India’s Football Journey Begins Anew Under Marquez in Intercontinental Cup

The Indian men’s national football team is ready to embark on a new journey under head coach Manolo Marquez in the three-nation Intercontinental Cup. The tournament, scheduled to take place in Hyderabad from September 3rd to 9th, marks a fresh start for the Blue Tigers following the departure of their long-time coach, Igor Stimac. Marquez, who holds special memories in Hyderabad after leading Hyderabad FC to the Indian Super League (ISL) title in 2021-22, faces a daunting task.

The Indian team currently languishes at 124th in the official FIFA rankings and has been eliminated from contention for the 2026 World Cup. Adding to the challenges, they will be without the services of veteran striker Sunil Chhetri, who recently announced his retirement from international football after a remarkable 20-year career.

This will be the fourth edition of the Intercontinental Cup since its inception in 2018. India has previously triumphed in the tournament in 2018 and 2023, with the other two editions held in Ahmedabad and Bhubaneshwar.

The tournament will see India face two opponents: Syria and Mauritius. Syria, ranked 93rd in the FIFA rankings, poses a familiar threat. The two nations last met in the group stages of the AFC Asian Cup in January, where Syria emerged victorious with a lone goal from Omar Khribin. India and Syria have a history of close contests, with each team securing three wins in their seven previous encounters. Their last meeting in the Intercontinental Cup, in 2019, resulted in a 1-1 draw. India will clash with Syria on September 9th in the final match of the tournament.

Mauritius, on the other hand, arrives in high spirits after defeating Eswatini in the first round of the FIFA World Cup African qualifiers in June. India and Mauritius have met only once previously, in a friendly match in 2017, where India emerged victorious with a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Robin Singh and Balwant Singh. The Blue Tigers will open their Intercontinental Cup campaign against the 179th-ranked Mauritius on September 3rd.

Fixtures (Kick-off at 7:30 p.m. IST):

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September 3:

India vs Mauritius
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September 6:

Syria vs Mauritius
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September 9:

India vs Syria

As the Indian team prepares for these challenges, the Intercontinental Cup presents a crucial platform for Marquez to implement his vision and rebuild the squad for future endeavors. The tournament will be keenly observed as a measure of the team’s progress and a glimpse into what the future holds for Indian football.