Year In Review: Five key developments in Indian Football in 2019
The year will definitely be one to remember down the memory lane.
Indian football has been persistently trying to embark on an upward surge in recent times. Accordingly, the current year was quite an eventful one in that aspect.
We are almost at the halfway mark of the ongoing ISL season and the last week of the calendar year is upon us. So, it is time to sit back and look at some of the major developments that have taken place in our country’s footballing landscape this year.
Accordingly, we assess how those particular moves have the potential to upscale the level of the sport in the nation and what importance they hold in the coming times.
5. Qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2019
Sunil Chhetri had emphasized the importance of the Indian team playing against stronger oppositions many times before. 2019 commenced on a brilliantly positive note on similar lines, with the national side qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup at the start of the year.
It was only the fourth time that they were eligible to play in the 17 editions of the tournament. The last time India played in the Asian Cup was back in 2011 and accordingly it was a historic moment for the players. The competition started brightly, as India defeated Thailand 1-4 in their opening game with Chhetri bagging a brace.
However, successive defeats against the UAE and Bahrain meant that Stephen Constatine’s men were knocked out in the group stages. Despite the early exit, the Indian team managed to register their first victory after 55 years in the tournament. Their previous win was against Hong Kong by a margin of 3-1 back on June 2, 1964.
4. Chennai City FC-FC Basel Partnership
While the ISL has been hogging all of the attention in recent times, Chennai City FC made a startling move back in February. They entered into a strategic partnership with FC Basel. For the uninformed, FC Basel are 20-time Swiss Super League champions.
They have been regular competitors in the UEFA Champions League and them entering the Indian market and buying a 26% stake in Chennai City is a huge deal for up and coming clubs who aspire to attain greater feats in Indian football. The Swiss club also offers its professional expertise in, sporting, infrastructure and legal aspects of the game. Chennai went on to win the I-League last season and such a productive collaboration should ensure that they continue on their pathway towards further success.
Later on, even Punjab FC went on to announce a 50-50 merger with RoundGlass Sports Private Limited effective from July 30, 2019.
3. Igor Stimac takes over as the head coach of India
Stephen Constantine spent four years at the helm of the Indian national team, but by the end of his tenure, there was a growing unrest that was visibly palpable. The AFC Asian Cup in January was considered to be his final major tournament and Constatine left the job thereafter.
In May, Igor Stimac was appointed as the head coach of the national team. Stimac is a Croatian World Cupper and also guided the Vatreni to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His ongoing stint with the Indian team has been ordinary at best though, with the team finishing third in the four-nation King’s Cup that was held in July.
Later on, a historic draw against Qatar in Doha in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers was followed by some below-par performances. That means the team have won only one of the 10 matches that they have played under him so far. However, Stimac has insisted that there’s a long-term plan in place up till 2026 and hence, it would be wise to afford him enough time and freedom to try and achieve his goals.
2. The Indian Football Roadmap
The mayhem surrounding the ISL and I-League merger since the past few years had kept the followers of Indian football glued to the developments. However, in late October, the AFC recognized the Indian Super League as the country’s premier competition.
They also recommended the AIFF to open a pathway for the entry of two I-League clubs into the ISL by the end of the 2020-21 season. Moreover, the leading club at the end of the ISL league phase would be allowed to represent India in the AFC Champions League, whereas the winning I-League team would be eligible to take part in the AFC Cup.
From the 2022-23 and 2023-24 season, the I-League champions will stand a chance to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, provided they meet the sporting merit and AIFF’s club licensing criteria. In 2024-25, the AFC plans to implement the promotion-relegation system and abolish the two parallel leagues.
This roadmap has put forth an excellent clarity regarding the whole situation and paves the way for the future course of Indian football.
1. City Football Group’s acquisition of Mumbai City FC:
Finally, the most prominent news of the year arrived last month. The City Football Group, that owns Manchester City and seven other clubs across the world, acquired a 65% stake in Mumbai City FC. This means that they are the majority stakeholders of the Islanders, whereas the previous owners Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh would be their minority partners.
Nita Ambani, who is the chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited, was present at the event along with CFG Chief Executive, Ferran Soriano to make the landmark announcement. Mumbai City are the eighth club under the wings of the City Football Group and accordingly, in the coming years, we could see significant development in infrastructure, finances and recruitment to lead the club to their maiden ISL title.
49 years of valuable lessons - the story of Kochi's 'Football Uncle' Rufus D'Souza
Have you met 89-year-old football coach Rufus D'Souza who continues to defy his age to remain in love with the sport?
Time: 5:30 AM IST.
Location: Parade Ground, Fort Kochi.
Scene: An 89-year-old takes the field with a football in his hand and starts engaging in an intense conversation with a bunch of kids aged between five and fifteen.
For people in Fort Kochi, this is a common sight. The curiosity of the rest of the world can be forgiven. The veteran in the scene is Kerala's 'Football Uncle' Rufus D'Souza, who has been teaching football to kids for the last 49 years and is still up for it every morning, defying his age in style.
Uncle Rufus gets up early every morning, gets to Kochi's historic Parade Ground and conducts training from 5:30 am to 7:00 am and in the evening, on all days except Sundays, free of cost since 1940. He has played hockey and football during his career and has trained several notable footballers from Kerala, namely former India international goalkeeper Feroz Sheriff and incumbent Kerala Football Association (KFA) secretary Anil Kumar, KA Anson, Jacob Varghese - the list is long.
Rufus' mother wanted him to play basketball whereas hockey was his father's preferred choice of sport. His grandmother sorted out things to let the youngster decide for himself. He then started playing football at the very ground he conducts training every day now. It was the beginning of an eternal love affair.
Rufus went to Madras, played for one of the country's biggest matchstick company, the Western India Match Company (WIMCO) and many other clubs before landing a job at the State Bank. His entire life has revolved around the sport but how? Rufus leads a disciplined life and he wants the younger generations also to do the same. "My guru was KM Aboo. He taught me discipline. I have my issues, I am growing old, but even if it's raining, I don't use an umbrella. I don't sit down while I am on the ground. I have to go to the ground every day. It's the blessing of my teachers," Rufus spoke to Goal.
He added, "I haven't married and I don't have kids. I am trying to help everyone else' kids develop (their football skills). I don't allow kids to grow hair, I cannot stand foul language. If those rules are broken, I ask them to leave. When kids come late to training, I don't let them in. This is nothing personal, the next day, they will come on time."
And Feroze Sheriff, one of his many students, is in agreement. "What I learned from Rufus Uncle is to respect time. Punctuality was important for him. Nothing stopped him from turning up at the ground five minutes before the scheduled time. He never abused anyone. It was encouraging for us, the way he took care of his players. When we grew up, we realized the importance of his words," he told Goal.
Rufus' disciplined coaching career received the recognition it deserved in August earlier this year - he was flown to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Fit India movement. The context was apt for a man whose fitness levels will put several young footballers to shame.
"It was a surprise," the old man recollected the event. "It was related to the Fit India movement. I was sent the tickets and they gave me five-star accommodation. I went to Delhi on August 29. Not only was I able to meet the Prime Minister, but I was also able to meet several old players. It was the biggest gift of my life."
For someone so in love with the game, it might be a surprise for a few that he abstains from watching football these days. But he has his reasons.
"I don't watch football now. We have only 90 minutes in football and players these days are passing the ball backwards. Back in the day, it was fun to watch the game. They seem lazy to chase and win the ball higher up the field.
"There is no discipline in today's football. Indian football has done well when there were Indian coaches. We can't even score (do well) against Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the World Cup qualifiers. Foreign players who no one cares about are being played in our Indian leagues. There are a lot of people without football knowledge," he opined.
Having followed Indian football closely right from a young age (that's an amazing 70+ years of knowledge and understanding), Rufus' favourite Indian footballer is neither Baichung Bhutia nor IM Vijayan. His award goes to 1951 Delhi Asian Games gold medalist late Sahu Mewalal.
"Mewalal has scored more than 1000 goals including 62 hat-tricks - he has not received any recognition. He was spoken about in the same class of Maradona and Pele," Rufus brought out his memories of the player.
The 89-year-old football uncle is happy with what he has achieved in his life. But that is not going to keep him at home. Tomorrow. he will be at the Parade Ground at 5:25 AM. And if the kids are late, he will send them back.
don't watch football now. We have only 90 minutes in football and players these days are passing the ball backwards. Back in the day, it was fun to watch the game. They seem lazy to chase and win the ball higher up the field.
The best of the decade: Moments that defined Indian football
2010: Chhetri against Man Utd for Kansas City Wizards
The decade started with an immense high for Indian football fans when they got to see their future captain take to the field against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly. Featuring for only 21 minutes for the Kansas City Wizards, an American outfit, Chhetri battled with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Nani and Dimitar Berbatov at the Arrowhead Stadium.
He, however, did huff and puff the United defence and even took quite a few shots at United’s the-then goalkeeper Benjamin Amos, but did not manage to get his name on the scoresheet.
2013: East Bengal make it to the AFC Cup semis undefeated
Dempo SC may have been the first Indian club to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Cup in 2008 but 5 years onwards, Kolkata giants East Bengal FC did one better and reached the semis going on a 9-match unbeaten streak in the AFC Cup. It was the first time an Indian club achieved that feat but coincidentally three of the players from the 2008 Dempo squad were also in the Red and Gold team that season: Chidi Edeh, Joaquim Abranches and Abhijit Mondal.
2014: Bengaluru FC win the I-League in their very first season
Having come into existence in 2013, Bengaluru FC laid down the marker in Indian football when they lifted the I-League title in their very first season. Under the tutelage of Ashley Westwood and led by the likes of Chhetri and Sean Rooney, the Blues finished ahead of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Dempo to make history. Since then, they have lifted atleast one trophy every season which includes 2 I-Leagues, 2 Federation Cups, 1 Super Cup and 1 Indian Super League triumph.
2014: India women’s team wins the SAFF Women’s Championship
In 2009, FIFA hit the All India Football Federation with severe sanctions regarding the state of Indian football in the country. The SAFF Women’s Championship, which was started in 2010 to solve this particular crisis has seen only 1 winner since it’s inception and the Indian women’s team completed their hat-trick triumph in style in 2014 when they thrashed Nepal 6-0 in the final.
2014: ATK win the inaugural season of ISL
2014 also saw the birth of the cash-rich Indian Super League and the formation of franchises instead of clubs to play football that would also have Bollywood and entertainment served as cocktails. The idea was to fine-tune the sport as a community and several celebrities were involved in the same, with Sourav Ganguly’s ATK winning the opening edition by beating Sachin Tendulkar’s Kerala Blasters in the final.
2015: Mohun Bagan become the first Kolkata club to win the I-League
Since the reorganization and branding of the National Football League in 2007 as the I-League, no Kolkata club had managed to get their hands on the trophy. The Mariners finally ended the curse in 2015, when they ousted the defending champions Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava and ended the long wait to bring a national title back to the City of Joy.
2016: Bengaluru FC become the first Indian club to reach the AFC Cup finals
In a major achievement in Indian football history, Bengaluru FC made it to the final of the AFC CUP beating the defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in the semi-finals. The Blues eventually lost the final, but for the first time in forever Indian footballers dared to compete and excel at the international stage.
2016: GSS becomes the first Indian to feature in the UEFA Europa League
India’s number one custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu took to field for Stabaek in June 2016 knowing that he was making history. On 30th, he became the first Indian to make his bow in the UEFA Europa League as he started against Connah’s Quad Nomays FC in an away qualifier in Wales.
2017: India’s first-ever women’s professional league begins with 6 teams
After many rounds of discussions and much hullabaloo, India finally began it’s first-ever professional league with 6 teams in January 2017. All the games were played out of the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi and since then the number of teams participating has doubled to 12 in the latest season.
2017: Jeakson Singh’s Goal v Columbia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup
From Sanjeev to Jeakson to the back of the net, the move was over in a flash and history was made. The first ever Indian to score at a FIFA World Cup, Jeakson’s goal moved a nation to its heels as it hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup on it’s soil. In the end, the hosts bowed out in the group stages but fans across the nation were united in the hope that bigger and better days await Indian football.
2017: India beat Macau to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup after 8 years
India thrashed Macau 4-1 in Bangalore to seal their participation in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup with goals from Rowllin Borges, Chhetri, Jeje and an own goal to return to the main draw of the second oldest continental football competition after 8 long years.
2018: India lifts Intercontinental Cup at home beating Kenya 3-0
Following captain Chhetri’s viral plea to fans in Mumbai to come out and make their voices heard in the final of the Intercontinental Cup in 2018, India locked horns against Kenya in what was also coincidentally Chhetri’s 100th cap for India. India were the highest-ranked side in the tournament, having broken into the top 100 of the FIFA rankings only a couple of weeks earlier. He scored a brace, enlisted his name amongst the top 3 active international goalscorers alongside Ronaldo and Messi and sealed off a perfect night with a brilliant Viking Clap along with the fans from the Mumbai Football Arena.
2018: India U-20 side beats Argentina U-20
In August, the young Indian colts caused a major upset at the COTIF in Spain as they beat heavyweights Argentina 2-1. Goals from Deepak Tangri and Anwar Ali sealed the deal for Floyd Pinto and his boys as they scripted an unforgettable victory over the 6-time U-20 World Cup champions and also became the first Indian side ever to beat a Latin American football team.
2019: India beat Thailand 4-1 in the AFC Asian Cup and then again in the Kings Cup
India came close to getting out of the group stages in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup but it did not quite pan out that way. They, however, did beat Thailand in thrilling fashion in the Asian Cup and then again, a couple of months later in the Kings Cup. Thailand was a better-ranked side than India as per FIFA, so there is no doubt that those wins will serve as long-term motivation to the squad.
2019: India holds Qatar to a 0-0 draw in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Thanks to the spiderman-esque heroics of Gurpreet and some unbelievable defending and sheer luck, India eked out an outrageous 0-0 draw away to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar in September 2019 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Although the Men in Blue have failed to build on the impetus of the draw since then, the result will be a very memorable one to all those who were fortunate to watch it live.
2019: The City Football Group comes to India
In late November, the world-famous City Football Group, football’s most valuable entity and owners of clubs like Manchester City couped up a sizeable share of the ISL outfit Mumbai City FC and thus marked their foray into the Indian football scenario. It could have landmark implications on where the sport is headed in the country in the new decade, as the CFG has been known to transform clubs and their setups and infrastructure wherever they go.
Comments
Year In Review: Five key developments in Indian Football in 2019
The year will definitely be one to remember down the memory lane.
Indian football has been persistently trying to embark on an upward surge in recent times. Accordingly, the current year was quite an eventful one in that aspect.
We are almost at the halfway mark of the ongoing ISL season and the last week of the calendar year is upon us. So, it is time to sit back and look at some of the major developments that have taken place in our country’s footballing landscape this year.
Accordingly, we assess how those particular moves have the potential to upscale the level of the sport in the nation and what importance they hold in the coming times.
5. Qualification for the AFC Asian Cup 2019
Sunil Chhetri had emphasized the importance of the Indian team playing against stronger oppositions many times before. 2019 commenced on a brilliantly positive note on similar lines, with the national side qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup at the start of the year.
It was only the fourth time that they were eligible to play in the 17 editions of the tournament. The last time India played in the Asian Cup was back in 2011 and accordingly it was a historic moment for the players. The competition started brightly, as India defeated Thailand 1-4 in their opening game with Chhetri bagging a brace.
However, successive defeats against the UAE and Bahrain meant that Stephen Constatine’s men were knocked out in the group stages. Despite the early exit, the Indian team managed to register their first victory after 55 years in the tournament. Their previous win was against Hong Kong by a margin of 3-1 back on June 2, 1964.
4. Chennai City FC-FC Basel Partnership
While the ISL has been hogging all of the attention in recent times, Chennai City FC made a startling move back in February. They entered into a strategic partnership with FC Basel. For the uninformed, FC Basel are 20-time Swiss Super League champions.
They have been regular competitors in the UEFA Champions League and them entering the Indian market and buying a 26% stake in Chennai City is a huge deal for up and coming clubs who aspire to attain greater feats in Indian football. The Swiss club also offers its professional expertise in, sporting, infrastructure and legal aspects of the game. Chennai went on to win the I-League last season and such a productive collaboration should ensure that they continue on their pathway towards further success.
Later on, even Punjab FC went on to announce a 50-50 merger with RoundGlass Sports Private Limited effective from July 30, 2019.
3. Igor Stimac takes over as the head coach of India
Stephen Constantine spent four years at the helm of the Indian national team, but by the end of his tenure, there was a growing unrest that was visibly palpable. The AFC Asian Cup in January was considered to be his final major tournament and Constatine left the job thereafter.
In May, Igor Stimac was appointed as the head coach of the national team. Stimac is a Croatian World Cupper and also guided the Vatreni to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. His ongoing stint with the Indian team has been ordinary at best though, with the team finishing third in the four-nation King’s Cup that was held in July.
Later on, a historic draw against Qatar in Doha in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers was followed by some below-par performances. That means the team have won only one of the 10 matches that they have played under him so far. However, Stimac has insisted that there’s a long-term plan in place up till 2026 and hence, it would be wise to afford him enough time and freedom to try and achieve his goals.
2. The Indian Football Roadmap
The mayhem surrounding the ISL and I-League merger since the past few years had kept the followers of Indian football glued to the developments. However, in late October, the AFC recognized the Indian Super League as the country’s premier competition.
They also recommended the AIFF to open a pathway for the entry of two I-League clubs into the ISL by the end of the 2020-21 season. Moreover, the leading club at the end of the ISL league phase would be allowed to represent India in the AFC Champions League, whereas the winning I-League team would be eligible to take part in the AFC Cup.
From the 2022-23 and 2023-24 season, the I-League champions will stand a chance to be promoted to the ISL with no participation fee, provided they meet the sporting merit and AIFF’s club licensing criteria. In 2024-25, the AFC plans to implement the promotion-relegation system and abolish the two parallel leagues.
This roadmap has put forth an excellent clarity regarding the whole situation and paves the way for the future course of Indian football.
1. City Football Group’s acquisition of Mumbai City FC:
Finally, the most prominent news of the year arrived last month. The City Football Group, that owns Manchester City and seven other clubs across the world, acquired a 65% stake in Mumbai City FC. This means that they are the majority stakeholders of the Islanders, whereas the previous owners Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh would be their minority partners.
Nita Ambani, who is the chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited, was present at the event along with CFG Chief Executive, Ferran Soriano to make the landmark announcement. Mumbai City are the eighth club under the wings of the City Football Group and accordingly, in the coming years, we could see significant development in infrastructure, finances and recruitment to lead the club to their maiden ISL title.
https://khelnow.com/news/indian-football-five-key-developments-2019/
49 years of valuable lessons - the story of Kochi's 'Football Uncle' Rufus D'Souza
Time: 5:30 AM IST.
Location: Parade Ground, Fort Kochi.
Scene: An 89-year-old takes the field with a football in his hand and starts engaging in an intense conversation with a bunch of kids aged between five and fifteen.
For people in Fort Kochi, this is a common sight. The curiosity of the rest of the world can be forgiven. The veteran in the scene is Kerala's 'Football Uncle' Rufus D'Souza, who has been teaching football to kids for the last 49 years and is still up for it every morning, defying his age in style.
Uncle Rufus gets up early every morning, gets to Kochi's historic Parade Ground and conducts training from 5:30 am to 7:00 am and in the evening, on all days except Sundays, free of cost since 1940. He has played hockey and football during his career and has trained several notable footballers from Kerala, namely former India international goalkeeper Feroz Sheriff and incumbent Kerala Football Association (KFA) secretary Anil Kumar, KA Anson, Jacob Varghese - the list is long.
Rufus' mother wanted him to play basketball whereas hockey was his father's preferred choice of sport. His grandmother sorted out things to let the youngster decide for himself. He then started playing football at the very ground he conducts training every day now. It was the beginning of an eternal love affair.
Rufus went to Madras, played for one of the country's biggest matchstick company, the Western India Match Company (WIMCO) and many other clubs before landing a job at the State Bank. His entire life has revolved around the sport but how? Rufus leads a disciplined life and he wants the younger generations also to do the same. "My guru was KM Aboo. He taught me discipline. I have my issues, I am growing old, but even if it's raining, I don't use an umbrella. I don't sit down while I am on the ground. I have to go to the ground every day. It's the blessing of my teachers," Rufus spoke to Goal.
He added, "I haven't married and I don't have kids. I am trying to help everyone else' kids develop (their football skills). I don't allow kids to grow hair, I cannot stand foul language. If those rules are broken, I ask them to leave. When kids come late to training, I don't let them in. This is nothing personal, the next day, they will come on time."
And Feroze Sheriff, one of his many students, is in agreement. "What I learned from Rufus Uncle is to respect time. Punctuality was important for him. Nothing stopped him from turning up at the ground five minutes before the scheduled time. He never abused anyone. It was encouraging for us, the way he took care of his players. When we grew up, we realized the importance of his words," he told Goal.
Rufus' disciplined coaching career received the recognition it deserved in August earlier this year - he was flown to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Fit India movement. The context was apt for a man whose fitness levels will put several young footballers to shame.
"It was a surprise," the old man recollected the event. "It was related to the Fit India movement. I was sent the tickets and they gave me five-star accommodation. I went to Delhi on August 29. Not only was I able to meet the Prime Minister, but I was also able to meet several old players. It was the biggest gift of my life."
For someone so in love with the game, it might be a surprise for a few that he abstains from watching football these days. But he has his reasons.
"I don't watch football now. We have only 90 minutes in football and players these days are passing the ball backwards. Back in the day, it was fun to watch the game. They seem lazy to chase and win the ball higher up the field.
"There is no discipline in today's football. Indian football has done well when there were Indian coaches. We can't even score (do well) against Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the World Cup qualifiers. Foreign players who no one cares about are being played in our Indian leagues. There are a lot of people without football knowledge," he opined.
Having followed Indian football closely right from a young age (that's an amazing 70+ years of knowledge and understanding), Rufus' favourite Indian footballer is neither Baichung Bhutia nor IM Vijayan. His award goes to 1951 Delhi Asian Games gold medalist late Sahu Mewalal.
"Mewalal has scored more than 1000 goals including 62 hat-tricks - he has not received any recognition. He was spoken about in the same class of Maradona and Pele," Rufus brought out his memories of the player.
The 89-year-old football uncle is happy with what he has achieved in his life. But that is not going to keep him at home. Tomorrow. he will be at the Parade Ground at 5:25 AM. And if the kids are late, he will send them back.
https://www.goal.com/en-ae/news/the-story-of-kochi-football-uncle-rufus-dsouza/beaa6v1ya74r1naq03plddc1s
don't watch football now. We have only 90 minutes in football and players these days are passing the ball backwards. Back in the day, it was fun to watch the game. They seem lazy to chase and win the ball higher up the field.
Okboomer.
The best of the decade: Moments that defined Indian football
2010: Chhetri against Man Utd for Kansas City Wizards
The decade started with an immense high for Indian football fans when they got to see their future captain take to the field against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly. Featuring for only 21 minutes for the Kansas City Wizards, an American outfit, Chhetri battled with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Nani and Dimitar Berbatov at the Arrowhead Stadium.
He, however, did huff and puff the United defence and even took quite a few shots at United’s the-then goalkeeper Benjamin Amos, but did not manage to get his name on the scoresheet.
2013: East Bengal make it to the AFC Cup semis undefeated
Dempo SC may have been the first Indian club to reach the semi-finals of the AFC Cup in 2008 but 5 years onwards, Kolkata giants East Bengal FC did one better and reached the semis going on a 9-match unbeaten streak in the AFC Cup. It was the first time an Indian club achieved that feat but coincidentally three of the players from the 2008 Dempo squad were also in the Red and Gold team that season: Chidi Edeh, Joaquim Abranches and Abhijit Mondal.
2014: Bengaluru FC win the I-League in their very first season
Having come into existence in 2013, Bengaluru FC laid down the marker in Indian football when they lifted the I-League title in their very first season. Under the tutelage of Ashley Westwood and led by the likes of Chhetri and Sean Rooney, the Blues finished ahead of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Dempo to make history. Since then, they have lifted atleast one trophy every season which includes 2 I-Leagues, 2 Federation Cups, 1 Super Cup and 1 Indian Super League triumph.
2014: India women’s team wins the SAFF Women’s Championship
In 2009, FIFA hit the All India Football Federation with severe sanctions regarding the state of Indian football in the country. The SAFF Women’s Championship, which was started in 2010 to solve this particular crisis has seen only 1 winner since it’s inception and the Indian women’s team completed their hat-trick triumph in style in 2014 when they thrashed Nepal 6-0 in the final.
2014: ATK win the inaugural season of ISL
2014 also saw the birth of the cash-rich Indian Super League and the formation of franchises instead of clubs to play football that would also have Bollywood and entertainment served as cocktails. The idea was to fine-tune the sport as a community and several celebrities were involved in the same, with Sourav Ganguly’s ATK winning the opening edition by beating Sachin Tendulkar’s Kerala Blasters in the final.
2015: Mohun Bagan become the first Kolkata club to win the I-League
Since the reorganization and branding of the National Football League in 2007 as the I-League, no Kolkata club had managed to get their hands on the trophy. The Mariners finally ended the curse in 2015, when they ousted the defending champions Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava and ended the long wait to bring a national title back to the City of Joy.
2016: Bengaluru FC become the first Indian club to reach the AFC Cup finals
In a major achievement in Indian football history, Bengaluru FC made it to the final of the AFC CUP beating the defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in the semi-finals. The Blues eventually lost the final, but for the first time in forever Indian footballers dared to compete and excel at the international stage.
2016: GSS becomes the first Indian to feature in the UEFA Europa League
India’s number one custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu took to field for Stabaek in June 2016 knowing that he was making history. On 30th, he became the first Indian to make his bow in the UEFA Europa League as he started against Connah’s Quad Nomays FC in an away qualifier in Wales.
2017: India’s first-ever women’s professional league begins with 6 teams
After many rounds of discussions and much hullabaloo, India finally began it’s first-ever professional league with 6 teams in January 2017. All the games were played out of the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi and since then the number of teams participating has doubled to 12 in the latest season.
2017: Jeakson Singh’s Goal v Columbia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup
From Sanjeev to Jeakson to the back of the net, the move was over in a flash and history was made. The first ever Indian to score at a FIFA World Cup, Jeakson’s goal moved a nation to its heels as it hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup on it’s soil. In the end, the hosts bowed out in the group stages but fans across the nation were united in the hope that bigger and better days await Indian football.
2017: India beat Macau to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup after 8 years
India thrashed Macau 4-1 in Bangalore to seal their participation in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup with goals from Rowllin Borges, Chhetri, Jeje and an own goal to return to the main draw of the second oldest continental football competition after 8 long years.
2018: India lifts Intercontinental Cup at home beating Kenya 3-0
Following captain Chhetri’s viral plea to fans in Mumbai to come out and make their voices heard in the final of the Intercontinental Cup in 2018, India locked horns against Kenya in what was also coincidentally Chhetri’s 100th cap for India. India were the highest-ranked side in the tournament, having broken into the top 100 of the FIFA rankings only a couple of weeks earlier. He scored a brace, enlisted his name amongst the top 3 active international goalscorers alongside Ronaldo and Messi and sealed off a perfect night with a brilliant Viking Clap along with the fans from the Mumbai Football Arena.
2018: India U-20 side beats Argentina U-20
In August, the young Indian colts caused a major upset at the COTIF in Spain as they beat heavyweights Argentina 2-1. Goals from Deepak Tangri and Anwar Ali sealed the deal for Floyd Pinto and his boys as they scripted an unforgettable victory over the 6-time U-20 World Cup champions and also became the first Indian side ever to beat a Latin American football team.
2019: India beat Thailand 4-1 in the AFC Asian Cup and then again in the Kings Cup
India came close to getting out of the group stages in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup but it did not quite pan out that way. They, however, did beat Thailand in thrilling fashion in the Asian Cup and then again, a couple of months later in the Kings Cup. Thailand was a better-ranked side than India as per FIFA, so there is no doubt that those wins will serve as long-term motivation to the squad.
2019: India holds Qatar to a 0-0 draw in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Thanks to the spiderman-esque heroics of Gurpreet and some unbelievable defending and sheer luck, India eked out an outrageous 0-0 draw away to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar in September 2019 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Although the Men in Blue have failed to build on the impetus of the draw since then, the result will be a very memorable one to all those who were fortunate to watch it live.
2019: The City Football Group comes to India
In late November, the world-famous City Football Group, football’s most valuable entity and owners of clubs like Manchester City couped up a sizeable share of the ISL outfit Mumbai City FC and thus marked their foray into the Indian football scenario. It could have landmark implications on where the sport is headed in the country in the new decade, as the CFG has been known to transform clubs and their setups and infrastructure wherever they go.
https://thebridge.in/best-decade-moments-defined-indian-football/
I guess this was something that @Carbon_14 was looking for...top 10 major defining moments of the decade.
IFN members can come up with their own views and suggestions