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Mint
a day ago
- Sport
- Mint
Football: A turning point for India's Blue Tigresses
Chances are you didn't see the biggest thing to happen to Indian football in recent times. After all, it wasn't beamed on live television or picked up by any of the plethora of streaming services. When India played Thailand earlier this month, in a match that would decide their fate for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup football and keep their World Cup dream alive, it was only streamed live on the Changsuek YouTube Channel and Thai Women's Football Facebook Page. Most of India was hence tuned out as the national women's football team made history. They defeated Thailand, a team ranked 24 places above them in the FIFA rankings, 2-1 on 5 July to qualify for the Asian Cup for the very first time. Yes, India had played the showpiece continental event before —in 2003, when they competed directly in the main draw, and then in 2022, when they were given an automatic spot as hosts but had to leave the tournament due to a covid-19 outbreak in the team. But this was the first Indian side to earn their place in the line-up, that includes football powerhouses like Japan, Australia and South Korea. To get there, they defeated Thailand, a team they had never beaten before in front of their home crowd at the Chiang Mai Stadium. 'It is sad," says India's most-capped player Loitongbam Ashalata Devi, who sat out the tournament as she is recovering from an ankle injury. 'That we had to watch it on the Facebook page of the rival team. But this is why the success of the Indian team is so important. No one will support us till we prove ourselves." The Indian women's team is no stranger to indifference. Though not the most competent of bodies, the All India Football Federation's governance of the women's game was shambolic till recently. The first top-flight club tournament, the Indian Women's League (IWL), was only founded in 2016. National camps were few and far between. In 2023, the IWL took place after the completion of the more popular men's Indian Super League and were made to play in the afternoon in April in the sweltering heat in Ahmedabad. Things have improved in the last couple of years. The IWL now takes place over four months, rather than the 18 days it started out with. Participating clubs have adopted a more professional approach and have boosted player salaries. Players like Manisha Kalyan, Soumya Gugoloth and Jyoti Chauhan earned contracts with European clubs and brought back all that knowledge and experience. Even now, Ashalata points out, most of the national team members have to take up government jobs to sustain themselves. This is what the Indian team that played in Thailand was battling for, a lost past and a better future. The team was as prepared as they had ever been. A two-month national camp under the guidance of new coach Crispin Chhetri, and international friendlies had helped them get ready for the challenge ahead. The 'Blue Tigresses" started their journey by ripping through the competition. They defeated Mongolia 13-0, Timor Leste 4-0 and Iraq 5-0 in their first three Group B matches to set up a tantalising decider. Going into the final match against the hosts, India were dead level with Thailand on nine points and goal difference of +22. It was a virtual knockout against an opponent they had never beaten. Thailand were seeking their 10th Asian Cup qualification and had been to the World Cup twice, in 2015 and 2019. 'That morning, we did our prep, had the team meeting," says defender Sweety Devi Ngangbam, who captained the Indian team in the match against Thailand. 'We knew this was the one chance in our life to go through. We believed in each other, knew we had a great chance with this group." 'There was no room for error, we had to do this," the 25-year-old adds. 'I was lucky that my father was a football coach, pushed me into the game and supported me throughout. But I have seen so many players struggle. Most of them have to battle their families and society just to play the game. Then, they have to deal with things like lack of funds, of access to grounds or a proper diet. So many had to face these challenges, we knew we needed to do this for the future generation of players." This was a team on a mission. Sangita Basfore gave them the lead in the 29th minute. But Thailand came back hard in the second half and scored through Chatchawan Rodhong in the 47th minute. After Basfore secured a lead for India once again, in the 74th minutes, the Indian team protected their lead gallantly, throwing bodies in defence as Thailand mounted one attack after another. Once the final whistle blew, the Indian team erupted in joy, then melted down in tears. 'We kept hugging, and reassuring ourselves that we had done it," says Sweety Devi. While qualifying for the Asian Cup for the first time in 23 years is a historic achievement indeed, the endgame for this team is the World Cup. The AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia will serve as a qualifying event, with the top six teams progressing to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. 'This could be a turning point in women's football in India," says Ashalata, 32. 'The road to World Cup is open." The dream is on. Hopefully, there may be a few more takers this time. Deepti Patwardhan is a sportswriter based in Mumbai
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"Never Imagined That...": Aditi Chauhan Reflects On Her Retirement From Football
Aditi Chauhan says she didn't know that a national women's football team existed in India when she kicked the ball for the first time. Nearly two decades later, she retires as a trailblazer, having become the first Indian woman to play professional football in Europe. "Playing football, I didn't know there was a national team first of all. So I started because of the fun of the game," the 32-year-old recalled in an interview with PTI Videos. "When I started, I never imagined that, you know, everything that I achieved... it was not even a dream that I could imagine," she said. Chauhan is not entering full-time coaching immediately but is open to helping out the next generation of players achieve their goals in top-flight football and for that, she is pursuing professional courses. The former India women's team goalkeeper, who has announced her retirement from the game after a career spanning 17 years, during which time she has won many laurels with the national team as well as with her clubs, now wants to focus on developing new players. "I would love to. These last few years also, I've been mentoring the other goalkeepers. I enjoy that role," she said. She's completed her goalkeeping level 1 coaching course and wants to do more. "I don't want to commit that I want to get into coaching. But yes, I would definitely like to help out," the former India women's number one custodian said. During a successful international career, Chauhan, who caught everyone's attention after being signed up by West Ham United for the Women's Super League in England in 2015, donned the India jersey 57 times and, among others, was part of the senior teams that won the SAFF Women's Championship in 2012, 2016 and 2019. She has also won gold medals at the South Asian Games. But it wasn't just the highs that defined her career. After suffering two ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries, Chauhan fought her way back to the field to reclaim "something personal". "Last year when I came back from my second ACL and played the IWL, my whole reason for coming back... was to find that joy again. I didn't want to leave football on a sour note with an injury," said the former India shot stopper. "There were other goalkeepers playing. So, I had to again earn that spot in starting 11... I knew that once I'm back on the field, I'll earn my number one spot. And I did." She spent two seasons with West Ham before returning to India in early 2018, and then joined Gokulam Kerala FC for the 2019-20 Indian Women's League (IWL). At the domestic level, Chauhan won the IWL title with Gokulam Kerala FC in 2019-20 and 2021-22 besides reaching the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Club Championship and securing a third-place finish. She led a young team from the bottom of the table to a top-three finish in the IWL. But even as she performed at the highest level, retirement loomed. "I felt as long as I'm playing, I'll always compete for number one spot. And that means that no one else will be able to... So that was also a part of that decision to kind of step aside and let the young guns take it from here," she added. Asked about the national women's team qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup recently, she said, "I truly believe we can make it to the World Cup if we have the right planning and on-ground execution of things. This is the result of the preparation that we did for the Asia Cup and I think it is beautiful." Her initiative 'SheKicks' is committed to building a professional ecosystem for young female footballers in the country. "If I had the right professional setup around me, I wouldn't have to retire... I don't want a youngster to feel that way. That they didn't have the right resources, that's why they couldn't achieve their full potential," she said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
25 female footballers sharing an apartment, now in India's top division: Story of Garhwal FC
Garhwal FC (Special arrangements) NEW DELHI: 25 young female footballers sharing seven rooms in a Noida apartment doesn't paint a pretty picture, does it? Along with the staff, they cook their food, train every day, and live like a family. This is the home of Garhwal FC, a women's team from Delhi that just completed an unbeaten domestic season, winning all 24 of their matches across three tournaments. Even when big sponsors, camps abroad or a share of the spotlight are alien to them, their coach Akshay Unni's five-year plan to lead Garhwal FC to the top division, Indian Women's League (IWL), has come to fruition a year before schedule, culminating in an inspirational four years from finishing second-last in the Delhi Women's League to now preparing to go toe-toe with the best teams in the country. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Despite a "very bad" back injury ending his playing days and forcing him to work in a corporate job, Akshay eventually chose to follow his passion. Troubled with the pain of his injury, even after opting for a career far from the football pitch, Akshay says, 'If I have to suffer anyway, why not do something I love?' 'From day one, it was not just about football. It was about making better people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Turn Nervous Into Natural – Book a Free Demo Today Planet Spark Book Now Undo If we get that right, football becomes easier to teach,' Akshay, who started working with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools (BBFS) back in 2017, coaching kids aged 6 to 10 and later training the IIT Delhi football team, adds. From qualifying for the Indian Women's League to not dropping a single game, the side has scripted history in its own way, almost eight years after Akshay made the switch from advertising to football coaching. 'No one told me what to do' It all started in 2021, when Akshay got the opportunity to take charge of the Garhwal FC women's team, a BBFS-affiliated club. With a minute budget of Rs. 10–15k, he kicked off his journey. 'But I was given full freedom,' he recalls. 'No one told me what to do. They just said, 'It's yours. Build it.'' Though, the results did not follow the anticipation, with the team finishing second-last in the league that year. BBFS had centres across India, and in them, he saw the potential to build a team that stood a fighting chance. Garhwal FC (Special arrangements) Fast forward to another season, and the team finished second in the Delhi League. 'The girls had to travel 2–3 hours to reach training,' he remembers. 'We didn't have the best accommodation. But we had belief. And the girls knew — wherever they went, we went with them. That trust kept us going.' In 2023, when Garhwal FC came heartbreakingly close to qualifying for the second division of the Indian Women's League (IWL), captain Sanfida Nongrum, a 20-year-old midfielder, echoed the same drive and determination, akin to the rest of her teammates. Speaking to the No. 10 said, "In 2023, we lost by one point because we took it very casually. We learnt from that. I'm glad that we lost, because we got to learn." She highlighted the L&D (Learning and Discussion) sessions, a two-hour session every Wednesday, where the CEO, Kishore Taid, comes to have discussions on ownership, honesty, trust, happiness, and anyone can ask anything. The change in mindset wasn't just restricted to their captain. The other players, too, made changes. They gave up junk food, cut down on sugar and limited their screen time to under two hours per day for four months. A Noida residence, melting pot of cultures With players from across the country, their residence in Noida is a melting pot of cultures. Sanifda, who only learnt Hindi in the last six months or so, now also knows a lot of Bihari, owing to the songs played on loop by her friend and teammate Shruti, who is from Bihar. The 2024 season is where everything clicked for them. Garhwal FC won all 24 matches they played across the Delhi Futsal League, Delhi Women's League, and IWL 2. To put their dominance and technical superiority into context, it is the respective state champions that participate in the IWL 2, where they played 8, won all 8, scored 28 and conceded just once. Garhwal FC (Special arrangements) Striker Lhingdeikim ended the season as top scorer, bagging an impressive 12 goals in the IWL 2 and as many in the Delhi Women's League. What's more? Many of the players who joined as teenagers are now 18, and seven of them are in India's U-21 team. 'What was the first vision? We can actually develop young girls to develop this club and make them reach India level,' the manager explains. When asked about what the toughest part of his team's inspirational journey was, 'staying consistent' was the immediate answer. 'It's easy to say you'll quit sugar or train every day. But after two days, you realise it's difficult. That's the hard part,' he notes. 'When the period hits, it's difficult' As a coach, his role isn't restricted to the pitch and training sessions either. 'Everybody came from different backgrounds, so we had girls from 10 states. They will be motivated for 20 days of the month, but when the period hits, it's going to be difficult. For the first 2-3 days, you will have to let them cut off, and you cannot push them when they aren't at their best,' the coach adds. 'Three or four girls cry in front of me every other day. My job as a coach or my team's job as staff officials was to, without scolding them or being hard on them, how can we make them understand,' added Akshay. Poll What do you think is the most important factor in Garhwal FC's success? Strong team spirit Effective coaching Commitment to training Supportive infrastructure Now, Garhwal are preparing for their biggest challenge yet, competing in the Indian Women's League. It's a tougher format with home and away matches and considerably stronger teams. After all, in the coach's words, to teach them (his players) to be good human beings is the priority. Playing good football is a by-product. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Nepal captain Sabitra Bhandari signed by A-League club Wellington Phoenix
The captain of the Nepalese women's football team Sabitra Bhandari has signed with A-League club Wellington Phoenix until the end of the 2026-27 season. 'Sabitra, a national icon and Nepal's all-time leading goal scorer. Her leadership, experience, and on-field excellence will be invaluable both on and off the pitch,' the club wrote in a post on Instagram. Bhandari recently led the national team in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, where Nepal fell short after losing a decisive match against Uzbekistan on penalties. She has previously played for Indian Women's League (IWL) side Gokulam Kerala. Bhandari is currently the all-time top-scorer in IWL. Related Topics Sabitra Bhandari
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Raman Vijayan named Gokulam Kerala women's team head coach
Raman Vijayan (right) with N Sivasakthi CHENNAI: Former India men's international Raman Vijayan has forayed into women's football. Vijayan was on Wednesday appointed the head coach of three-time Indian Women's League (IWL) champions Gokulam Kerala FC. While ending Gokulam's IWL trophy wait is high on the Tamil Nadu man's agenda – they finished runners-up in the last two seasons – he is approaching the task with a broader view. The upcoming IWL season is likely to run from September to January. 'Every management recruits a coach with the target of winning a title, so it (bagging the IWL trophy) is the primary goal. But I am looking beyond that,' Vijayan, who last served as the assistant coach of Indian Super League (ISL) club Chennaiyin FC, told TOI. 'In the last few years, teams with good squads went on to win the IWL; the results were based on the strength of the squads. I would like to create a difference there. I want to play an attacking brand of football irrespective of the personnel we have. People must look at our team and say: 'Can girls deliver such a style?' I will put in all the effort to achieve it. To get there, support from the club and continuity are important,' said the former India forward. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Lợi ích khi giao dịch CFD Bitcoin IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Vijayan's lack of coaching experience in women's football is not proving to be a hindrance as he strives to turn into a 'trend-setter'. Add to it the fact that he will be the chief coach of a top-level team for the first time in his career. 'My ambition is to deliver proper football; more than winning titles and matches, I want to introduce a trend that Indian women's football has never seen. It should help Indian football on the whole as well; I want to create a team from which about five players can go and play for the national team in the future,' added Vijayan. On why he chose to venture into the women's game, Vijayan said: 'I had offers to become an assistant coach again, but I decided that I would only take up head coach's role upon returning from a break (he was away since the end of the 2023-24 season). I was fine with the I-League or IWL. Indian women's football has been on the rise recently, so I felt that it was the right time to take up a role in the IWL.' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
