Stephen Constantine takes charge of Pakistan football team

Stephen Constantine joins the Shaheens with less than two weeks till World Cup qualifiers clash.

Prior to their forthcoming match against Cambodia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan have appointed Stephen Constantine, the former head coach of the Indian national football team, as their new manager. With less than two weeks till their match against Cambodia, the Pakistan Football Federation made the announcement today that they have selected Stephen Constantine as the new boss of the national team.

In 2015, Constantine was renamed as the head coach of the Indian national team after leading the Nepal to their first-ever top-100 position. India climbed to the 96th spot in the world, its highest FIFA ranking in more than 20 years, under his tutelage. The Blue Tigers under his mentorship, won a historic match against Thailand in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification round, helping them qualify for the main tournament for the first time in eight years.

Stephen Constantine's most recent coaching affair came in 2022, when Indian Super League side East Bengal bagged his services. However, the club parted ways with him after the 2023 Super Cup. It will be now fascinating to see how Stephen Constantine adjusts to the new team and what he has in store for the Pakistan national team in the upcoming days.

Pakistan Football Federation's statement

The Pakistan Football Federation today announced the appointment of their new head coach. The statement read, "The Pakistan Football Federation, in order to provide Pakistan with the best chance of winning the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Cambodia, is proud to present to you our new Men's National Team Head Coach: Stephen Constantine."

The statment mentioned, "Stephen, who is legend in South Asia having taken India from 176 to 96 in the FIFA rankings, has also been an Elite FIFA instructor since 2000. He brings the very top tier professional experience that we believe will make the difference. Stephen has agreed to join us with a singular focus for now - to win our qualifiers against Cambodia. Please join us in wishing him and our Shaheens the best of luck, duas and good wishes for success against Cambodia."