How India defied odds against France in 1948 Summer Olympics

India played barefoot in that game.

The ‘golden ages’ of Indian football is widely regarded to have taken place after the independence from the British Raj. The widespread success of the Blue Tigers under iconic manager Syed Abdul Rahim, who helped them win two Asian Games Gold Medals and almost upset major European sides, helped lay the foundations of the national team.

But before the Rahim era kicked in, the Indian national team proved that they would be no pushovers straight after the 1947 Independence. Represented by home-grown Indian players, the Indian national team played their first-ever game as an Independent nation on 31 July, 1948 in a heroic effort against France.

This would be during their participation in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. Playing in uncharted waters at the nation from whose grip they had earned their independence from, the Indian national team played their first-round game against the mighty France side.

The French side had reached the quarter-finals of the 1938 FIFA World Cup and were regarded as a major threat at the Olympics. However, the barefoot Indian footballers did not show any sign of fear in their first game as an independent nation.

They managed to surprise a France side full of ‘professionals’ wearing boots with nasty studs and proved their ability to thrive as an independent nation. The match was held in front of a 17,000 crowd at Lynn Road, a London ground that held football matches until 1977.

The Indian side was filled with players who had gained a reputation in their country, but were relatively unknown at the Olympics. Led by the iconic Sailen Manna, the team also featured prominent players like Talimeran AO, Sahu Mewalal and Sarangapani Raman.

What happened in the match?

The Balaidas Chatterjee-managed side started the game relatively well and actually held their own against a menacing French side. However, France took the lead in the 30th minute when striker Rene Courbin gave them the lead.

But after an inspired half-time team talk, the Blue Tigers came out a confident side in the second half. In the 70th minute, they stunned France by producing a brilliant move that was finished off by Raman scoring the equalizer.

India rattled France with that strike and had them scrambling for the end of the game. Just as it appeared that they could be on the verge of getting a famous draw, Les Bleus scored an 89th-minute winner from Rene Persillon – breaking their hearts.

However, for a team with players playing barefoot against a challenging side, India earned the respect of their opponents and those watching on. With the result, India proved that they would be no pushovers and it also gave them the confidence needed to earn some famous results in the decades ahead.

Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons