Following The India Football Team’s Approval For The Asian Games, Coach Igor Stimac Expressed a “Special Thank You” To PM Narendra Modi

The Indian football community was ecstatic on Wednesday after the sports ministry approved the participation of both the men’s and women’s teams in the forthcoming Asian Games. Starting on September 23, the continental tournament will take place in Hangzhou, China. Because the Indian football teams weren’t ranked among the top 8 in Asia, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had previously refused to give them the go-ahead to compete in the Asian Games. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) then requested permission from the Ministry of Sports to send both the men’s and women’s teams to the coveted competition.

Igor Stimac thanks PM Modi

Igor Stimac, head coach of the national senior team, thanked the authorities after learning that India had received the approval and said he would use the upcoming King’s Cup in Thailand to get the players ready for the Asian Games. Stimac had earlier requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention.

“Let’s not forget to express our sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Minister of Sports Anurag Thakur, our General Secretary Shaji Prabhakaran, and especially our President Kalyan Chaubey for their tremendous efforts that made today’s celebration possible. I am very happy since there were so many of our supporters who were behind us, sending emails and messages, and supporting the national football culture. Therefore, it’s a crucial time for us and, hopefully, a fantastic opportunity for our young drivers to succeed on a big stage, said Stimac on Revsportz.

India will prepare against different International teams

“I have a lot of faith and trust in our kids, and we’ll see what happens. Although it won’t be here until the end of September, we still have a long way to go in terms of the training camp. The only scenario I can think of is using the King’s Cup in Thailand to train these lads; therefore, that’s my first thought. Give them the chance to play against Thailand, Iraq, and whatever else is present, perhaps, to help them prepare.

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After winning the SAFF tournament, where it faced Lebanon and Kuwait, the national squad, coached by Croatian Igor Stimac, has once again dropped below the top 100 FIFA rankings.
In addition to Stimac, Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the AIFF, added, “It is undoubtedly a significant day for Indian Football and a monument to our determination to grow the game in India. We appreciate the support and special recompense that the Government of India and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs have given to Indian Football for the 19th Asian Games.