Home / Sports / Ancelotti: India Lacks Football Culture
Ancelotti: India Lacks Football Culture
25 Sep
Summary
- Brazil's coach noted India's lack of football culture.
- India's FIFA ranking dropped to 138th place.
- India failed to qualify for World Cup since 1950.
Brazil's head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, shared his assessment of Indian football prior to a friendly match against the Indian team scheduled for October 03 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. He expressed excitement about visiting India but noted a significant lack of football culture in the country.
Ancelotti suggested that India must prioritize building grassroots structures to cultivate a new generation of players. This comes as India's national team struggles, currently ranked 138th in FIFA rankings and having not participated in the FIFA World Cup since 1950. Their recent performance includes being eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and failing to advance in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
The domestic football structure in India is also facing instability. The Indian Super League (ISL) has encountered challenges in securing sponsors and a broadcaster following the AIFF's separation from Reliance last year. Brazil, currently fifth in FIFA rankings, will provide a significant challenge for the Indian side.
