India national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
India

Nickname(s)	The Blue Tigers
Association	All India Football Federation (AIFF)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	SAFF (South Asia)
Head coach	Manolo Márquez
Captain	Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
Most caps	Sunil Chhetri (151)
Top scorer	Sunil Chhetri (94)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	IND
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	103 6 (7 February 2019)
Highest	94 (February 1996)
Lowest	173 (March 2015)
Elo ranking
Current	150 19 (3 March 2019)
Highest	30 (March 1952)
Lowest	186 (September 2015)
First international
Pre-independence:  Australia 5–3 India  (Sydney, Australia; 3 September 1938) Post-independence:  India 1–2 France  (London, England; 31 July 1948)
Biggest win
India 7–0 Sri Lanka  (Bangalore, India; 7 December 1963)
Biggest defeat
Soviet Union 11–1 India  (Moscow, Soviet Union; 16 September 1955)
Summer Olympics
Appearances	4 (first in 1948)
Best result	Fourth place (1956)
Asian Cup
Appearances	5 (first in 1964)
Best result	Runners-up (1964)
Asian Games
Appearances	11 (first in 1951)
Best result	Champions (1951, 1962)
Medal record Men's football Asian Cup Silver 1964 Israel Team Asian Games Gold 1951 New Delhi Team Gold 1962 Jakarta Team Bronze 1970 Bangkok Team AFC Challenge Cup Gold 2008 India Team SAFF Championship Gold 1993 Pakistan N/A Gold 1997 Nepal N/A Gold 1999 India Team Gold 2005 Pakistan Team Gold 2011 India Team Gold 2015 India Team Gold 2021 Maldives Team Gold 2023 India Team Silver 1995 Sri Lanka Team Silver 2008 Maldives & Sri Lanka Team Silver 2013 Nepal Team Silver 2018 Bangladesh Team Bronze 2003 Bangladesh Team South Asian Games Gold 1985 Dhaka N/A Gold 1987 Calcutta N/A Gold 1995 Madras N/A Silver 1993 Dhaka N/A Bronze 1989 Islamabad N/A Bronze 1999 Kathmandu N/A

The India national football team is the group of male football players who represent India in international matches. They are managed by the All India Football Federation. Many people think they are the best team in South Asia. They have won gold medals at the Asian Games twice, in 1951 and 1962. They also finished fourth at the 1956 Summer Olympics.

India has never played in the FIFA World Cup. However, they did qualify for the 1950 World Cup because other teams in their group dropped out. But India also decided not to go before the tournament started. The team has played in the AFC Asian Cup, Asia's top football championship, five times. They finished second in 1964. India also plays in the SAFF Championship, which is the main football competition in South Asia. They have won this tournament a record eight times since it began in 1993.

In the 2000s, besides winning the SAFF Championship many times, India also won the Nehru Cup in 2007 and 2009. They also won the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. This win helped them qualify for the Asian Cup after 27 years!

India's Football Journey

Early Days (1930s–1940s)

In the top image, Indian team (in white jersey) and all European team (in black jersey), together before a match held in Calcutta on 1 July 1938. In bottom image, India side that participated in the 1948 Olympics' match against France.

The Indian football team first traveled to another country, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), in 1933. They won their first match there 1-0. Even though it was mostly players from Bengal, it was considered an Indian team.

Another early international trip for the Indian team, which included both Indian and British players, was to South Africa in 1934. Gostha Pal, an Indian footballer, led the team.

In 1938, India went on a long tour of Australia. They played 17 matches against different local teams and 5 friendly matches against the Australian national team. Their first official international game recognized by FIFA was on September 3, 1938, in Sydney. They lost that game 5–3. After a 4–4 draw in the second match, India won the third match 4–1 in Newcastle. This was their first international win!

After India became an independent country, their first match was in the 1948 Summer Olympics against France. They lost 2–1. It's famous because the Indian team played without boots, either barefoot or in socks. FIFA later banned this.

The Golden Years (1950s–1960s)

Indian team at a tussle against Bulgaria at the 1956 Olympics.

In 1950, India qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. This happened because all the other teams in their qualifying group pulled out. However, India also withdrew before the tournament started. The official reason was travel costs, but FIFA offered to pay for their trip. Many people thought it was because FIFA banned playing barefoot. But the team's captain, Sailen Manna, said that wasn't true. It's now believed India withdrew because they thought the Olympics were more important than the World Cup at that time. India has not qualified for another World Cup since.

Even though they didn't play in the 1950 World Cup, the years until 1964 are known as India's "golden era" in football. India, coached by Syed Abdul Rahim, became one of the best teams in Asia. In March 1951, Rahim led India to win their first trophy at the 1951 Asian Games, which was held in India. They beat Iran 1–0 in the final. Sahu Mewalal scored the winning goal.

The next year, India played in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. They weren't used to the cold weather and lost 10–1 to Yugoslavia. After this big loss, the AIFF made it a rule for players to wear boots. India then won the Colombo Cup four times between 1952 and 1955.

In 1954, India returned to the Asian Games as champions but didn't get past the group stage. Two years later, at the 1956 Summer Olympics, India had their best result in a major tournament. They finished fourth, losing the bronze medal match to Bulgaria 3–0. In this tournament, Neville D'Souza scored a hat-trick (three goals) against Australia in the quarterfinals. This was the first hat-trick by an Asian player in Olympic history. India won that match 4–2.

The Indian squad before their departure for Jakarta and the 1962 Asiad.

After their good performance at the Olympics, India finished fourth again at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo. They lost the bronze medal match to Indonesia 4–1. The next year, they were runners-up in the 1959 Merdeka tournament in Malaysia.

India started the 1960s with the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Even though the games were in Kochi, India finished last in their group and missed the tournament. But in 1962, India won the gold medal at the Asian Games for the second time. They beat South Korea 2–1 in the final.

Two years later, India played in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup. They got in automatically because other teams in their group pulled out. India finished second in the tournament, losing to the hosts, Israel, by two points. This is still India's best performance in the AFC Asian Cup.

A Period of Decline (1970s–2000)

India vs Argentina match at the Eden Gardens during the 1984 Nehru Cup.

India returned to the Asian Games in 1966 but didn't get past the group stage. Four years later, at the 1970 Asian Games, India won the bronze medal, beating Japan 1–0.

In 1974, India's performance at the Asian Games got much worse. They finished last in their group, losing all three matches. They scored only two goals and let in 14. India improved a bit at the 1978 tournament, finishing second in their group. But they were knocked out in the next round. The 1982 tournament was better, as India reached the quarter-finals before losing 1–0 to Saudi Arabia.

In 1984, India qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 1964. In the 1984 tournament, India finished last in their group. Their only non-loss was a 0–0 draw against Iran.

Even though India was no longer a top football power in Asia, they remained the best team in South Asia. They won the football competition at the South Asian Games in 1985 and again in 1987. In the 1990s, they won the first SAFF Championship in 1993 and a silver medal at the 1993 South Asian Games. In February 1996, India reached its highest FIFA ranking ever, 94th, with Bhaichung Bhutia as captain. They ended the 20th century by winning the SAFF Championship again in 1997 and 1999.

Coming Back Strong (2001–2011)

India playing against Syria at the 2007 Nehru Cup.

India's first matches in the 21st century were the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. India started well, beating the United Arab Emirates 1–0 and drawing with Yemen 1–1. They also won twice against Brunei, including a 5–0 win in Bangalore. However, they missed qualifying for the next round by just one point. In 2003, India reached the semi-finals of the 2003 SAFF Championship but lost 2–1 to Bangladesh.

Later in 2003, India played in the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad. Coached by Stephen Constantine, India made it to the final after beating Zimbabwe 5–3. Zimbabwe was ranked 85 places higher than India at the time! In the final, India lost 1–0 to Uzbekistan. This achievement made India more recognized in football.

The captain of Indian Football team, Bhaichung Bhutia, celebrating along with other players after winning the 2007 Nehru Cup final.

Stephen Constantine was replaced by Syed Nayeemuddin in 2005, but Nayeemuddin only lasted a year because India lost many games during the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. They lost 6–0 to Japan and 3–0 to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In May 2006, Bob Houghton, a former coach for China, became the new head coach.

Under Houghton, Indian football improved a lot. In August 2007, India won the Nehru Cup again, beating Syria 1–0 in the final. Pappachen Pradeep scored the winning goal. The next year, Houghton led India to win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which was held in Hyderabad and Delhi. India easily passed the group stage and then beat Myanmar in the semi-finals. In the final against Tajikistan, Sunil Chhetri scored three goals, helping India win 4–1. This victory not only won them the championship but also qualified India for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, their first Asian Cup in 27 years! To get ready for the Asian Cup, Houghton kept the team together for eight months, from June 2010 until the tournament started. This meant the players didn't play for their clubs during this time.

India was in Group C for the Asian Cup with Australia, South Korea, and Bahrain. Even after training together for eight months, India lost all three matches, including a 4–0 defeat to Australia. Despite the losses, fans and experts praised India for their brave efforts.

Recent History (2011–2018)

India against Thailand at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

After the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, India started their journey to qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup in February 2011. Coach Bob Houghton decided to bring in many young players from the AIFF development team, Indian Arrows. Even with a young team, India qualified for the AFC Challenge Cup. However, the AIFF ended Bob Houghton's contract because he was accused of racial abuse towards a referee. He then resigned.

After a temporary coach, Savio Medeira became the head coach in October 2011. Medeira led India to another SAFF Championship win, but also to their worst performance in the AFC Challenge Cup in March 2012. The team lost all three group matches and didn't score any goals. After this, Wim Koevermans from the Netherlands became the new head coach. Koevermans' first task was the 2012 Nehru Cup. India won their third Nehru Cup in a row, beating Cameroon in a penalty shootout.

In March 2013, India failed to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, which meant they also missed the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. They also lost the SAFF Championship title, losing 2–0 to Afghanistan in the 2013 final. After more bad results in friendly matches, Koevermans resigned in October 2014.

By March 2015, India's FIFA ranking dropped to its lowest ever, 173rd place. A few months before, Stephen Constantine was hired again as head coach. Constantine's first big job was the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. India made it through the first round but then struggled in the second round, losing seven of their eight matches. They failed to qualify for the World Cup again.

India playing XI against Thailand at 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Despite not qualifying for the World Cup, India reached the third round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers by beating Laos 7–1 on total score. On October 11, 2017, India secured their spot in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup with a 4–1 win over Macau. In 2017, India didn't lose any games, winning seven and drawing two. This helped them reach a FIFA ranking of 96 in May, their second-highest ever.

Even though they lost the 2018 SAFF Championship final 2–1 to Maldives in September 2018, India got back on track with friendly matches against China, Jordan, and Oman. They started the 2019 AFC Asian Cup with a big 4–1 win against Thailand. This was their largest win ever at the Asia Cup and their first in 55 years! However, they lost their next two group matches to UAE (0–2) and Bahrain (0–1) and finished last in their group, so they didn't move to the knockout stage. Stephen Constantine resigned as head coach right after this.

Igor Stimac's Time (2019–2024)

On May 15, 2019, the AIFF announced that former Croatian player and coach Igor Štimac would be the new head coach. His first big task was the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. They started with a 2–1 home loss to Oman. But in their second match, they got a good result, a 0–0 draw against Qatar, who were the 2019 Asian Champions and hosts of the 2022 World Cup.

However, in the third match, they drew 1–1 at home against Bangladesh. They also drew 1–1 away against Afghanistan. In the away game against Oman, India lost 1–0, which made it harder to qualify for the next round. After many delays due to COVID-19, the team finally went to Doha to play their remaining games. In the return match against Qatar, India lost 1–0 and was knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers with two games left. The team then bounced back, winning their next match against Bangladesh 2–0 and ending their campaign with a 1–1 draw against Afghanistan. India finished third in their group and was out of the World Cup qualifiers. However, they did qualify for the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification.

In the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, India was in a group with Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Cambodia. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, India was chosen to host the group games, and the qualification was changed to a single round. Using this home advantage, India won all three matches against Cambodia (2–0), Afghanistan (2–1), and Hong Kong (4–0). This was the first time India qualified for two Asian Cups in a row!

In September 2022, India played in the VFF Cup for the first time. They drew 1–1 with Singapore and lost 3–0 to Vietnam. In 2023, India started strong by winning the 2023 Tri-Nation Series and the 2023 Intercontinental Cup, both organized by the AIFF. India beat Myanmar 1–0 and Kyrgyzstan 2–0 in the Tri-Nation series. They then defeated Lebanon 2–0 in the Intercontinental Cup final, winning the title for the second time.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik handing the 2023 Intercontinental Cup trophy to Sunil Chhetri.

After these wins, India won the 2023 SAFF Championship, their third title of 2023, on home soil. They beat Pakistan 4–0 and Nepal 2–0, and drew 1–1 against Kuwait in the group stage. After beating Lebanon in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals, India faced Kuwait again in the final. The match was tied 1–1 until extra time, and India eventually won in a penalty shootout to lift the SAFF Cup for a record ninth time. Sunil Chhetri was the top scorer with 5 goals, including a hat-trick against Pakistan. This was his fourth hat-trick for the national team. With 92 goals, he became the second-highest international goalscorer from Asia and the fourth-highest goalscorer in the history of international football.

For the 2023 AFC Asian Cup tournament, India was the only team without any friendly matches to prepare. India lost all their group stage matches against Australia (0–2), Uzbekistan (0–3), and Syria (0–1), without scoring any goals.

In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, India was in Group A of the second round with Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Qatar. India started well, winning 1–0 against Kuwait, which was their only victory in the group. After that, their performance went downhill. They lost to Qatar (0–3 and 1–2) and surprisingly lost to Afghanistan 1–2. They also drew 0–0 with Kuwait and Afghanistan. India finished third in the group and failed to qualify for the next round.

On June 17, 2024, the AIFF ended Stimac's contract, marking the end of his time with "The Blue Tigers."

New Coach: Manolo Márquez (2024–)

On July 20, 2024, the AIFF announced that Manolo Márquez would become the head coach of the India national football team. He will also continue his work with FC Goa for the upcoming ISL season. His first matches were in the 2024 Intercontinental Cup against Mauritius and Syria.

Team Identity

Team Nickname

India's official nickname since 2013 is The Blue Tigers. This name comes from the color blue, which is the main color of the team's home uniform. Blue is also found in the Ashoka Chakra on the national flag. The "Tiger" part refers to the tiger, which is India's national animal.

Team Uniforms

The success of India's cricket and field hockey teams, who wear blue jerseys, made the color very popular. The football team has also worn different shades of blue for many decades.

India in 2007, wearing their traditional blue jersey

At the start of the 2000s, India wore a light blue shirt with black shorts and light blue socks. In 2002, the All India Football Federation signed a deal with German company Adidas to make India's uniforms. The first uniform from Adidas was all white. After four years, the AIFF signed a seven-year deal with American company Nike in 2006. Nike's first uniforms for India were a darker blue, and the away uniform changed from white to orange.

For the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Nike designed India's uniform using the same style as other national teams like Brazil. In 2013, the deal with Nike was extended for five more years. In September 2017, Nike showed off an all-light blue uniform for both the senior and youth teams, just before the India U17 team played in the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

A year later, on December 17, 2018, it was announced that Indian company SIX5SIX would replace Nike as India's uniform maker. Six5Six was the first company to actually pay for the rights to make India's uniforms, as Nike and Adidas hadn't paid. Six5Six showed their first uniforms before the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The home uniform was a similar light blue, and the away uniform changed back to white from orange. Both uniforms had a special tiger stripe design on the sleeves to honor the Indian football fans, who call the team "Blue Tigers."

Home Stadiums

The Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata (left) and the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi

The India national team does not have one specific home stadium. Many different stadiums across India have hosted their matches. These include:

• Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi
• Fatorda Stadium in Margao
• Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore
• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi
• Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai
• Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati
• Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal
• Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar
• EKA Arena in Ahmedabad

Recently, tournaments like the 2011 SAFF Championship and 2012 Nehru Cup were held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. The 2015 SAFF Championship was at Trivandrum International Stadium. The 2017 Hero Tri-Nation Series and 2018 Intercontinental Cup were at Mumbai Football Arena. The 2019 Intercontinental Cup was at the EKA Arena. Stadiums like Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Sree Kanteerava Stadium, and Fatorda Stadium have hosted qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup and FIFA World Cup.

Team Supporters

Blue Pilgrims displaying national flag and their own banners at the 2018 Intercontinental Cup

For a long time, Indian football fans were spread out in different parts of the country like West Bengal, North-East India, Goa, and Kerala. There wasn't one big organized group of fans. Fans of different clubs would support the national team at their local stadiums, but they weren't united under one banner until 2017. That's when "Blue Pilgrims" was formed as the first organized fan club for the national team.

The Blue Pilgrims started to support the national team and the U-17 team during the historic 2017 U17 World Cup. This was India's first time playing in a FIFA competition. They started with about 300 fans, and now there are thousands! Fans from different regions and with different club loyalties came together for one goal: to support the Blue Tigers. They call themselves "devotees" of the Blue Tigers. Their aim is to support all Indian national football teams, no matter the gender or age, wherever they play. Because of their dedication, they are called the 12th man of the team.

The 3D Blue Tiger tifo displayed by Blue Pilgrims in June 2018

The Blue Pilgrims often chant things like: "Oh India!", "In Unity we stand", "Oh India we stand for you!", and "Vande Mataram". Their sports anthems include "Oh when the blues go marching in, I wanna be in that number!" and "Hum honge kaamyab" (which means "We shall overcome"). After every match, the Blue Pilgrims celebrate with the national team members using a Viking clap. Fans of the Indian national team show their support by waving the country's three-colored National flag and wearing blue jerseys. They also display their "Blue Pilgrims" banner along with "Inquilab-e-Indian football" (Revolution of Indian football) and often shout, "We love you, wherever you go, we follow!"

On June 2, 2018, the team captain, Sunil Chhetri, posted a video online. He asked fans to come to Mumbai to support the team because only 2,569 people showed up for a match against Chinese Taipei in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup. India won that match 5–0, with Chhetri scoring three goals, but very few people were there to celebrate. In response to the captain's call, the Blue Pilgrims and other football supporters made sure the stadiums were full for the next few matches. In the final of that tournament, the Blue Pilgrims showed a 30-foot tall 3D tifo (a large banner) of a Blue Tiger. This was the first time such a display was seen in the team's history.

Media Coverage

India's international football matches are shown on TV by Star Sports and on its online service, Hotstar. Before this, the AIFF had a ten-year deal with Zee Sports in 2006 to broadcast Indian national team games. This was part of an effort called 'Goal 2010' , which aimed to help India qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Recent Matches

Here are the results of India's matches in the last year, and any future games that are planned.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2023 AFC Asian Cup GS 13 January 2024 (2024-01-13)	Australia	2–0	India	Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3	Irvine  50' Bos  73'	https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/afc-asian-cup/2023/2363529		Stadium: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Attendance: 35,253 Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)

2023 AFC Asian Cup GS 18 January 2024 (2024-01-18)	India	0–3	Uzbekistan	Al Rayyan, Qatar
17:30 UTC+3		https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/afc-asian-cup/2023/2363531	Fayzullaev  4' Sergeev  18' Nasrullev  45+4'	Stadium: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Attendance: 38,491 Referee: Fu Ming (China)

2023 AFC Asian Cup GS 23 January 2024 (2024-01-23)	Syria	1–0	India	Al Khor, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3	Khribin  76'	https://www.the-afc.com/en/matches/afc-asian-cup/2023/2363533		Stadium: Al Bayt Stadium Attendance: 42,787 Referee: Sivakorn Pu-udom (Thailand)

2026 World Cup qualification 22 March 2024 (2024-03-22)	Afghanistan	0–0	India	Abha, Saudi Arabia
22:00 UTC+3		https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017167		Stadium: Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Attendance: 3,900 Referee: Kim Hee-gon (South Korea)

2026 World Cup qualification 26 March 2024 (2024-03-26)	India	1–2	Afghanistan	Guwahati, India
19:00 UTC+5:30	Chhetri  38' (pen.)	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017170	Akbari  70' Mukhammad  88' (pen.)	Stadium: Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium Attendance: 8,932 Referee: Mohammed Al-Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

2026 World Cup qualification 6 June 2024 (2024-06-06)	India	0–0	Kuwait	Kolkata, India
19:00 UTC+5:30		https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017171		Stadium: Salt Lake Stadium Attendance: 58,932 Referee: Fu Ming (China)

2026 World Cup qualification 11 June 2024 (2024-06-11)	Qatar	2–1	India	Al Rayyan, Qatar
18:45 UTC+3	Aymen  73' Al-Rawi  90'	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017177	Chhangte  37'	Stadium: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Attendance: 2,816 Referee: Kim Woosung (South Korea)

2024 Intercontinental Cup 3 September 2024 (2024-09-03)	India	0–0	Mauritius	Hyderabad, India
19:30 IST (UTC+05:30)		https://www.the-aiff.com/article/manolos-men-held-by-mauritius-in-intercontinental-cup-opener		Stadium: G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium Attendance: 18,976 Referee: Mohamed Javiz (Maldives)

2024 Intercontinental Cup 9 September 2024 (2024-09-09)	India	0–3	Syria	Hyderabad, India
19:30 IST (UTC+05:30)		https://www.the-aiff.com/article/syria-breach-blue-tigers-den-to-take-home-intercontinental-cup	Al Aswad  7' Irandust  76' Sabbag  90+6'	Stadium: G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium Attendance: 19,982 Referee: Nivon Robesh (Sri Lanka)

2024 VFF Tri-Nations Series 9 October 2024 (2024-10-09)	Vietnam	Cancelled	India	Nam Dinh, Vietnam
18:00 UTC+7				Stadium: Thiên Trường Stadium
Note: Tournament cancelled due to Lebanon pulling out following the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon

2024 VFF Tri-Nations Series 12 October 2024 (2024-10-12)	Lebanon	Cancelled	India	Nam Dinh, Vietnam
18:00 UTC+7				Stadium: Thiên Trường Stadium
Note: Tournament cancelled due to Lebanon pulling out following the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon

Friendly 12 October 2024 (2024-10-12)	Vietnam	1–1	India	Nam Dinh, Vietnam
18:00 UTC+7	Bùi Vĩ Hào  38'	https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2024-10-12/vietnam-vs-india/3394112/	Choudhary  53'	Stadium: Thiên Trường Stadium Attendance: 8,239 Referee: Choi Hyunjai (South Korea)

Friendly 18 November 2024	India	1–1	Malaysia	Hyderabad, India
19:30 UTC+5:30	Bheke  39'	https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2024-11-19/india-vs-malaysia/3533705/	Josué  19'	Stadium: G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium Attendance: 15,367 Referee: Thoriq Alkatiri (Indonesia)

Coaching Team

Syed Abdul Rahim, the most successful Indian coach for the national team

Stephen Constantine in 2019, one of the most successful foreign coaches for the national team

Coaching History

Since India became independent, there have been 29 different head coaches for the national team, with 11 of them being from other countries. The most successful Indian head coach was Syed Abdul Rahim. He led India to gold medals in the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games. He also helped them finish fourth in the 1956 Summer Olympics.

The most successful foreign coaches were Bob Houghton and Stephen Constantine. Both helped the team qualify for the AFC Asian Cup. Bob Houghton was in charge from 2006 to 2011. During his time, India won the Nehru Cup twice and the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008. This allowed them to play in their first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.

After Houghton resigned in 2011, India's FIFA ranking dropped to its lowest ever (173rd) in March 2015. But Stephen Constantine, who was appointed for the second time, helped the team recover. Under him, the team didn't lose a single match for two years, from June 2016 to March 2018. They won 11 matches and drew 2. This helped them qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, 8 years after Houghton left. He also helped the team reach a FIFA ranking of 96 in July 2017, which was their best in 21 years.

Current Coaching Staff

Position	Name	Ref.
Head coach	Manolo Márquez
Assistant coaches	Mahesh Gawli
	Benito Montalvo
Goalkeeping coach	Marc Gamon
Fitness coach	Jose Carlos Barroso

Team Players

Current Squad

The following 24 players were chosen for the friendly match against  Malaysia on November 18, 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of November 19, 2024, after the match against  Malaysia.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Captain)	(1992-02-03) 3 February 1992 (age 33)	76	0	Bengaluru
13	1GK	Vishal Kaith	(1996-07-22) 22 July 1996 (age 28)	4	0	Mohun Bagan
23	1GK	Amrinder Singh	(1993-05-27) 27 May 1993 (age 32)	14	0	Odisha
2	2DF	Rahul Bheke (Vice-captain)	(1990-12-06) 6 December 1990 (age 34)	33	2	Bengaluru
3	2DF	Mehtab Singh	(1998-05-05) 5 May 1998 (age 27)	10	0	Mumbai City
4	2DF	Anwar Ali	(2000-08-28) 28 August 2000 (age 24)	25	1	East Bengal
5	2DF	Sandesh Jhingan	(1993-07-21) 21 July 1993 (age 31)	62	5	Goa
6	2DF	Jay Gupta	(2001-09-27) 27 September 2001 (age 23)	3	0	Goa
16	2DF	Naorem Roshan Singh	(1999-02-02) 2 February 1999 (age 26)	12	0	Bengaluru
20	2DF	Chinglensana Singh Konsham	(1996-11-23) 23 November 1996 (age 28)	12	0	Bengaluru
	2DF	Hmingthanmawia Ralte	(2000-05-31) 31 May 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Mumbai City
8	3MF	Suresh Singh Wangjam	(2000-08-07) 7 August 2000 (age 24)	29	1	Bengaluru
10	3MF	Brandon Fernandes	(1994-09-20) 20 September 1994 (age 30)	29	0	Mumbai City
15	3MF	Jeakson Singh Thounaojam	(2001-06-21) 21 June 2001 (age 24)	25	0	East Bengal
18	3MF	Lalengmawia Ralte	(2000-10-17) 17 October 2000 (age 24)	22	0	Mohun Bagan
	2DF	Vibin Mohanan	(2003-02-06) 6 February 2003 (age 22)	1	0	Kerala Blasters
	3MF	Jithin M. S.	(1998-01-16) 16 January 1998 (age 27)	1	0	NorthEast United
	3MF	Thoiba Singh Moirangthem	(2002-12-12) 12 December 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Odisha
9	4FW	Manvir Singh	(1995-11-07) 7 November 1995 (age 29)	48	7	Mohun Bagan
10	4FW	Liston Colaco	(1998-11-12) 12 November 1998 (age 26)	27	0	Mohun Bagan
17	4FW	Lallianzuala Chhangte	(1997-06-08) 8 June 1997 (age 28)	42	8	Mumbai City
19	4FW	Farukh Choudhary	(1996-11-08) 8 November 1996 (age 28)	16	2	Chennaiyin
22	4FW	Edmund Lalrindika	(1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 (age 26)	5	0	Inter Kashi
	4FW	Irfan Yadwad	(2001-06-19) 19 June 2001 (age 24)	1	0	Chennaiyin

Recent Players Called Up

The following players were part of the national team in the past year but are not in the current squad.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Prabhsukhan Singh Gill	(2001-01-02) 2 January 2001 (age 24)	0	0	East Bengal	NT camp, September 2024
DF	Asish Rai	(1999-01-27) 27 January 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Mohun Bagan	NT camp, November 2024 INJ
DF	Aakash Sangwan	(1995-10-28) 28 October 1995 (age 29)	1	0	Goa	NT camp, November 2024 INJ
DF	Nikhil Poojary	(1995-09-03) 3 September 1995 (age 29)	29	1	Bengaluru	vs  Vietnam, October 2024
DF	Subhasish Bose	(1995-08-18) 18 August 1995 (age 29)	41	0	Mohun Bagan	vs  Vietnam, October 2024
DF	Narender Gahlot	(2001-04-24) 24 April 2001 (age 24)	4	1	Odisha	vs  Qatar, June 2024
DF	Akash Mishra	(2001-11-27) 27 November 2001 (age 23)	28	0	Mumbai City	vs  Afghanistan, March 2024 INJ
DF	Amey Ranawade	(1998-03-07) 7 March 1998 (age 27)	0	0	Odisha	NT camp, June 2024 INJ
DF	Lalchungnunga	(2000-12-25) 25 December 2000 (age 24)	1	0	East Bengal	vs  Kuwait, June 2024
DF	Pritam Kotal	(1993-09-08) 8 September 1993 (age 31)	52	0	Kerala Blasters	2023 AFC Asian Cup, January 2024
MF	Anirudh Thapa	(1998-01-15) 15 January 1998 (age 27)	59	4	Mohun Bagan	NT camp, November 2024 INJ
MF	Lalrinliana Hnamte	(2003-04-29) 29 April 2003 (age 22)	1	0	Chennaiyin	vs  Vietnam, October 2024
MF	Nandhakumar Sekar	(1995-12-20) 20 December 1995 (age 29)	6	0	East Bengal	NT camp, October 2024
MF	Mohammad Yasir	(1998-04-14) 14 April 1998 (age 27)	13	0	Goa	NT camp, September 2024
MF	Lalthathanga Khawlhring	(1998-03-30) 30 March 1998 (age 27)	0	0	Odisha	vs  Syria, September 2024
MF	Naorem Mahesh Singh	(1999-03-01) 1 March 1999 (age 26)	21	3	East Bengal	vs  Syria, September 2024
MF	Sahal Abdul Samad	(1997-04-01) 1 April 1997 (age 28)	39	3	Mohun Bagan	vs  Syria, September 2024
MF	Imran Khan	(1995-03-01) 1 March 1995 (age 30)	0	0	Jamshedpur	vs  Afghanistan, March 2024
MF	Deepak Tangri	(1999-02-01) 1 February 1999 (age 26)	4	0	Mohun Bagan	vs  Afghanistan, March 2024
FW	Sunil Chhetri	(1984-08-03) 3 August 1984 (age 40)	151	94	Bengaluru	vs  Kuwait, June 2024 RET
FW	Vikram Partap Singh	(2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 23)	5	0	Mumbai City	NT camp, November 2024 INJ
FW	Udanta Singh Kumam	(1996-06-14) 14 June 1996 (age 29)	48	2	Goa	2023 AFC Asian Cup, January 2024
FW	Rahul K. P.	(2000-02-16) 16 February 2000 (age 25)	6	0	Kerala Blasters	2023 AFC Asian Cup, January 2024
FW	Ishan Pandita	(1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 27)	7	1	Kerala Blasters	2023 AFC Asian Cup, January 2024
FW	David Lalhlansanga	(2001-11-27) 27 November 2001 (age 23)	0	0	East Bengal	vs  Qatar, June 2024
FW	Kiyan Nassiri	(2000-11-17) 17 November 2000 (age 24)	0	0	Chennaiyin	NT camp, September 2024
FW	Rahim Ali	(2000-04-21) 21 April 2000 (age 25)	14	0	Odisha	NT camp, October 2024
RET Retired from the national team INJ Player injuries OTH Player withdrew from squad due to non-injury issue

Famous Indian Footballers

Postage stamp issued in 1998, to honour Gostha Pal

In the early 1900s, India had one of Asia's best footballers, Gostha Pal. He started playing professionally at 16 in 1911 and became India's first captain. He was known as one of India's best defenders. He was also the first footballer to receive the Padma Shree award in 1962. In 1998, the Indian government even released a postage stamp in his honor.

Later in the 1930s, players like R. Lumsden, Noor Mohammed, T. Rahim, K. Prosad, and A. Nandi played for India under Karuna Bhattacharya's leadership. During the 1938 Australia tour, they scored 56 goals in 17 matches. Lumsden scored India's first international hat-trick during this tour.

Postage stamp issued in 2018, to honour Talimeren Ao

India's first captain after gaining independence was Dr. Talimeren Ao. He learned football using rags as balls and became a great defensive midfielder. He led the team at the 1948 Olympics, which was India's first major tournament. He also carried the Indian flag in London.

During this time, India also had Sailen Manna, one of the country's best defenders. He became India's captain in 1951 for the Asian Games, leading the team to win the gold medal, India's first big international honor. He also captained the team in the 1952 Olympics and 1954 Asian Games. In 1953, the England Football Association named Manna among the "10 Best Skippers of the World." He received the Padma Shri in 1971, and the AIFF called him the "AIFF Player-of-the-Millennium" in 2000.

During India's golden era (1950s and early 60s), they had amazing strikers like Sheoo Mewalal, Neville D'Souza, Chuni Goswami, Inder Singh, and Tulsidas Balaram. Mewalal was India's main striker in the 1948 Olympics, 1952 Olympics, and 1951 Asian Games, where he was the top goalscorer with four goals. He was the first Indian player to score a hat-trick after independence, against Burma in the 1952 Colombo Cup.

D'Souza became the first Asian player to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games, scoring against Australia in the 1956 Olympics. He also tied for top goalscorer in that Olympics, helping India reach the semi-finals. Goswami played for India at the 1958 Asian Games and the 1960 Olympics. He captained the team in the 1962 Asian Games and the 1964 Asian Cup. He was given the Padma Shri and was named "Best Striker of Asia" in 1962 by the AFC.

P. K. Banerjee, a winger who played in the 1956 Olympics and later captained the team in the 1960 Olympics, was named the best "Indian player of the 20th Century." Peter Thangaraj was India's main goalkeeper during the later part of the golden era and was named the best "Indian keeper of the 20th Century" by IFFHS. P. K. Banerjee received the Padma Shri in 1990, and in 2004, FIFA gave him the "FIFA Centennial Order of Merit" Award, FIFA's highest honor.

From the 1970s to the 2000s, India's football results declined. However, players like Syed Nayeemuddin emerged, leading India to a bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games. In the 1990s, I. M. Vijayan, India's best player at the time, played 72 games for India, scoring 29 goals, and captained the team many times.

Sunil Chhetri celebrating after scoring a goal

In 1995, Bhaichung Bhutia started playing for India. With Bhutia, India qualified for the AFC Asian Cup after 27 years. He was the team captain for over ten years. He is considered one of India's greatest footballers, with 84 games played and 27 goals scored. He received the Padma Shri in 2008, and IFFHS listed him among football legends in 2016.

Under Bhutia's captaincy, Sunil Chhetri began his career for India. Chhetri is now the only Indian footballer to have played 100 international matches and is India's all-time top goalscorer. He led the national team to many victories, including qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup. Under his leadership, the team reached its highest FIFA ranking of 96 in 21 years. His goal-scoring ability is so good that he is the only Indian striker to score four hat-tricks for India. Sunil Chhetri is currently the third-highest international goalscorer among active players, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He is also the most-capped player and the all-time top goalscorer for the India national team.

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

India has never played in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup. After gaining independence in 1947, India qualified for the 1950 World Cup. This happened because Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines all withdrew from their qualifying group. However, India also pulled out before the tournament started. The official reason was the cost of travel to Brazil. But this wasn't entirely true, as FIFA was ready to pay for India's trip. Other reasons given were that FIFA didn't allow Indian players to play barefoot, and the All India Football Federation didn't see the FIFA World Cup as important as the Olympics. However, some experts say the "barefoot" story was made up by the AIFF to avoid questions about why India didn't participate. The AIFF might not have been confident that Indian players could compete against the world's top teams.

After withdrawing from the 1950 World Cup, India did not enter the qualifying rounds for the tournament between 1954 and 1982. Since the 1986 qualifiers, except for the 1990 tournament, the team has tried to qualify but has not made it to the finals again.

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Pos		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1930 to 1938	Not a FIFA member										Not a FIFA member						–
1950	Qualified, but withdrew										Qualified by default
1954	Denied by FIFA										Denied by FIFA
1958 to 1982	Did not enter										Did not enter						–
1986	Did not qualify										6	2	3	1	7	6
1990											Withdrew from qualification
1994											8	1	1	6	8	22
1998											3	1	1	1	3	7
2002											6	3	2	1	11	5
2006											6	1	1	4	2	18
2010											2	0	1	1	3	6
2014											2	0	1	1	2	5
2018											8	2	1	7	7	18
2022											8	1	4	3	6	7
2026											6	1	2	3	3	7	–
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total	—	0/20	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		57	12	17	28	52	101	—

AFC Asian Cup

Indian players celebrating with fans after winning a match at 2019 AFC Asian Cup

India has qualified for the AFC Asian Cup five times. Their first Asian Cup was in 1964. They qualified because other countries refused to play against India due to political reasons. India finished second to the hosts, Israel, with Inder Singh being one of the top goalscorers.

Since then, India has not gone past the first round of the Asian Cup. They participated in 1984, 2011, and most recently the 2019 Asian Cup.

In June 2022, India qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup by winning all their matches in the third round of qualification. This was the first time India qualified for the Asian Cup two times in a row!

AFC Asian Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1956	Did not enter										Did not enter						–
1960	Did not qualify										6	2	0	4	7	9
1964	Runners-up	2nd	3	2	0	1	5	3	Squad		Qualified by default
1968	Did not qualify										3	0	1	2	2	6
1972	Did not enter										Did not enter
1976
1980
1984	Group stage	10th	4	0	1	3	0	7	Squad		4	3	0	1	8	2
1988	Did not qualify										5	0	1	4	0	6
1992											2	1	0	1	2	3
1996											2	0	0	2	3	12
2000											4	1	1	2	8	9
2004											2	0	1	1	1	3
2007											6	0	0	6	2	24
2011	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	3	13	Squad		AFC Challenge Cup
2015	Did not qualify
2019	Group stage	17th	3	1	0	2	4	4	Squad		18	8	2	8	25	24
2023	Group stage	24th	3	0	0	3	0	6	Squad		11	4	4	3	14	8
2027	To be determined										6	1	2	3	3	7	–
Totals	Runners-up	2nd	16	3	1	12	12	33	—		69	20	13	36	76	113	—

Summer Olympics

Talimeren Ao on the left, leading the Indian team to Cricklefield Stadium to play against France in 1948

India played in four Olympic football tournaments in a row, from 1948 to 1960. Their only match in the 1948 Olympics against France was also India's first international match after becoming independent in 1947. In that game, most of the Indian team played barefoot. They lost 2–1, with Sarangapani Raman scoring India's only goal.

India returned to the Olympics four years later in 1952, where they played Yugoslavia. They lost 10–1, which is India's biggest loss in a competitive match, and were knocked out.

Four years later, at the 1956 Olympics, India had their best performance, reaching the semi-finals and finishing fourth. After their first opponents, Hungary, withdrew, India played against the hosts, Australia, in the quarter-finals. Neville D'Souza scored three goals (a hat-trick), which was the first by an Asian footballer in the Olympics. India won 4–2. However, in the semi-finals, India lost to Yugoslavia again, 4–1. In the bronze medal match, India lost 3–0 to Bulgaria.

In 1960, India was in Group D with Hungary, France, and Peru. India finished last in the group, with one draw. India has not qualified for another Olympic Games since then.

Summer Olympics record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
1908 to 1936	Did not enter										Did not enter						–
1948	Round 1	11th	1	0	0	1	1	2	Squad		Qualified automatically
1952	Preliminaries	25th	1	0	0	1	1	10	Squad		Qualified automatically
1956	Semi-finals	4th	3	1	0	2	5	9	Squad		Bye
1960	Round 1	13th	3	0	1	2	3	6	Squad		3	3	0	0	11	4
1964 to 1988	Did not qualify										20	6	1	13	34	38	–
1992–present	See India national U-23 team										See India national U-23 team
Totals	Semi-finals	4th	8	1	1	6	10	27	—		23	9	1	13	45	42	—

Asian Games

Indian team celebrating after defeating South Korea in the final of 1962 Asiad at Senayan Main Stadium, Jakarta

India played in eleven Asian Games, from 1951 to 1998, except for the 1990 and 1994 tournaments. In the 1951 Asian Games, India won their first match against Indonesia. They then beat Japan in the semi-final and went on to win against Iran in the final, playing in front of their home crowd. This was a special achievement for the Indian team, as they became the first ever Asian Games gold medalists in football and also the first Asian football champions.

The next two tournaments were not as successful for the team. But they bounced back by winning the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games. They defeated the Asian Cup winners, South Korea, in the final to win their second continental title. The team failed to defend their title in 1966 but won the bronze medal in 1970.

This was the last time India won a medal at the Asian Games. The following years were tough for the Indian team, and their performance declined sharply. After two disappointing tournaments in 1974 and 1978, India played much better in the 1982 Asiad, which they hosted for the second time. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Saudi Arabia. Due to poor performance in the 1986 Asian Games, the authorities decided not to send the team to the next games. The team returned in 1998.

Asian Games record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref.
1951	Champions	1st	3	3	0	0	7	0	Squad
1954	Round 1	8th	2	1	0	1	3	6	Squad
1958	Semi-finals	4th	5	2	0	3	12	13	Squad
1962	Champions	1st	5	4	0	1	11	6	Squad
1966	Round 1	8th	3	1	0	2	4	7	Squad
1970	Third Place	3rd	6	3	1	2	8	5	Squad
1974	Round 1	13th	3	0	0	3	2	14	Squad
1978	Round 2	8th	5	1	0	4	5	13	Squad
1982	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	5	3	Squad
1986	Round 1	16th	3	0	0	3	1	8	Squad
1990	Did not enter
1994
1998	Round 2	16th	5	1	0	4	3	8	Squad
2002–present	See India national U-23 team
Totals	2 Titles	1st	44	18	2	24	61	83	—	–

SAFF Championship

India has played in every SAFF Championship tournament (except in 2009, when they sent their under-23 team). They are the most successful team in the competition, winning eight titles in total. India has reached the knockout stage of every tournament, except in 1993, when the tournament was played in a league format. The team also has a great record of winning a medal in every championship they've played so far. India has played in the final of every championship except the 2003 tournament, where they won a bronze medal for the first time.

SAFF Championship record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref.
1993	Champions	1st	3	2	1	0	4	1	N/A
1995	Runners-up	2nd	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad
1997	Champions	1st	4	3	1	0	12	3	N/A
1999	Champions	1st	4	3	1	0	6	1	Squad
2003	Third place	3rd	5	2	1	2	8	5	Squad
2005	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	9	2	Squad
2008	Runners-up	2nd	5	4	0	1	9	3	Squad
2011	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	16	2	Squad
2013	Runners-up	2nd	5	2	1	2	4	5	Squad
2015	Champions	1st	4	4	0	0	11	4	Squad
2018	Runners-up	2nd	4	3	0	1	8	3	Squad
2021	Champions	1st	5	3	2	0	8	2	Squad
2023	Champions	1st	5	2	3	0	8	2	Squad
Totals	8 Titles	1st	57	36	14	7	105	36	—	–

AFC Challenge Cup

India has played in the AFC Challenge Cup twice. (They sent their U-20 team in 2006 AFC Challenge Cup and their U-23 team in 2010 AFC Challenge Cup). This tournament was created for "emerging" football nations. India was invited by the AFC along with other developing countries like North Korea, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The team won the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup and qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup after 27 years!

AFC Challenge Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Ref.
2008	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	9	3	Squad		Qualified as hosts
2012	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	0	8	Squad		3	2	1	0	7	2
2014	Did not qualify										3	2	0	1	6	2
Totals	1 Title	1st	8	4	1	3	9	11	—	6	4	1	1	13	4	—

South Asian Games

India has played in almost every senior football competition at the South Asian Games, except in 1984. The team won the championship in 1985, 1987, and 1995. They also won silver medals in 1993 and bronze medals in 1989 and 1995.

South Asian Games record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Ref.
1984	Did not enter
1985	Champions	1st	3	2	1	0	6	1	N/A
1987	Champions	1st	3	2	1	0	6	0	N/A
1989	Third place	3rd	3	2	1	0	5	3	N/A
1991	Group stage	6th	2	0	1	1	1	2	N/A
1993	Runners-up	2nd	3	1	2	0	6	4	N/A
1995	Champions	1st	3	3	0	0	5	0	N/A
1999	Third place	3rd	5	4	0	1	15	4	N/A
2004–present	See India national U-20 team & U-23 team
Totals	3 Titles	1st	22	14	6	2	44	14	—	—

Team Achievements

Indian team celebrating their 2008 AFC Challenge Cup victory against Tajikistan

A poster advertising India vs Israel at 1964 Asian Cup

Continental Honors

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 1964
• Asian Games
  • Gold medal (2): 1951, 1962
  • Bronze medal (1): 1970
• AFC Challenge Cup
  • Champions (1): 2008

Regional Honors

• SAFF Championship
  • Champions (8): 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2021, 2023
  • Runners-up (4): 1995, 2008, 2013, 2018
  • Third place (1): 2003
• South Asian Games
  • Gold medal (3): 1985, 1987, 1995
  • Silver medal (1): 1993
  • Bronze medal (2): 1989, 1999

Summary of Medals

Competition				Total
AFC Asian Cup	0	1	0	1
Asian Games	2	0	1	3
AFC Challenge Cup	1	0	0	1
SAFF Championship	8	4	1	13
South Asian Games	3	1	2	6
Total	14	6	4	24

See Also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de India para niños

• Football in India