Know your player for AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026: Manisha Kalyan

India to begin their campaign against Vietnam

The Indian Women’s Football Team is well aware that they’ll need to produce their absolute best performances to have any chance of producing the ultimate underdog’s story in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

The Blue Tigresses have been placed in a really tough group that also contains Japan and Vietnam, which will make it a real challenge for them to get past the group stages.

The Indian Women’s side will need their experienced players to perform at a very high level, and a lot of hopes will be pinned on the shoulders of Manisha Kalyan. The 24-year-old has climbed the ranks brilliantly over the last decade, fighting her way to play for renowned European teams and holding her own against difficult opponents.

Manisha is definitely going to act as one of the leaders for the Blue Tigresses and perform to her clinical best for them to really take the fight to their opponents.

Here, we look at what Manisha Kalyan has achieved in her career so far and her role in being a crucial player for the India Women’s Football Team.

Manisha Kalyan’s career so far:

Manisha Kalyan started her career at Sethu WFC, after coming through the club’s youth system. She had begun her football career at the age of 13 at the school level, before being able to catch the eye of prominent scouts and deciding to pursue professional football as her career.

After having her breakthrough at Sethu, Kalyan was signed by Gokulam Kerala WFC in 2018, and it was with the Malabarians that she really rose to prominence. The winger played a crucial role in their 2019-20 Indian Women’s League (IWL) title success, scoring three goals and winning the ‘Emerging Player of the Tournament’ award.

Manisha spent four years with Gokulam Kerala, scoring 21 goals in 24 league games and also becoming the first Indian women’s football to score in a major Asian competition in the 2021 AFC Women’s Club Championship.

Kalyan’s impressive performances earned her attention from European clubs and in 2022, she decided to make a huge jump in her career.

Manisha opted to join Cyprus club Apollon Ladies, playing in the Cypriot First Division. It was with Apollon Ladies that Manisha also first played in the Women’s Champions League qualifiers, before also becoming the first Indian player to be part of a Cypriot Women’s League title win.

In 2024, Kalyan took a major step upwards in her career as she joined Greek side PAOK’s Women’s side. She scored seven goals in 17 appearances for them, helping them reach the semifinals of the 2024-25 Greek Cup.

When it comes to her international career, Manisha Kalyan has represented India across multiple levels. She played for the India Women’s U17, U18 and U19 teams, scoring three goals for the latter. In January 2019, Manisha made her international debut for the India Women’s national team against Indonesia.

Kalyan’s first goal came at the 2019 SAFF Women’s Championship against Bangladesh. But it was in 2021 when she made history by scoring against the Brazil women’s team in a 6-1 loss.

She will make her debut at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in the 2026 edition, having scored 14 goals in 48 games for the Blue Tigresses so far.

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What does Manisha bring to the table?

Manisha is a versatile attacking player who has developed herself to be ready to play in a variety of different roles, according to the needs of her team. Her versatility is a key reason why she’s been such an influential player for the Indian women’s team in recent years.

The 24-year-old is naturally a left-winger, who prefers to torment defenders with her speed and dribbling ability. She can even settle in a right-wing role thanks to her two-footed nature, allowing her to trouble teams on either side. However, Kalyan can also operate as an attacking midfield if tasked to take the creative responsibilities of a no.10.

Moreover, Kalyan is also capable of playing as a no.9 for her team if required. She might most be the most physical forward, but the element of surprise in her game helps her really trouble the defenders and keep them guessing about what she would be doing next.

Manisha’s never-say-die attitude and unique playing style makes her a valuable asset for the Blue Tigresses, who will need the 24-year-old to be at her prolific best for them to be able to mount exciting attacking moves and take the fight to their opponents in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Player profile: Manisha Kalyan

• Name: Manisha Kalyan
• Age: 24
• Place of Birth: Muggowal, Punjab
• Height: 1.72M (5’8’)
• Positions: Right Winger, Left Winger, Attacking Midfield
• Preferred Foot: Right-footed player
• Current Club: Alianza Lima

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