History of football in India facts for kids

Football has a long and exciting history in India. It was once even considered the national sport! It started with British soldiers and helped bring the Indian Army together. India is home to some of the oldest football clubs in the world, and it has the world's third oldest competition, the Durand Cup. There was a time when football in India was highly celebrated, and the Indian team was even called the "Brazilians of Asia."

Silver trophy of the Cooch Behar Cup in Kolkata. This is one of India's oldest football tournaments.

How Football Started in India (1800s)

The R B Ferguson team in 1899

British soldiers brought football to India in the mid-1800s. A person named Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari helped make it popular.

In 1888, the Durand Cup was started by Mortimer Durand in Shimla. It's the third oldest football competition in the world, after the FA Cup and the Scottish Cup. It was created for British soldiers in India to play for fun. The Royal Scots Fusiliers won the first Durand Cup.

In 1893, the IFA Shield was founded. This was the fourth oldest football trophy in the world. Calcutta (now Kolkata), which was the capital of British India, quickly became a major center for Indian football.

Some of the first football clubs in India were:

• Calcutta FC (started in 1872)
• Dalhousie Club
• Traders Club
• Naval Volunteers Club

In 1889, India's oldest team that is still playing today, Mohun Bagan A.C., was founded. It was the first club that was not controlled by the army. Both Hindu and Muslim players played in it. Other clubs like Sovabazar and Aryan Club also started in Calcutta in the 1890s. Tournaments like the Gladstone Cup, Trades Cup, and Cooch Behar Cup also began around this time.

The R B Ferguson Club was started in 1899 in Thrissur, Kerala. It was the oldest football club in southern India. It was named after the Kochi Police Superintendent, R B Ferguson. This club was also known as the Young Men's Football Club and helped football grow in Kerala.

The first Indian football organization, the Indian Football Association, was created in 1893. However, it did not have any Indian members on its board at first.

Indian Football Grows (1900–1950)

Mohun Bagan team, winners of the IFA Shield in 1911

More clubs were formed, new competitions began, and more Indian players joined the sport. A big moment for Indian football happened in 1911. The Mohun Bagan AC team defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment 2–1 in the final of the IFA Shield. This was the first time an Indian team won a major national tournament!

The first known international trip by an Indian team was in 1924. This team had both Indian and British players and was led by the famous Indian footballer Gostha Paul. Later, in the late 1930s, teams made up only of Indian players started to visit countries like Australia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The first international match India played overseas was against Ceylon in 1933. Gostha Paul led the Indian team to a 1–0 victory. On July 4, 1936, India played against a visiting Chinese team in Calcutta, and the match ended in a 1–1 draw. After many Indian football clubs did well abroad, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was formed in 1937.

In 1938, India toured Australia and played several friendly matches against clubs and the Australian national team. They won one match 4–1 in Newcastle.

The leading regional tournament, the Santosh Trophy, started in 1941. It was named after Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhury, the Maharaja of Santosh, who was a former president of the IFA.

India's First Olympics (1948)

The 1948 London Olympics was India's first big international tournament. The Indian team, mostly playing without shoes, lost 2–1 to France. They missed two penalty kicks. Even though they lost, the crowd cheered for them. The British media praised them, saying, "The French had been given a run for their money – and that, too, by the barefooted Indians!"

When asked why they played barefoot, the witty Indian captain Talimeren Ao famously replied, “Well, you see, we play football in India, whereas you play BOOTBALL!” This comment was a big hit in the London newspapers. Sarangapani Raman scored India's only goal in that match, which was India's first international goal ever in the Olympics.

The 1950 World Cup Decision

India automatically qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup because all their opponents pulled out. However, the AIFF decided not to send the team. They didn't fully understand how important the World Cup was at that time. Reasons given included the cost of travel (even though FIFA offered to help), lack of practice time, and preferring the Olympics over the World Cup.

After the 1948 Olympics, FIFA made a rule that players had to wear shoes. Some people thought India refused to play in the World Cup because they couldn't play barefoot. But the Indian captain at the time, Sailen Manna, said this wasn't true. He said it was just an excuse to cover up other reasons for not going.

The Golden Era of Indian Football (1951–1962)

The years from 1951 to 1962 are known as the "golden era" for Indian football. Under the coach Syed Abdul Rahim, India became the best team in Asia.

Asian Games and Quadrangular Cup Wins

India started the 1950s by winning the 1951 Asian Games, which they hosted. They beat Indonesia and Afghanistan 3–0 each, then won the final against Iran 1–0. In 1952, India continued their success by winning the Colombo Quadrangular Cup in Sri Lanka. This period is truly called the Golden time of Indian football. After the Olympics, the AIFF made it compulsory for players to wear boots.

India also won three more Quadrangular Cups in Burma (1953), Calcutta (1954), and Dhaka (1955). In the 1954 Asian Games in Manila, India finished eighth.

Olympic Success (1956)

At the 1956 Summer Olympics, India finished fourth, making history again. India beat hosts Australia 4–2, with Neville D'Souza scoring three goals (a hat-trick). This made him the first Asian to score a hat-trick in the Olympics. India also became the first Asian team to reach the Olympic semi-finals. They lost to Yugoslavia and then to Bulgaria in the third-place play-off.

India also participated in the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, finishing fourth, and came second in the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in 1959.

Asian Cup and Merdeka Cup (1962-1966)

India went on to win the 1962 Asian Games by beating South Korea 2–1 in the final. Two years later, they finished second in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup. India also played in the Merdeka Cup in 1964, 1965, and 1966, finishing second and then third twice.

After the Golden Era (1963–1984)

After coach Rahim passed away in the early 1960s, Indian football faced challenges. India played in the 1966 Asian Games but was knocked out early. However, they took third place in the 1970 Asian Games, beating Japan 1–0. In the mid-1970s, the Indian youth team shared the Youth Asian Cup title with Iran.

Indian football went through a tough period in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, losing its spot as a top Asian team.

In 1984, India qualified for the 1984 Asian Cup. They finished last in their group, losing most matches and not scoring any goals. This raised questions about how the team was chosen.

Historic Club Wins

Mohun Bagan AC made history in 1978 when they won the IFA Shield after a 2–2 draw against FC Ararat Yerevan from the Soviet Union. This made them the first Indian team after independence to win the title against a non-Asian team.

East Bengal F.C. also won the 1973 IFA Shield against Pyongyang City Sports Club from North Korea.

New Beginnings (1985–2000)

India won gold medals in the SAF Games in 1984 (Dhaka) and 1987 (Calcutta). They won the first SAARC Cup in 1993 in Lahore and were runners-up in Colombo two years later. By 1997, the competition was renamed the SAFF Cup, and India won it in 1997 and 1999 (when they hosted it in Goa).

Indian football also got a big boost when the All India Football Federation created the National Football League in 1996. This was India's first national football league.

The Rebirth of Indian Football (2000–2010)

The East Bengal F.C. club from Kolkata won the ASEAN Club Championship in 2003.

Even though India didn't qualify for the 2004 Asian Cup, the senior team won a silver medal in the first Afro Asian Games. They beat Rwanda and Zimbabwe (who were much higher ranked). They lost the final 1–0 to Uzbekistan. This helped Indian football gain more recognition. In November 2003, India's coach, Stephen Constantine, was named AFC Manager of the Month.

India lost to Pakistan and Bangladesh in the 2003 SAFF Cup. Losses in the 2006 World Cup Qualification led to Stephen Constantine being replaced. One of the few good moments in the early 2000s was winning the LG Cup in Vietnam under Stephen Constantine. It was India's first tournament victory outside the subcontinent since 1974. India beat hosts Vietnam 3–2 in the final, even after being down 2–0.

In 2005, Syed Nayeemuddin became India's coach but was quickly replaced in 2006 after big losses in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. The experienced coach Bob Houghton then took over in 2006. Under Houghton, Indian football saw a big improvement.

Nehru Cup and AFC Challenge Cup Wins

In August 2007, the Indian national team won the Nehru Cup for the first time, beating Syria 1–0. In August 2008, India defeated Tajikistan 4–1 to win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. This win meant they qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. In August 2009, India won the Nehru Cup again, beating Syria in a penalty shootout (6–5).

At the club level, Indian football also improved. The National Football League ended in 2006, and the new I-League started in 2007. The first I-League season was won by the Goa club Dempo. In the 2008 AFC Cup, Dempo made history by reaching the semi-finals before losing to Safa Beirut SC.

In 2010, the AIFF signed a big 15-year deal with Reliance Industries and the International Management Group.

The 2011 AFC Asian Cup

In early 2011, India played in the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 27 years. India was in Group C with strong teams like Australia, Bahrain, and South Korea.

• On January 10, 2011, India lost to Australia 4–0.
• On January 14, 2011, India lost to Bahrain 5–2, with Sunil Chhetri and Gouramangi Singh scoring for India.
• On January 18, 2011, India played their final match against South Korea and lost 4–1. Sunil Chhetri scored India's only goal in that match, making him India's top scorer in the tournament with two goals.

A New Beginning (2011–2013)

India played its first match in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification on March 21, winning 3–0 against Chinese Taipei. Jewel Raja Shaikh, Sunil Chhetri, and Jeje Lalpekhlua scored the goals. On March 23, they beat Pakistan 3–1, with Jeje Lalpekhlua scoring two goals. On March 25, they drew 1–1 with Turkmenistan. These results meant India finished first in their group and qualified for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.

In April 2011, Bob Houghton resigned as India's coach. In May 2011, the AIFF appointed Armando Colaco as the new head coach. The Indian team then defeated Qatar 2–1 in a friendly game.

The Rise of Indian Football (2013–Present)

In 2013, a new competition called the Indian Super League was started. The first season in 2014, which featured many famous players, was won by the Kolkata club ATK.

In 2016, Mohun Bagan AC became the first Indian club to reach the second round of the AFC Champions League Qualifier. They also made history by beating South China AA of Hong Kong 4–0 in the 2016 AFC Cup. This was the biggest win by an Indian club on foreign soil at that time. India also hosted the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Women's Football in India

The Indian Women's League was planned since 2014 and started in 2016. It was India's first professional football league for women. Since 2019–20, the champions of this league play in the AFC Women's Club Championship, which is the top women's club competition in Asia.

The Indian women's team has had great international success in SAFF competitions, winning the SAFF Women's Championship four times in a row. They have also won two gold medals at the South Asian Games.

Recent Developments

In August 2022, FIFA briefly suspended the AIFF due to outside interference. However, the suspension was lifted 11 days later, allowing the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup to happen as planned in India.

Many new football competitions have been created, including Futsal Club Championship, beach soccer, and minifootball leagues. National teams for futsal and beach soccer have also been formed or revived.

A big boost for clubs in the I-League is that starting from the 2022-23 season, the winners will be promoted to the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL). They will also get easier entry into the Super Cup.

The All India Football Federation launched its long-term plan called Vision 2047 in early 2023. This plan hopes that by India's 100th year of independence, the country will become a new powerhouse in Asian football. The plan also focuses on improving women's football, including increasing minimum salaries for players.

The AIFF wants to create a clear path for clubs to move up through different leagues, giving even small clubs a chance to reach the top. They are encouraging more competitions at state and district levels to attract more young people to football.

The Reliance Foundation Development League, India's first league for young players, was held in 2022. It helps develop players under 21 years old. This league is a continuation of earlier youth events like the U-17, U-15, and U-13 AIFF Youth League. The Youth League started in 2008 to give youth teams a national league.

In 2023, the AIFF announced a new league called I-League 3, below I-League 2. Champions of state leagues and other clubs will play in it. The Federation Cup and Institutional League have also been brought back.