Bengaluru: Indian football is seeing a fresh wave of confidence with the rise of homegrown coaches Khalid Jamil and Naushad Moosa. Both men were in focus at a recent press conference in Bengaluru, where the All India Football Federation (AIFF) praised their recent successes and outlined future plans.
Khalid Jamil, appointed as the first Indian head coach of the senior men’s national team in 13 years, guided India to a bronze medal in their debut campaign at the CAFA Nations Cup. The team registered memorable wins against Oman and Tajikistan before finishing third, a result described by AIFF Vice President NA Haris as historic. Jamil stressed the importance of full support from clubs to ensure players are available for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers against Singapore.
U23 men’s head coach Naushad Moosa also earned plaudits for his team’s spirited performance in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers. Although they narrowly missed out on qualification, Moosa underlined the value of the experience gained and set his sights on building a competitive squad for the Asian Games in Japan next year. He said the disappointment of missing out has only strengthened the team’s resolve to achieve greater results.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey emphasized that Jamil’s achievements prove Indian coaches are as capable as their foreign counterparts, calling his success a landmark moment for Indian football. The recognition of both Jamil and Moosa highlights the growing role of Indian coaches at the highest levels of the game.
