Football: India
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India's international ranking
1947-2017
The Indian team has been ranked among the world's top 100 six times (May 05 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi)
1996, February
Fifa ranking: 94 (India's best achieved ever)
2015
Fifa ranking: 101
2015: Asian Football Confederation rankings
The Times of India, Sep 14 2015
AFC'S MARKING SYSTEM - India 22nd in technical ranking
A new technical ranking system of the Asian Football Confederation has placed India in 22nd spot among the continent's 46-member countries, the highest among South Asian nations. The technical ranking system released by the AFC recently takes into account the performance of the national team and clubs (at AFC competitions) of a particular country in the last four years and points are given accordingly. India has 18.636 points (11.951 for performance by national team + 9.318 for per formance by clubs) in the latest technical rankings. India lies 27th among AFC countries in the latest FIFA rankings (155th in the world). South Korea leads the technical rank ings chart with 88.354 points (63.326+25.028), followed by Saudi Arabia (84.666), Iran (79.435), Japan (71.191), UAE (68.261), Australia (65.395), China (61.229), Qatar (56.280), Uzbekistan (52.334) and Kuwait (43.635) in top 10.
2017
Fifa ranking: 100 (No. 100 spot shared with Nicaragua, Lithuania and Estonia)
World’s No. 101, Asia’s 11th
India rise to 101, ranked 11th in Asia, April 7, 2017: The Times of India
Indian football upswing is reflecting in the FIFA rankings with the senior national team achieving a ranking of 101, its best ever in over two decades. The ranking of 101elevated India to 11th ranked team in Asia, thus, inching closer towards realizing larger dreams.
The Stepehen Constantine-guided national team, in the last two years, has had 11 victories in 13 matches (including an unofficial match against Bhutan) scoring a total of 31 goals. National coach Constantine said: “It has been a difficult road. Bringing in new blood and creating competition for places in the team has been a process, and I'm pleased we are moving in the right direction.“ captain Sunil Chhetri said, “This change in ranking also pushes us up on the Asian circuit and working our way up further will give us favorable draws in continental competitions. Our biggest task now is to make it out of the Asian Cup qualifiers.
FIFA rankings, India amongst top 100
First time in two decades! India break into top 100, May 5, 2017: The Times of India
When Stephen Constantine took charge of the national team for the second time two years ago, one of his primary objectives was to help India break into the top 100 of Fifa rankings.
The widely-travelled British coach's wish was fulfilled as India jumped one place to be ranked No. 100 in the latest Fifa rankings released on Thursday . This is the first time in 21 years, and only the sixth occasion after Independence, that the Indian team has been ranked among the world's top 100.
Constantine's side shares the No. 100 spot with Nicaragua, Lithuania and Estonia. India's best Fifa ranking is 94, achieved in February 1996.
“As long as we keep heading up the ladder, I am happy . It means that we are heading in the right direction. There are major matches ahead and we cannot take things lightly. There's no place for complacency ,“ Constantine said in an All India Football Federation statement.
According to former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, a progress in rankings reflects a “perception“ about a country's standard. “No doubt the national team has been doing well in recent times and it has been reflected in the latest Fifa rankings. Rankings are determined not just by a team's performance, but by many other factors. However, what it does is create a positive perception about a country's football,“ he said.
2015: India wins SAFF Cup
The Times of India Jan 05 2016
Bhaichung Bhutia
It has been a perfect start to the year for Indian foot ball. Not only have India have clinched the SAFF Suzuki Cup 2015, but also won the hearts of the country's football lovers.These are my ratings for the Indian team after the final: Gurpreet Sandhu (810) Stood up for the occasion with great responsibility .Augustine Fernandes (7.5 10) Played with good organization and was disciplined in his approach.Narayan Das (810) What stood was his ability to attack from the left.Pritam Kotal (710) He would have had a bigger impact had he played with greater attacking intent.Arnab Mondal (7.510) Made the most of his ISL experience and formed a good combination with Augustine. Rowlin Borges (8.5 10) Certainly someone who will play a key role in Indian football in the future.Eugeneson Lyngdoh (7.5 10) Made a good effort to stay upfront and make in roads.Bikash Jairu (810) Adapted extremely well with the 4-23-1 formation.Holicharan Narzary (8.5 10) Showed great skill with his feet, made plenty of attacking efforts.Jeje Lalpekhlua (810) With three goals in the tournament, Jeje was India's most valuable attacker and did his job wonderfully.Sunil Chhetri (910) In a game that went down to the wire, the skipper turned up.Captaining India to victory , Chhetri handled his responsibility perfectly. PMG
The best Indian teams
Form as in 2017
The Times of India, Jan 07 2017
A 10-TEAM AFFAIR
BENGALURU FC Best performance:
I-League champions (2014, 2016); Coach: Albert Roca; Skipper: Sunil Chhetri; Ground: Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru
MOHUN BAGAN Best performance:
National Football League champions (1998, 2000, 2002); I-League champions (2015); Coach: Sanjoy Sen; Skipper: Katsumi Yusa; Ground: Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata
EAST BENGAL Best performance:
National Football League champions (2001, 2003, 2004); Coach: Trevor Morgan; Skipper: Mehtab Hossain; Ground: Barasat Stadium, Kolkata
MUMBAI FC Best performance:
Fifth (2016); Coach: Santosh Kashyap; Skipper: Steven Dias; Ground: Cooperage Stadium, Mumbai
SHILLONG LAJONG FC Best performance:
Sixth (2014, 2016) Coach: Thangboi Singto; Skipper: Chinglensana Singh; Ground: Nehru Stadium, Shillong
AIZAWL FC Best performance:
Eighth (2016); Coach: Khalid Jamil; Skipper: Rohmingthanga; Ground: Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl
DSK SHIVAJIANS Best performance:
Ninth (2016); Coach: Dave Rogers; Skipper: Subrata Paul; Ground: Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune
CHURCHILL BROTHERS Best performance:
I-League champions (2009, 2013); Coach: Joseph Afusi; Skipper: Keenan Almeida; Ground: Fatorda Stadium, Goa
MINERVA PUNJAB FC (DEBUTANTS) Best performance:
Debutants (2017); Coach: Surinder Singh; Skipper: Manandeep Singh; Ground: Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana
CHENNAI CITY FC Best performance:
Debutants (2017); Coach: Robin Charles Raja; Skipper: Dharmaraj Ravanan; Ground: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai
MAKING THEIR DEBUT....
Minerva Punjab FC bring top-flight football back to Ludhiana and north India following JCT's pullout after the 2010-11 season. Down south, Chennai City FC are the second club from Tamil Nadu to play in the national league after Indian Bank during 2006-16
International matches won by India
Away
June 2005
In India’s first ever football series with Pakistan, India won on 16 June in Peshawar after a 1-0 win put the team a game ahead. India won the three-match series on goal-average.
March 2017
Mar 23 2017, The Times of India
The Indian football team broke the jinx of not having won an away international friendly since June 2005 when they beat Cambodia 3-2 at the Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium. Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Sandesh Jhingan scored the goals.
The victory did come as a welcome relief for India who were playing their first match after mauling Puerto Rico in September 2016.
Second division I-League
2017: Neroca FC wins title
Manipur club wins 2nd div I-League title, May 23, 2017: The Times of India
Manipur's Neroca FC won the second division I-League beating Lonestar Kashmir FC 4-1to become the first team from any northeastern state to achieve the feat. The victory in Kashmir lifted Neroca to 23 points from 9 matches, 7 points clear of Kolkata's Southern Samity .
AIFF general secretary Kushal Das lavished praise on the champions saying: “After Aizawl FC's success we have another team from the North East who are keeping the flag flying high. I am sure their achievement will encourage more to take up the sport and spur off another social revolution, this time in Manipur.“
Following their sole loss in the zonal round to Mohammedan Sporting in Jan 2017, Neroca FC went on to continue an enviable unbeaten run of 12 matches including win against Lonestar Kashmir FC. In the final round, the Gift Raikhan-coached side conceded only three goals in eight matches while netting not less than fifteen.
