Khalid Jamil appointed Indian Football Team head coach

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI): Khalid Jamil has officially taken charge of the Indian senior men's football team, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Wednesday. He will lead the team for a two-year term with the option to extend for an additional year based on performance.

Khalid Jamil's appointment follows his departure from his role at Indian Super League (ISL) club, Jamshedpur FC. He is set to commence his tenure with a training camp starting August 15 at the Dravid-Padukone Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.

His first competitive challenge with the "Blue Tigers" will be the CAFA Nations Cup. In Group B, India will face Tajikistan on August 29, Iran on September 1, and Afghanistan on September 4. In the October FIFA International Window, India will face critical AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying matches against Singapore on October 9 and 14.

Jamil expressed his sentiments by saying, "I am both deeply proud and immensely privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading our national team. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to train Indian players, and I've grown to understand their strengths and weaknesses intimately. These insights will be fundamental to everything we do as we prepare for the CAFA Nations Cup and the upcoming crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore."

Jamil takes over from Manolo Marquez, following his contract's termination by the AIFF the previous month. Notably, Jamil becomes the first Indian since Savio Medeira in 2012 to lead the men's national team.

With a robust background in Indian football, Jamil has extensive coaching experience in the ISL and I-League with teams such as Jamshedpur FC, NorthEast United FC, Aizawl FC, East Bengal FC, Mohun Bagan AC, and Mumbai FC. His crowning achievement was leading Aizawl FC to an unbelievable I-League title in the 2016-17 season.

The 48-year-old's recent tenure with Jamshedpur FC was marked by notable performances, including reaching the finals of the 2025 Super Cup and semi-finals in the 2024-25 ISL play-offs and the 2024 Super Cup.

As a former India international, Jamil earned 15 caps. He debuted in the 1997 SAFF Championship in Nepal, where India prevailed as champions and was part of the squads for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and the 2001 Merdeka Tournament.

In his club career, Jamil tasted success with Mahindra United, winning the National Football League, two Federation Cups, and two IFA Shields. He also played for Air India and Mumbai FC.

In the Santosh Trophy, he represented Maharashtra, clinching the title in 1999.

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