Why Cant India Qualify For The World Cup Lack Of Long Term Vision

. I was working with the Indian U-16 team as one of the coaches. We had qualified for the AFC U-16 Championship after beating Saudi Arabia and drawing against Iraq in the qualifiers. Today, two of the nations we faced in that tournament are at the World Cup. India is not.

Our opponents were South Korea, Syria, and Indonesia. We lost the first two games but went on to defeat Indonesia. Had we come up against the hosts, Uzbekistan, we would have fancied our chances. Only five years earlier, the senior team had beaten them 2-0. There was no overwhelming gulf between them and us. As I reminisce about that tournament today, it feels like folklore. One that is difficult to believe.

I am often asked: Why can a nation of 1.4 billion not qualify for the World Cup? Why can we not produce an Abdukodir Khusanov? For me, the answer begins at our grassroots. Our most glaring drawback is our faulty foundation. We have been taught to think of football as a skyscraper — you cannot reach the higher floors, like the World Cup, if you do not have a strong base. Which we certainly do not.

In Tashkent, we saw how a footballing structure was thriving in schools. Schools played an integral role in talent development and young players had a clear pathway. Nearly two decades later, that system has only become stronger. Meanwhile, we are still debating structures that should have been established years ago.

Those in charge must be held responsible for the lack of long-term vision. Take the 2017 U-17 World Cup. Many players from that tournament are at the World Cup now. Japan’s Keito Nakamura and Takefusa Kubo, among the best players at this World Cup, were in the same tournament as us. Many of our boys from that batch have either faded away or failed to develop their skills.

I have seen the Japanese model from close quarters. I went to Japan for one of the modules of my AFC Pro Licence course and had the opportunity to visit academies of J-League clubs. What struck me most was not their facilities, impressive as they were. It was their unwavering commitment to school football. Every nation that is progressing in Asia has recognised the same truth: Youth development cannot begin at 15. It begins at five. We use the phrase constantly, but what are we actually doing to ensure the betterment of our kids? At the school level, how many institutions genuinely encourage children to pursue football?

We also have a habit of announcing ambitious targets without creating a roadmap to achieve them. Japan offers a fascinating contrast. During my visit, coaches spoke about Mission 2050 — being a World Cup title contender by 2050. They are working towards it. Five-year-olds are being nurtured and monitored with that target in mind.

Many of us hoped things would change with the arrival of the Indian Super League in 2014. Among its founding principles were clear objectives: Clubs should develop their own infrastructure and maintain dedicated developmental squads. How many teams have been able to build their own grounds? Even Mohun Bagan, my former club, and East Bengal, the two pillars of Indian football, train on borrowed land from the Army, after more than a century of existence.

Our players must also be held accountable. Having worked with many of the current Indian players, I can tell you, without naming anyone, that we lack hunger. There is a sense of contentment and no urge to test limits in overseas leagues because it will not be as lucrative as the ISL. Ask yourself a simple question: If Khusanov had never left Uzbekistan for France, would he have become the player he is today?

We also hear frequent complaints about infrastructure and facilities. Some of those criticisms are valid. But can they fully explain our performances? Does DR Congo possess world-class infrastructure? Does Cape Verde? What they possess are players willing to test themselves in demanding environments abroad. Their development has been accelerated by exposure to higher standards. Our players are reluctant to leave their comfort zones.

There is one question that always follows: Will we ever get there? I choose to remain optimistic. The number of participating nations has been increased to 48, and further expansion seems inevitable. If we put a long-term plan in place and are diligent in following it, can a country of our size not find 11 players good enough to be at the World Cup?

But we have to be patient. Japan, despite all its progress, does not expect to become a World Cup contender until 2050. That is realism. So if anyone tells you we will be at the World Cup in 2034, he is either selling you a dream or living in a fool’s paradise.

The writer coached Mohun Bagan to the 2014-15 I-League title and was part of the India U-16 coaching staff at the 2008 AFC U-16 Championship in Tashkent