In the ISL too, we had a terrible season last time but once we knew that we could not finish in the top four and the playoffs, it didn't matter where we finished sixth, eighth or bottom." International moves "You can win the I-League but you don't get into the ISL, so there is no incentive for clubs to do better. Even as an owner in the ISL, Jindal wants movement between the leagues. There would be other benefits to doing so. The AIFF has promised to change this for the 2024-25 season. With no promotion or relegation between the ISL and the rest of the football leagues, there is no path for clubs from these states to rise to the top tier. Big states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are not represented in the league." "There is little presence in the central or northern areas. "The ISL does not represent the entire country with most clubs from the south, east or west,"said Jindal. Hundreds of millions of potential fans and sponsors are left without a team to support. The popularity of the game has spread beyond the traditional centers of Kolkata, Mumbai and the south of the country but the league does not fully reflect this growth. I have been involved in it and the level of Indian players has improved quite drastically."Ĭricket remains by far the most popular sport in IndiaĪnother reason to grow the ISL is so that it covers the whole Indian subcontinent.
"There were various things in place in terms of coaches and sports scientists.
#Indian national team professional#
"You could see the professional structure improve straight away with the establishment of the ISL," said Rihal. This has had results, according to Baljit Rihal, CEO of Inventive Sports, an agency that specializes in Indian football. "Clubs are investing in grassroots in India now and that wasn't happening before." Perhaps most importantly, ISL teams are laying the groundwork for future success, according to Jindal. "It is being televised well and has brought a lot more awareness." The kids are the future "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.