Manolo Marquez: Meet the new head coach of the Indian Football Team who replaced Igor Stimac

The speculation over who will become the next head coach of the Indian Football team has finally come to an end. Manolo Marquez has been appointed as the successor to Igor Stimac, as confirmed by the All India Football Federation on Saturday evening.

The Spaniard, who has been part of the Indian football scene since 2020, is currently the head coach of FC Goa. He will continue in this dual role until the end of the 2024-25 season, after which he will exclusively take charge of the national team once his club contract expires next summer.

So, who is Manolo Marquez, and why was he chosen from a pool of candidates for the top football job in India? Let’s delve deeper.

Born in Barcelona, Marquez spent most of his playing career as a defender in the lower leagues of Spain. Retiring at the age of 28, he transitioned to coaching, starting with PD Anguera, the last club he played for.

Marquez managed various teams across the lower divisions before getting a taste of top-flight football on a temporary basis with Las Palmas. He then had brief stints in Israel and Thailand before arriving in India with Hyderabad FC in 2020. His impact was immediate.

Not only did he implement an attractive style of play, but he also gave opportunities to numerous Indian youngsters. In his first Indian Super League season, he led the Nizams to a fifth-place finish, narrowly missing out on the playoffs by just two points.

In the following season, Marquez tasted success as Hyderabad won the Indian Super League Play-offs, defeating Kerala Blasters in the final on penalties. He spent another season with the club, guiding them to their second successive top-four finish, before moving to FC Goa on a two-year contract last year.

Last season, the Gaurs finished third in the league stage, just three points behind champions, Mohun Bagan Super Giants. Ever since his title-winning season with Hyderabad, there have been calls for Marquez to take charge of the national team. Now that this has come to fruition, there is hope that the Blue Tigers can turn over a new leaf under his leadership.