India crashed out of AFC U-22 football championship after suffering a 0-4 thrashing at the hands of hosts Oman, on Tuesday, in a must-win final league round match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat.
India will face Asian powerhouse Japan in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying league in Bangalore on Wednesday.
Following a virtual meeting on June 16th, 2024, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a change in leadership for the Senior Men's National Team.
India head coach Igor Stimac feels this may be the final season of talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri's career.
Indian football head coach Igor Stimac hailed Sunil Chhetri, saying the talismanic captain was one of those who "glorified" Indian football with his dedication in the 15 years of his illustrious career. The 35-year-old Chhetri on Friday became only the second Indian after legendary Bhaichung Bhutia to complete 15 years in Indian jersey.
India opened their Group D campaign with a 2-0 win over Cambodia where Sunil Chhetri scored a brace. Chhetri also scored the first goal against Afghanistan.
The Indian National Football Team achieved its best-ever FIFA Ranking since February 1996 as they were ranked 96 in the July FIFA Rankings released on Thursday.
To say Sunil Chhetri and Lionel Messi in the same breath is more than a little odd, is what the talismanic Indian striker himself felt once or twice.
While the players did the job on the field, the man quietly working behind the scenes was former India centre-back Mahesh Gawali.
Yasser Al-Qahtani's hat-trick gave Saudi Arabia their second straight win in the AFC Asian Cup 2007 qualifying round.
Ali Al Nono's 82nd minute header gave Yemen a 2-1 victory over India in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tournament.
Dilip Kumar 'got annoyed and was about to leave the stage before things were brought under control'.
Despite conceding four goals in the AFC Asian Cup opener against Australia, India goalkeeper Subrata Paul does not seem to be too bothered as he expressed confidence that the team will put up a good show against formidable Bahrain in their next Group C clash on Friday.
The ace striker is not among the 32 players named for the national coaching camp, starting August 4 in Kolkata, in preparation for the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia on August 16.
Back at their happy hunting ground, India would look to make amends of their solitary goal loss to Thailand last week when they take on the same opponents in their second international match in the build-up to next year's AFC Asian Cup in Qatar at the Ambedkar Stadium on Wednesday.
India head coach Igor Stimac on Wednesday said his team has a "couple of players" with few injury issues but that will not stop them from going all out in an attempt to secure full points against Uzbekistan in the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on Thursday.
Star striker Bhaichung Bhutia, who said he would quit international football, joined the national camp in Kolkata.
The star striker decided to join the ongoing camp in Kolkata, reversing his retirement plans from international soccer.
The exact nature of the breach by BFC was not specified but sports minister Ahmed Mahloof termed it as 'unacceptable'.
Talented winger Lallianzuala Chhangte "would not mind" stepping up as the next number 9 of the Indian football team, after talismanic forward Sunil Chhetri's illustrious career comes to an end in Kolkata on June 6.
India and Pakistan to renew football rivalry after five years, clubbed in same group in next month's SAFF Cup
The Blue Tigers raced to a 1-0 lead with the 21-year-old centreback Anwar scoring his maiden international goal four years after his career nearly ended on health grounds.
It also showed that a side placed 102nd in the FIFA World Rankings can thwart a team placed 77 places above them. And India did keep the mighty Aussies out for 50 minutes before a fatal error saw the Blue Tigers punished after all the good work.
The two stalwarts of Indian football failed to measure up to coach Bob Houghton's high fitness demands and were axed from the team for the Asian Cup qualifier.
Cricket's world champions Australia will have to fend off a tough challenge from the Iraqi football team which won the AFC Asian Cup for the Team of the Year title in the coveted Laureus World Sports Awards.
The arrival of Quess as sponsors has given East Bengal financial boost while Mohun Bagan are in talks with ATK to collaborate.
In the viral video, the man, brandishing a stick, is seen sitting and talking to several workers locked up in a bird cage.
Ryuji Bando scored twice as the continental giants won the AFC Asian Cup qualifying round match 3-0.
India's football coach Bob Houghton lamented that India could not maintain a high level of play in their AFC Cup qualifying match against Saudi Arabia.
Madhab Das, Tarif Ahmed and Abdul Bashir also failed to make the squad for the AFC Asian Cup qualifying tie against Saudi Arabia.
The India coach is hoping that the striker would be available for the August 16 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
A 3-0 victory gave Yemen their first victory in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying football tournament.
Injury has robbed India of seven key players for Wednesday's AFC Asian Cup qualifier Group A tie against Yemen.
Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri feels that his club making it to the summit clash of the AFC Cup heralds a beginning in the revival of Indian football. Bengaluru take on Iraq's Al Quwa Al Jawiya in Saturday's final at the Qatar SC Stadium in Doha. "Bengaluru reaching the AFC Cup final in the host country of the 2022 World Cup, and hopefully winning it, has signaled the beginning of the revival of Indian football as an Asian power," said Chhetri who is also the India captain.
While there is no imminent threat to the AFC Asian Cup participation by the senior men's team in late 2023 or early 2024, some of the games slated for clubs and age-group national teams in the next few months could well be a tricky terrain.
The top official mentioned that having a women's team has been made a part of the licensing criteria for clubs.
The main issue with football in the country is the lack of a robust league structure.
India's Bengaluru FC lost an opportunity to make history after being grounded by Iraqi club Air Force Club by a 1-0 margin in the AFC Cup final in Doha on Saturday.
India face a must-win situation against hosts Oman in their final league round match of the AFC U-22 football championship in Muscat on Tuesday to brighten their chances of booking a berth in next year's Asian Cup.
'Clifford did well to win the Super Cup for Odisha FC, and I'm sure we can expect a good performance from the Indian team.'
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