By Samindra Kunti in Mumbai
October 17 – After shipping 11 goals in just two matches, India are once again out of their own U-17 World Cup. India’s U-17 women lost their second Group A match 3-0 to Morocco to exit the tournament early and leave question marks over the long-term development of the women’s game in India.
The Indian girls played a valiant first half but collapsed after the break allowing the North Africans, debutants at the finals themselves, to run out easy winners.
It was a respectable performance from the hosts after their 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the United States, but the bottom line was not to be mistaken: once again India were down and out after 180 minutes.
In 2017, India’s boys departed the U-17 World Cup similarly on home soil after defeats against the United States and Colombia.
Jeakson Singh did score a consolation goal for the boys team, but after five matches at the U-17 level India are still waiting for a first-ever point at a FIFA tournament.
There are parallels between the two Indian youth teams that featured in their home World Cups. Both were sent on exposure tours following months-long training camps and both were woefully exposed during the main tournament.
Preparations for both tournaments were often controversial. Today, India’s governing body, the AIFF, is trying to recover from a period of political turmoil in the final months of Praful Patel’s protracted time in office. FIFA briefly suspended India claiming third-party interference to then turn a blind eye when the BJP’s Kalyan Chaubey was elected within days after the ban was lifted.
Women’s football has become more prominent in India in recent years, but the vast majority of Indian states do not organise youth leagues while the top flight at the senior level runs for just a few weeks a year.
In August, Gokulam Kerala, India’s best club, had to forfeit participation in the Asian Women’s Club Championship because of the AIFF’s suspension.
“Our fitness level wasn’t a problem,” said India’s coach Thomas Dennerby at a news conference. But we are not up to the mark technically. This is one area where we need to work harder.”
Indirectly, Dennerby pointed to India’s biggest problem: the grassroots level has not been developed and staging FIFA tournaments will not change that reality. It’s time India properly confronts and addresses the issue.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713565905labto1713565905ofdlr1713565905owedi1713565905sni@i1713565905tnuk.1713565905ardni1713565905mas1713565905
