"Our infrastructure has really improved, we have high quality training grounds and stadiums across the country now." The arrival of big stars from Europe and South America helped on and off the pitch. "The ISL has brought a lot of money and investment," said Jindal. The ISL was born five years earlier as a standalone tournament, with eight teams that signed famous players such as World Cup winning Europeans Alessandro Del Piero and Robert Pires, the likes of whom brought glamor and attention that the relatively low-key I-league could not compete with. In 2019, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided that the Indian Super League (ISL) would replace the I-League as the top tier of the country's football pyramid. "The first goal has to be to get into the top 10 of Asia and then compete with the likes of Japan, South Korea, Australia and Iran."įormer Croatia defender Igor Stimac took over as coach of the Indian national team in 2019Īs of October 2021, India was ranked 106 in the world, 19th out of 46 Asian nations, by world governing body FIFA. "India has made a lot of progress over the last five years," Parth Jindal, CEO of Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC, told DW.
At youth level, there are also encouraging signs: The under-23 team performed well in qualification for the 2022 Asian Championships in October, finishing above Oman and Kyrgyzstan.Īt the club level in 2021, Goa FC became the first side from the country to participate in the group stage of the AFC Champions League, Asia's premier club competition, finishing third, above Al-Rayyan of Qatar. In qualification for the 2022 World Cup, India finished third in its five-team group, behind Qatar, drawing 0-0 at the home of the Asian champions along the way, and Oman. India may not yet be a continental force, but, compared with just a decade ago, the country is at least a continental presence.
After India defeated Nepal in October to become champions of South Asia for an eighth time, head coach Igor Stimac said winning regional tournaments was no longer India's goal: The aim now is to become a force in Asian football.