A LITTLE HISTORY
The history of the India national football team dates back to the 1930s. They have never won the World Cup, but qualified for one in 1950, although they withdrew. They have had zero entries in the tournament from 1950 onwards. India have never won the final of the Asian Championship but made the Final in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup. They have only made three appearances since.
Indian teams started touring Australia, Japan, bermua, Indonesia and Thailand in the late 1930s. Soon after the success of several Indian football clubs, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was formed in 1937. The 1948 London Olympics was India's first major international tournament, where a predominately barefooted Indian team lost 2–1 to France, failing to convert two penalties. The Indian team was greeted and appreciated by the crowd for their sporting manner.[1]
India qualified by default for the 1950 FIFA World Cup finals as a result of the withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. But the governing body AIFF decided against going to the World Cup, being unable to understand the importance of the event at that time. Reasons shown by the AIFF included the cost of travel (despite the fact that FIFA agreed to bear a major part of the travel expenses)[2] lack of practice time, team selection issues and valuing the Olympics over the FIFA World Cup.[3]
Although FIFA imposed a rule banning barefoot play following the 1948 Olympics[4][5] where India had played barefoot, the popular belief that the Indian team refused to play because they were not allowed to play barefoot is not entirely true, according to the then Indian captain Shailen Manna, it was just a story to cover up the disastrous decision of the AIFF.[2] The team has never since come close to qualifying for the World Cup.[6]
BUT...
India qualified in 1950 FIFA World Cup Football
The India national football team is the national football team of
India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a
member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has
been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for
football.
In 1954, AIFF became one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). At the peak of its success during the 1950’s and 60’s, the team qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup (although it did not travel to the tournament in Brazil), won gold medals at two Asian Games, and held the record for the best performance by an Asian football team at the Olympics.
India withdrew after qualifying, with India refusing to go “because of the expense of travelling such a long way to play” (or, according to some reports, because FIFA would not allow the team to play barefoot). Other reasons: Because they couldn’t afford jerseys and travel costs.
India qualified by default for the 1950 FIFA World Cup finals as a result of the withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. However, the governing body AIFF decided against going to the World Cup, being unable to understand the importance of the event at that time. The reason given by AIFF was that there was not enough practice time along with selection problems, although FIFA had agreed to bear a major part of the travel expenses.
There is a long-standing myth that India refused to play because they were not allowed to play barefoot, but according to the then Indian Captain Shailen Manna, the reality is that it was just a story to cover up the disastrous decision of the AIFF. The team has never since come close to qualifying for the World Cup. In the FIFA world cup 2010 qualifiers, India was eliminated in the first round by Lebanon. The Indian Manager was Syed Abdul Rahim (India). His tenure was 1950-1962, considered the “Golden Era of Indian Football“
India finished 4th in the football tournament at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Later they qualified for 1960 Rome Olympics but failed to make any impact after losing to Peru and Hungary but managed an consolation 1-1 draw against France. Since then, the Indian football team has never been able to qualify for the Olympics.
Indian football entered something of a golden age in 1951, a run that stretched until the 1960s. India won gold medals at the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games, and reached the semi-finals in the next two Asian Games. The Indian team also set a new record in 1956 with their semi-final appearance as it represented, at the time, the best performance by an Asian team in an Olympic football tournament. The record stood until the 1968 tournament when Japan also reached the semi-finals before capturing the bronze medal that had eluded the Indian team.
More recent successes have been limited to the South Asian Football Federation Cup, the LG Cup won in Vietnam in 2002 under English coach Stephen Constantine, Nehru Cup in 2007 and 2009 and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup under coach Bob Houghton, which earned them a place in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup to be held in Qatar.
The Barefoot Bengals, Barefoot Indian Football Players
In 1950, India had qualified for the World Cup by default due to withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. However the governing body, AIFF, decided against going to the World Cup in 1950. And there are two different stories on why this decision was made:
According to Shailen Manna, the Captain of the Indian squad at the time, this was just an excuse to cover up the disastrous decision made by the AIFF. However it is true that in the 1952 Summer Olympics, the players on the Indian squad were still barefoot when they got destroyed 1-10 by Yugoslavia. So I’m not sure what to believe – but it’s true, India was among the 3 nations that withdrew from the 1950 World Cup, leaving only 13 countries to play. Scotland and Turkey were the other two teams to withdraw from the tournament that year.
1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil ™
Thirteen finalists
That there were only 13 teams in Brazil was down to the absence of countries from eastern Europe and a series of high-profile withdrawals, notably from Argentina and France – the latter in objection to an itinerary that would have involved a 3,500km journey between fixtures.
While England were present for the first time after winning the British Home Championship, Scotland – who earned the right to travel after finishing second – declined the opportunity, as did another qualified team, Turkey. India, meanwhile, said no because FIFA would not let them play in bare feet. Uruguay were among five South American participants who had not played a single qualifier between them.
Teams: 13
When: 24 June 1950 to 16 July 1950
Final: 16 July 1950
Matches: 22
Goals Scored: 88 (average 4.0 per match)
Attendance: 1042675 (average 47394)
Winner: Uruguay
Runners-Up: Brazil
Third: Sweden
Fourth: Spain
Golden Shoe: ADEMIR (BRA)
In 1954, AIFF became one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). At the peak of its success during the 1950’s and 60’s, the team qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup (although it did not travel to the tournament in Brazil), won gold medals at two Asian Games, and held the record for the best performance by an Asian football team at the Olympics.
India withdrew after qualifying, with India refusing to go “because of the expense of travelling such a long way to play” (or, according to some reports, because FIFA would not allow the team to play barefoot). Other reasons: Because they couldn’t afford jerseys and travel costs.
India qualified by default for the 1950 FIFA World Cup finals as a result of the withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. However, the governing body AIFF decided against going to the World Cup, being unable to understand the importance of the event at that time. The reason given by AIFF was that there was not enough practice time along with selection problems, although FIFA had agreed to bear a major part of the travel expenses.
There is a long-standing myth that India refused to play because they were not allowed to play barefoot, but according to the then Indian Captain Shailen Manna, the reality is that it was just a story to cover up the disastrous decision of the AIFF. The team has never since come close to qualifying for the World Cup. In the FIFA world cup 2010 qualifiers, India was eliminated in the first round by Lebanon. The Indian Manager was Syed Abdul Rahim (India). His tenure was 1950-1962, considered the “Golden Era of Indian Football“
India finished 4th in the football tournament at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Later they qualified for 1960 Rome Olympics but failed to make any impact after losing to Peru and Hungary but managed an consolation 1-1 draw against France. Since then, the Indian football team has never been able to qualify for the Olympics.
Indian football entered something of a golden age in 1951, a run that stretched until the 1960s. India won gold medals at the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games, and reached the semi-finals in the next two Asian Games. The Indian team also set a new record in 1956 with their semi-final appearance as it represented, at the time, the best performance by an Asian team in an Olympic football tournament. The record stood until the 1968 tournament when Japan also reached the semi-finals before capturing the bronze medal that had eluded the Indian team.
More recent successes have been limited to the South Asian Football Federation Cup, the LG Cup won in Vietnam in 2002 under English coach Stephen Constantine, Nehru Cup in 2007 and 2009 and the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup under coach Bob Houghton, which earned them a place in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup to be held in Qatar.
The Barefoot Bengals, Barefoot Indian Football Players
In 1950, India had qualified for the World Cup by default due to withdrawal of all of their scheduled opponents. However the governing body, AIFF, decided against going to the World Cup in 1950. And there are two different stories on why this decision was made:
- The Indian national team always played barefoot, but the FIFA regulations required that all players be equipped with proper football cleats.
- The AIFF, at the time, did not understand how important and significant the World Cup was in the football stage, or in the world stage for that matter, and citing financial reasons (despite the fact that FIFA offered to pay for the travel expenses etc.), as well as not having enough practice time before the tournament.
According to Shailen Manna, the Captain of the Indian squad at the time, this was just an excuse to cover up the disastrous decision made by the AIFF. However it is true that in the 1952 Summer Olympics, the players on the Indian squad were still barefoot when they got destroyed 1-10 by Yugoslavia. So I’m not sure what to believe – but it’s true, India was among the 3 nations that withdrew from the 1950 World Cup, leaving only 13 countries to play. Scotland and Turkey were the other two teams to withdraw from the tournament that year.
1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil ™
Thirteen finalists
That there were only 13 teams in Brazil was down to the absence of countries from eastern Europe and a series of high-profile withdrawals, notably from Argentina and France – the latter in objection to an itinerary that would have involved a 3,500km journey between fixtures.
While England were present for the first time after winning the British Home Championship, Scotland – who earned the right to travel after finishing second – declined the opportunity, as did another qualified team, Turkey. India, meanwhile, said no because FIFA would not let them play in bare feet. Uruguay were among five South American participants who had not played a single qualifier between them.
Teams: 13
When: 24 June 1950 to 16 July 1950
Final: 16 July 1950
Matches: 22
Goals Scored: 88 (average 4.0 per match)
Attendance: 1042675 (average 47394)
Winner: Uruguay
Runners-Up: Brazil
Third: Sweden
Fourth: Spain
Golden Shoe: ADEMIR (BRA)
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