Breaking : New Era Of Indian Football Begins As Khalid Jamil Appointed New Head Coach Of Indian Mens Team
Manolo Exit, Jamil In
Jamil steps in following the departure of Manolo Marquez, who left the position last month after a winless spell that lasted over a year of competitive matches. His selection comes from a final shortlist of three candidates, which also included former national team coach Stephen Constantine and Slovakian manager Stefan Tarkovic. The AIFF's Technical Committee, with input from national team director Subrata Pal, made the recommendation on July 22.
The AIFF Executive Committee, in the presence of the Technical Committee, has approved the appointment of Khalid Jamil as the new head coach of the Senior India Men's National Team.#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/R1FQ61pyr4 — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) August 1, 2025
Why was he chosen?
Their decision was influenced by a desire for a coach who could better relate to the players' cultural background and understand the domestic football ecosystem factors that worked in Jamil's favour.
Who Is Jamil?
Jamil, 49, was born in Kuwait and has achieved success in Indian football both as a player and a coach. He won the top-tier league with Mahindra United in 2005 and later led Aizawl FC to an iconic I-League title in 2017, its first and only top-flight championship. This title win remains one of Indian football's most remarkable stories.
He is a holder of the AFC Pro License, Jamil has managed clubs across the I-League, I-League 2, and the Indian Super League (ISL). Most recently, he took charge of Jamshedpur FC midway through the 2023–24 season and guided the team to the Super Cup semifinals. In the following season, Jamshedpur finished as ISL semifinalists and runners-up in the league phase. He remains under contract with Jamshedpur FC until 2026 and is expected to stay with the club through the end of the 2025 Durand Cup, where the team has reached the quarterfinals.
First assignment
Jamil's first challenge as head coach will come quickly. India is scheduled to face defending champions Iran and 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalist Tajikistan later this month in the CAFA Nations Cup. Although the tournament falls outside the FIFA window, the national team is expected to have most players available due to a one-week break between the Durand Cup final and the tournament's opening match.
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