India has confronted a sobering descent in the FIFA world rankings following its defeat by Afghanistan in the latest round of the World Cup qualifiers, slipping down to the 121st position—a setback not witnessed in the past seven years.
The Indian men’s football team has experienced a four-place drop to the 121st spot, marking a disappointing phase for the squad managed by coach Igor Stimac. The recent 1-2 loss against Afghanistan in Guwahati was a blow to the nation’s football prestige, particularly after enjoying significant gains and breaking into the top-100 last year.
The team had previously tasted victory on numerous fronts – winning the Intercontinental Cup, clinching the top prize at the Tri-Nations tournament, and reigning victorious at the SAFF Championship. The shocking loss on March 26 at home against the comparably lower-ranked Afghanistan comes as another jolt to India’s progressing football reputation.
Despite this stumble, the Indian team managed an away win against Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers – a notable feat as it was the team’s first overseas win in over two years. However, this victory has been overshadowed by a disheartening performance at the AFC Asian Cup 2023. There, India failed to score a single goal across all matches, finishing the tournament pointless and bottom-placed in Group B, behind rivals such as Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria.
The Blue Tigers’ football aficionados were left with a bitter aftertaste last month, following a goalless stalemate with Afghanistan in the first leg of the second-round World Cup qualifiers, staged in Abha, Saudi Arabia. The subsequent loss in the home leg has prompted an outcry amongst fans and calls for a revamp in leadership, with some advocating for the dismissal of head coach Stimac.
Despite the current rankings placing India at 121st, the team’s historical low remains at 173rd. However, before this latest decline, India proudly stood at 102nd in the rankings released on December 21, 2023.
At the pinnacle of international football stand the reigning champions, Argentina, comfortably leading the pack. The formidable lineup in the FIFA rankings also includes football heavyweights France as runners-up, followed by England, Belgium, and Brazil. The Netherlands secure the sixth slot, while Portugal, Spain, and Italy trail close behind, and Croatia rounds off the top 10 esteemed football nations.
As India grapples with this concerning dip, the focus shifts to strategies for recuperation of form that will see them ascend once again in the global arena. This highlights the tumultuous and unpredictable nature of sports, where triumphs and tribulations are all but a match away.
Source: FIFA world rankings, AFC Asian Cup 2023
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