By Samindra Kunti in Mumbai
October 18 – In a repeat of the U-17 World Cup in 2017, India will finish with the worst statistics of all participating teams at a home World Cup, following a 5-0 defeat in their final group game to Brazil, another harsh reality check and indictment of domestic football structures.
In their three Group A matches India shipped a combined 17 goals and scored none. There was some redemption with respectable performances against both Morocco and Brazil after a humiliating opening-day 8-0 defeat at the hands of the United States.
“India has a good chance to be a top team in Asia,” said India coach Thomas Dennerby at a news conference. “You have talented players enough and we showed that today, but they need time.”
“They need to come to a good environment where they do training sessions every single day. It can’t be like working very, very hard for two-three months and then stop two-three months and go back again because you’ll always reach the same level. The consistency and playing regularly is what we need to have.”
The top-down approach by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) left Indian football exposed again. The country does not have a developed grassroots level. Five years on from the first FIFA tournament India staged, this became painfully clear from the moment India’s girls walked out and on to the pitch of the Kalinga Stadium.
“We need to have a good long-term programme for them with a really good schedule because I know when I see your players that there are talented players. But we need to take care of them at an early age and let them play football at good academies. In a big country like India, it will be better if we have AIFF academies where we can have the best players from the U17, Indian Arrows U19, senior team practising together, seeing each other and having role models and so on,” said Dennerby.
However, it remains to be seen how seriously the new AIFF leadership will consider calls for more grassroots development.
India are in the bidding race for the 2027 Asian Cup. On Monday, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that the Indians have been shortlisted alongside Saudi Arabia, standout favourites, to land the hosting rights to the finals. Irrespective of the bidding race’s outcome, it suggests the AIFF is still looking at the game as a top-down project.
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