Indian clubs strive to reach the international level and participate in tournaments held outside the country. Playing with foreigners is a good workout, and teams that have made it to international leagues tend to dramatically increase their level of play and perform better in domestic competitions. In this article, we will talk about which Indian teams managed to achieve impressive success and compete with foreign teams. We will remember the brightest matches and note which achievements can be considered the highest. We will talk about how the entry of teams to the international level affects the reputation of Indian football in general. Let’s tell you what plans and strategies exist to strengthen the international status.
Participation in Asian and World Tournaments
The most important intercontinental club competition is considered to be the Champions League that abbreviated as ACL. Indian teams until 2021 were eliminated in the first or second preliminary round. And for the first time FC Goa managed to take 3rd place in the group stage, it was founded in August 2014 and its first manager was the coach from Brazil A. A. Coimbra. In the early years of its existence, R. Pires, a forward from France, and L. F. Silva, a defender from Brazil, showed an excellent game. To qualify for the ACL group stage, Goa won the first LW Shield a year earlier. The highest achievement of the team is the 3rd place in the group stage in the Asian Champions League. In 2022-23, the Indian team of Mumbai City managed to enter the group stage of this important tournament, where they took 2nd and 4th place in the group stage, respectively. This is a great achievement, the strongest teams in Asia gather in this tournament. You can bet on one of the games of this tournament at a bookmaker’s office or try 1Win casino, where slots and live games are available every day 24/7. Let’s list below the most productive teams that have achieved the greatest results in international tournaments:
- Goa.
- Mumbai City.
- Mohun Bagan.
- Dempo.
- East Bengal.
- Bangalore.
Impressive Matches and Achievements in the International Arena
The AFC Cup is held for those Asian teams that failed to qualify for the Champions League. For this reason, the Cup is called a second-level competition. Despite this, the tournament is very interesting and gathers many promising clubs. Indian clubs from time to time passed the qualifying stage and got to the AFC. The tournament was held for the first time in 2004, and immediately the Indian team East Bengal showed excellent results, reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost to the Syrian team Al-Jaish with a score of 0:3. Four years later, in 2008, the Dempo team reached the semifinals, but lost to Safa club from Lebanon. In 2013, the East Bengal team proved itself again, which reached the semifinals after losing to Al-Kuwait (total score 2:7). Bangalore (Karnataka) was able to take second place in 2016, losing to the team from Iraq AQAJ. In recent years, the Mohun Bagan team has distinguished itself the most, they reached the semifinals in 2022 and took 3rd place in the group in 2023. Odisha lost in the semifinals to FC CCM in 2023. The East Bengal club brought the most regalia to India, the players managed to win: the S-Miguel C. in Nepal, the ASEAN Championship in Indonesia, the CC Cup in Sri Lanka and others. The most productive club football player is R. Martinis from Nigeria, who played in Dempo and East Bengal clubs. Let’s talk right now about Indian football players, the best are: Sunil Chhetri, Sisir Ghosh and Bhaichung Bhutia.
Impact on the Reputation of Indian Football
The reputation of Indian football is due to the participation of local clubs in international competitions. Such games are under the scrutiny of football fans and the media. The team that has qualified for the international tournament receives increased funding from the state, as well as raises its ratings. Recently, Indian teams have been playing in Asian cups more and more often, taking prizes. This indicates the systematic development of football in the country and the correct approach of the governing bodies. Mohun Bagan Club has achieved great success in the last two years. At the moment, there are other promising teams in India that can take prizes in the ACL or in the AFC Cup.
Plans and Strategies to Strengthen International Status
The AIFF Indian Federation, acting as the main football body in the country, strives to expand and strengthen relations with other countries and bring India to a higher level of football. The clubs strive to get into the Asian Cup in order to show their class abroad. Such trips do not always end successfully, but positive trends have been seen recently. The overall level of Indian football is growing, new stars are emerging, and the country’s international status is strengthening every year.
