Mano Marquez quits as India football head coach after mutual agreement with AIFF
The AIFF Executive Committee, in its meeting, agreed to relieve the 56-year-old Marquez after he expressed his desire to do so despite one year still left in his contract.
"The AIFF and Manolo decided to mutually part ways without any financial implications to any of the two parties. So, he is relieved from being India coach. The AIFF will shortly advertise for the post of head coach," AIFF Deputy Secretary General K Satyanarayana told PTI.
The Spaniard was appointed as head coach in June 2024 for a two-year tenure. He worked in a dual role last year as he was also the head coach of Indian Super League side FC Goa in 2024-25 season.
India lost 0-1 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers on June 10, which left the country in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece in 2027.
India logged just one win from their last eight matches under Marquez's tutelage, the lone victory coming against Maldives in March.
This year, India have so far played four matches, out of which they have won one, drew another, and lost two. The poor results prompted the return of former skipper and iconic striker Sunil Chhetri to the squad but that has done little to improve the team's fortunes.
India's next scheduled international match is an away fixture against Singapore in the third round of Asian Cup qualifiers.
According to sources, Marquez, who took over from Croatian Igor Stimac, had informed the AIFF his desire to quit sometime back -- even before the June 10 match against Hong Kong -- but could not do so unilaterally as he needed an agreement with the AIFF.
Marquez has been one of the longest serving foreign coaches in Indian football, having managed multiple Indian clubs. He has secured trophies, including the Super Cup and the ISL Cup.
His tenure of one year is the shortest among Indian head coaches in the last decade -- Stephen Constantine was India head coach from 2015–2019 before Igor Stimac (2019−2024).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
30 minutes ago
- India.com
Shubman Gill Mirrors Virat Kohli With Jubilant Roar After Century At Edgbaston
Edgbaston roared once again — this time for Shubman Gill. India's newly appointed Test captain made a powerful statement with the bat on Day 1 of the second Test against England, slamming an authoritative century and celebrating it with a roar that evoked memories of Virat Kohli's iconic celebration at the same venue in 2018. The 24-year-old didn't just score runs—he stamped his authority, silenced critics, and reignited India's hopes with a masterclass in composure, grit, and flair. THE ROAR OF THE CAPTAINS. - 2018 Virat Kohli at Edgbaston. - 2025 Shubman Gill at Edgbaston. — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 2, 2025 Shubman Gill century with a control % of 96.5 is the best ever for a player in England since records began — optimus (@veerja77) July 2, 2025 A Captain's Knock Under Pressure After England opted to bowl first at a lively Edgbaston surface, the pressure was squarely on the Indian top order. KL Rahul departed early, but Shubman Gill—batting with the calm of a veteran and the intent of a young leader—anchored the innings. Partnering briefly with Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Karun Nair, Gill weathered England's early burst before unfurling his trademark elegance. Facing criticism about his technique in English conditions, Gill responded with his second consecutive century in the series—this time a gritty, 199-ball ton brought up with a commanding sweep off Joe Root. As the ball sped past backward square leg, Gill let out a primal scream—"Come on!"—raising his bat and helmet, and taking a bow as the Edgbaston crowd erupted. The moment was instantly compared to Kohli's thunderous celebration in 2018 when he had conquered his English demons with a knock of 149 at the same ground. Stats, Records, and a Slice of History With this innings, Shubman Gill joined a club reserved for India's greatest captains. He became: The fourth Indian captain to score hundreds in each of his first two Tests as skipper, following Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar, and Vijay Hazare. The third Indian captain to hit centuries in consecutive Tests against England, after Hazare (1951-52) and Mohammad Azharuddin (1990). The fifth Indian batter to register three straight Test tons against England, joining the elite list of Azharuddin, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Rahul Dravid. The only Indian to score centuries on Day 1 of a Test match in England on two separate occasions—at Headingley and now at Edgbaston. This isn't just a run of form—it's a statement of intent from a player stepping into leadership with poise and purpose. England Fights Back Late on Day 1 Despite Gill's unbeaten 114 and Jaiswal's attacking 87, England clawed their way back into the contest. Chris Woakes, lethal with the new ball, bowled four consecutive maidens and dismissed KL Rahul early. Brydon Carse removed Karun Nair just before lunch, halting India's momentum. Post-lunch, Ben Stokes outfoxed Jaiswal with a tempting delivery that induced a misjudged stroke, while Shoaib Bashir trapped Rishabh Pant in the very next over. Nitish Reddy followed soon after, courtesy of another sharp Woakes delivery. From a promising 200 for 2, India found themselves slightly dented at 310 for 5 at stumps. Ravindra Jadeja's calm presence (41 off 67) ensured India closed Day 1 with some stability, but the match remains delicately poised heading into Day 2. Expert Take: Leadership Beyond Runs While Gill's technique, footwork, and shot selection were all textbook, what stood out was his emotional intelligence and body language. Taking over the Test captaincy is no small task, especially on a challenging tour of England. Yet, Gill has embraced the responsibility, not just with the bat, but with the fire and passion fans often associate with Kohli. The roar was more than a celebration—it was a message. Gill is no longer just the future of Indian cricket; he's very much its present.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
WATCH: Vaibhav Suryavanshi falls just short of Rishabh Pant's record, smashes 20-ball fifty in U19 ODI vs England
Vaibhav Suryavanshi. New Delhi: Vaibhav Suryavanshi is also in top shape with India U19 busy playing an ODI series against the hosts England U19 players. Having broken the quickfire-knock of 48 and 45 in the respective first and second game, Suryavanshi rose to the occasion against the third ODI game at Northampton with a scorching 86 runs off 31 balls. He brought up his half-century in the 20 th delivery, becoming the second-fastest Indian U-19 batsman to achieve this feat. It remains the record of Rishabh Pant who scored a fifty of 18 balls against Nepal in 2016. Vaibhav Suryavanshi's innings included nine sixes and six fours. Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashes back to back sixes! 🥶🔥 — Sports Culture (@SportsCulture24) July 2, 2025 Suryavansi's strong performance Suryavanshi, who narrowly missed fifties in his last two games as he was dismissed in the 40s, made the breakthrough performance to the game and scored a career-defining knock. He ripped apart the England bowling attack scoring 86 of only 31 balls as India won the game with 4 wickets and 34.3 overs in hand chasing the target of 268/6. His explosive knocks comprised of six boundaries and nine humongous sixes, the second most sixes in an U-19 ODI by an Indian batter, beating the previous record of eight sixes, set by Mandeep Singh. India experienced a hiccup in the middle overs as they collapsed to 199/ 6 by the 24 th over. But a late unbeaten cameo of 43 runs off 42 balls by bowling all-rounder Kanishk Chouhan, who had already taken 3 wickets at the cost of 30 runs, turned it around on its head. He together with RS Ambrish all 31 not out) put on a match-winning 75-run partnership to get India over the line. Suryavanshi shredded all bowlers that faced him and his motive could not have been clearer. He dominated initially, blasted right-arm pacer Sebastian Morgan with two sixes in the third over.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Sourav Ganguly Raises Serious Questions On Gautam Gambhir's India XI vs England: "Not Sure 2 Best Spinners Are..."
The Indian cricket team combination for the second Test against England was a hot topic of debate on Wednesday with the side having three new names - Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep. The trio did not play the first Test in Leeds. There was anticipation that in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav might get a chance for the second Test in Birmingham. However, that was not the case as Jadeja and Sundar were included as the two spinners. Sourav Ganguly raised genuine concerns over the two spinners who are playing. "I am not sure whether India are playing their two best spinners. England have fielded first, I am surprised with that. I think this is India's best possible chance at the moment. Put runs on the board and hopefully it works out," Sourav Ganguly said during the Tea break on Day 1 of the 1st India vs England Test. Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricket team captain, was unhappy with the side's combination for the second Test against England that started in Birmingham on Wednesday. "I'm a little baffled that Kuldeep wasn't picked, because on a pitch like this, where everybody says there's a little more turn," said on Sony Sports (via Sportskeeda) "If your top-order batters are not giving you the runs you expect, then Washington at seven or Nitish Reddy at eight won't necessarily fix that, because those weren't the batters who failed you in the first Test. You scored 830 runs. You didn't score 380 in two innings — it was 830-plus. That's a lot of runs. "So, where you needed strengthening was in the wicket-taking department, not so much in the batting." Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed disbelief at India's decision to rest a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against England, asserting that the pace spearhead should not have been given the option to sit out of a crucial game. India, enduring a rough patch in Test cricket since October last year, have managed just one win in their last nine matches, marking their worst run in over a decade. Shubman Gill and his men lost the opening Test against England by five wickets in Leeds.
