The Saff Under-19 champions Nepali team on Thursday were felicitated with cash rewards by the Nepal government.

Each of the 28 Nepali team members including 23 players received Rs 100,000 from minister for Youth and Sports Purushottam Paudel. Paudel had announced the reward during the semi-final stages of the tournament held at the Anfa complex on August 20-29. Nepal beat archrivals India in the title match to lift the first silverware since the senior team won the South Asian Gold Medal in 1993.

“I believe this team has the potential to grow even further. The government is committed for support in any way that can help football flourish in the country,” said minister Paudel. The inspirational Nepal U-19 skipper Bimal Gharti Magar was modest, saying that the tittle triumph was possible only because of the team effort.

“Almost the whole U-19 squad has been playing together for the last four years and that is why it was possible to understand each other,” said Gharti Magar, who is also a member of the senior national team.

The U-19 coach Bal Gopal Maharjan credited the success to the hard work of his boys. “I have been closely watching these boys for the last four years and I had a belief they would deliver success at some point, which they did by winning us the Saff U-19 championship,” said Maharjan, the former national team defender.