Stimac Appeals to Prime Minister for Support in Advancing Indian Football Team’s Progress

India head coach Igor Stimac has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the national football team’s participation at the upcoming Asian Games. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had planned for Stimac to take an Under-23 side to the event in Hangzhou, starting from September 23. However, the Indian football team does not meet the Sports Ministry’s criteria for being ranked among the top 8 sides, which means they are set to miss the continental event. Stimac has reached out to Prime Minister Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, stating that the U-17 team from 2017, which performed well at the U-23 World Cup qualifiers, deserves to participate. Stimac argues that the reasons given for their exclusion are unjust, and football is a sport where a lower-ranked team can still beat top-ranked teams. The coach believes that if the team receives support from all stakeholders, they can achieve greater success and even participate in prestigious tournaments like the FIFA World Cup. There is a provision in the Sports Ministry’s instructions that could give hope to the football squad if an expert opinion supports their participation. Last week, Prime Minister Modi mentioned French footballer Kylian Mbappe’s popularity among Indian youth and appealed on behalf of the Indian football fraternity to allow the team to participate in the Asian Games.