfielder, who topped all the trials and the zonal finale.

His ball control and ability to lead the midfield impressed Tej Bahadur Chettri, the Mohun Bagan School under-14 coach and one of the selectors in the finale.

After Munich, he wants to train at Mohun Bagan School. “I will get more exposure and opportunity here. My childhood dream is to don the India jersey,” said the Class XII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, IOC, Guwahati.

His mentor is elder brother Aakash, always cheering for him from the sidelines. “Ishan is my favourite footballer. I always want him to win,” said the engineering graduate.

Anupam is working for a big break. He trains two hours every day at school and goes to Jadavpur University campus to play with “some good players from the Northeast”.

“A keen learner, he tries not to repeat his mistakes,” school coach Biswajit Nandy said.

Other than their love for football, the two boys have a common role model: Cristiano Ronaldo. Ishan supports Real Madrid and Portugal because of CR7. Anupam wants posters of his “second father” covering every inch of his room.

Rapper Eminem comes second on Anupam’s list of priorities but “listens to Hall of Fame by Irish band The Script before taking the field”.