Aaryamann Sethi, Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi’s son, recently revealed that he gave up on his dream of becoming a professional footballer because of two major leg fractures. At the age of 14, he moved to England to train at a football academy, where he had the opportunity to play against a young Raheem Sterling.

Aaryamann opened up about his football journey and revealed that he was initially offered the opportunity to trial with clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea but was advised to consider an alternative route that would give him a better chance to demonstrate his abilities.

Aaryamann Sethi recalls playing against young Raheem Sterling

In an interview with All for Athletespodcast, Aaryamann revealed that he had travelled to England with his mother to pursue his football ambitions. His first training session was an eye-opener, as he realised that the standard of football was significantly different from what he had experienced until then.

“I was just like, oh, this is a different level. The speed and the zip on a pass that you see. It’s like, oh, okay. It’s going to take a second to get used to,” he said.

During a training drill, Aaryamann found himself facing a young footballer whom he initially thought he could get past. However, he soon discovered that the player was Raheem Sterling, who would later play for clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Aaryamann’s trial went well, earning him a place at the academy on the condition that he continued his education in England. With his family’s support, he moved to a boarding school, where he could pursue his studies alongside football training.

Aaryamann Sethi on being bullied

Living away from his family and familiar surroundings, Aaryamann revealed that he had struggled with loneliness at boarding school. He also recalled being bullied and subjected to racist comments by fellow students, some of whom made stereotypical remarks about India, including taunts about travelling on elephants or donkeys.

“People over there were just like, are you a prince? Are you a prince from India?” he recalled, explaining that some people assumed he belonged to royalty because his family was financially well-off.

Despite these challenges, Aaryamann gradually settled into the training routine. Within three weeks, he felt that his performance was improving and that he was beginning to make an impression as a player.

Two major leg fractures derailed Aaryamann Sethi’s football career

Just as Aaryamann's progress appeared to be picking up, an unexpected injury disrupted his journey. He broke his leg while playing rugby at school, suffering a hairline fracture in his tibia, or shinbone. He subsequently returned to India to recover.

After healing, Aaryamann was cleared to play for Maharashtra. However, his comeback match brought another setback when he fractured the same leg again, this time breaking the bone into three pieces.

“I got up, my leg just went jelly and I was on the floor,” he recalled.

The second fracture left him questioning whether he would ever be able to return to football at the level he had hoped to achieve.

“I think I’m done. I don’t think I can come back from this two fractures back to back,” he recalled thinking at the time.

The timing of the injuries made the experience particularly difficult for Aaryamann. He felt that he was losing crucial years of physical development, a period when young athletes typically make significant progress.

“At a time when everybody grows, that is the time when your body is leaps and bounds improving. If you’re going backwards at that time, you don’t get that time back,” he said.

The second fracture occurred in January 2011. Aaryamann underwent surgery and spent a considerable amount of time on crutches before beginning rehabilitation. Despite the setbacks, he remained determined to return to football and eventually travelled back to England to resume training.

However, his recovery did not go as planned. He fell ill, continued to experience pain and sustained another injury during rehabilitation. The repeated setbacks began affecting his mental health and made it increasingly difficult for him to perform on the pitch.

Although Aaryamann understood what he needed to do technically, he struggled to get his body to respond as he wanted.

Aaryamann Sethi opens up about depression and anxiety after injuries

“I remember crying on the pitch a few times. I was like, my body is not listening. I know what to do, I know how to do, but yet it got to a point mentally I was so affected I couldn’t imagine kicking a ball,” he recalled.

As his recovery continued to fall short of expectations, Aaryamann found it increasingly difficult to cope with the possibility of losing his dream. Eventually, his contract was not extended, forcing him to accept that his pursuit of a professional football career had come to an end.

“The amount of pressure I had that my dream is going,” he said. “That’s when football came to an end,” he added.

In February 2026, Aaryamann also spoke about the depression and anxiety he experienced after his injuries ended his football ambitions. He described how his family supported him through that difficult phase and helped him navigate the challenges that followed.

How Aaryamann Sethi rebuilt his life through acting, music and YouTube

Following the end of his football journey, Aaryamann explored other creative pursuits, including acting, music and digital content creation. He also runs his YouTube channel, Aary Vlogs, where he shares moments from his personal life and offers viewers glimpses of his family.