AIFF parts ways with Indian football team head coach Manolo Marquez

Manolo Marquez’s tenure as head coach of the Indian men’s senior national football team has come to an end after a mutual agreement to part ways with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The announcement was made following an Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday, where the decision to terminate Marquez’s contract was finalised. This move came a day after the AIFF Technical Committee recommended a fresh recruitment process through open applications to appoint a new head coach. Marquez’s stint lasted less than a year, during which he juggled responsibilities between the national side and FC Goa for ten months. 

A disappointing run marked by goal-scoring woes

Marquez’s time in charge included just eight matches, yielding only one victory — a 3-0 win over the Maldives in a friendly earlier this year. India suffered three defeats, against Syria, Thailand, and Hong Kong, while managing four draws with Mauritius, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. A significant concern during his tenure was India’s lack of attacking potency. The national team failed to score in five of those matches and netted just five goals overall — three of which came against a Maldives side that had not played competitive football in months.

Costly defeats and a slipping Asian Cup dream

The final straw may have come in India’s recent losses to Thailand and Hong Kong, both occurring after Marquez’s longest training camp and his first spell solely focused on the national team. While India created scoring opportunities in both fixtures, their inability to convert and subsequent defensive lapses proved costly. The 2-0 defeat to Hong Kong was especially damaging, leaving India at the bottom of their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group with just one point from two games. With crucial matches against Singapore looming in October, the AIFF will now seek a new leader to reinvigorate India’s fading qualification hopes.