Not focussing on grassroot development over the years has led to the players learning the basics only late in their career, says national coach Stephen Constantine.
The Indian football team achieved its best-ever FIFA ranking in over two decades as it jumped to 101 in the latest list released on Thursday.
A draw against Bahrain in their final group league match will be enough for India to qualify for the round of 16 for the first time in the continent's showpiece event after failed attempts in 1984 and 2011.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
The Indian football team broke a 12-year-old jinx of not winning a match away from home as they beat lower ranked Cambodia 3-2 in an international friendly in Phnom Penh.
Poor finishing and scrappy defending put paid to India's quest for an eighth South Asian Football Federation Cup title as it suffered a 1-2 defeat against Maldives in the summit clash, in Dhaka, on Saturday.
Stimac was part of the Croatia team that sensationally reached the semi-finals of the World Cup at the first attempt in 1998 and he is looking to his India squad to similarly buck the odds in Asian qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
India will start as favourites against Maldives in the summit clash of the South Asian Football Federation Cup, in Dhaka, on Saturday.
Football captain Sunil Chhetri wants India to "set a benchmark" by regularly qualifying for AFC Asian Cup, the continent's premier tournament.
Must-see fashion from the SAG 2021 red carpet.
India has a population of 1.3 billion but the nation's obsession with and success on the cricket pitch has left it a massive underachiever on the football field.
Putin made his first public appearance on Monday after an 11-day absence.
Sunil Chhetri equalled the iconic Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike as an inspired India blanked Nepal 3-0 for their eighth SAFF Championship title, in Male, on Saturday. India extended their domination in the regional tournament thanks to second half goals from Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th).
India jumped two places to finish 2016 at 135, their best in the last six years, in the FIFA rankings published on Thursday. This is India's six-year highest annual ranking after 2009 when India finished at 134. National coach Stephen Constantine attributed the upsurge to all his players and the staff. "It can't be achieved without the help of the players. We have an exceptional batch of players as we are in the process of building the team for the future," Constantine said.
India finished their preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup Football Championship by holding a superior Oman to a goalless draw in their final warm-up game, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
Four days after creating a flutter with a stunning 4-1 drubbing of Thailand, India are now looking an upbeat lot in the continental showpiece.
An Algerian military transport plane has crashed in mountains in the north-east of the country with 103 passengers and crew on board.
India began the year on 97 in FIFA rankings, but after two wins, four draws and seven losses, the country ended 2019 at 108
Indian football team's dismal run continued as they suffered a humiliating 0-4 loss to Iran in a Group D match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Former India and Mohun Bagan footballer Manitombi Singh died aged only 39 at his native village near Imphal in Manipur on Sunday. Manitombi was suffering from a prolonged illness and breathed his last in the early hours of Sunday.
National football coach Stephen Constantine said his 'target' was to breach the 100 mark by the time his two-year contract expires.
Influential skipper Sunil Chhetri has been ruled out of India's World Cup qualifier against Iran owing to a groin injury, dealing a body blow to the beleaguered outfit's prospects of putting up a fight. The match for Russia 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 is slated to be played in Tehran on Thursday. A 22-member team on Monday left for the forthcoming game. Six players from the list of 28 probables, including injured striker Chhetri, didn't travel with the squad. "We had to take some bold decisions and we have to travel to Tehran without our influential captain Sunil Chhetri," national coach Stephen Constantine said. "He will be badly missed." Chhetri has been ruled out following a groin injury which he had picked up in the I-League.
The Indian football team was pooled with Iran, Oman, India, Turkmenistan and Guam at the draw for AFC nations in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
This is India's best-ever FIFA Ranking since April 1996 when India were also ranked 100.
Myanmar coach Gerd Zaise praised Indian National Team skipper Sunil Chhetri highly
The All India Football Federation believes that the FIFA U-17 World Cup, beginning October 6, can be a catalyst for the sport.
With the Tokyo Olympics set to start on July 23, here is some trivia from the first two editions of the modern Olympics held in 1896 and 1900.
Having endured a topsy-turvy start to their campaign before a fine turnaround, seven-time champions India start as title favourites when they take on first-time finalists Nepal in the summit clash of the SAFF Championships, in Male, on Saturday.
India dropped one rung to be placed 97th in the latest edition of the FIFA Rankings issued in Thursday.
In a first of sorts for Indian football, the national team implemented the 'Player Tracking System' at its ongoing preparatory camp at the DSK Dream City, the home of DSK Shivajians Football Club, in Pune.
Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone had made a corrupt agreement in an attempt to stay in charge of the sport, according to claims by German media company Constantin Medien.
A firm's claim for more than $100 million in damages from Bernie Ecclestone is far-fetched and relies on confessions from a jailed banker who is a "fantasist", a lawyer for the Formula One boss argued on Wednesday.
The Kolkata club said its players can join the India camp after their English physical trainer completes his stint with the team.
India left their scoring boots and luck behind while hosts United Arab Emirates found both after a subdued opener to record a 2-0 win in the AFC Asian Cup in Dubai on Thursday.
Coach Stephen Constantine said the players who are in the Afro-Asian Games squad will not be released for the Vietnam tournament.
India are placed alongside Singapore, Oman and Japan for the Azian zone round.
India have been clubbed in Group A along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan for the 11-day tournament in Dhaka.
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