A look back at Grace Dangmei’s international career & achievements
Grace Dangmei announced her retirement from international football
While the entire Indian football community was celebrating India’s triumph at the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 and applauding the players for bringing the trophy back home after nearly seven years, one member of the squad had some major personal news that turned the celebrations into an emotional moment.
Shortly after the Blue Tigresses, led by Crispin Chettri, were crowned the champions, Grace Dangmei announced her retirement from international football, a decision that came as a surprise to many Indian fans.
At just 30 years of age, Dangmei was coming off a solid domestic season and could have easily continued with the national team for another cycle. However, she has chosen to step away from the international stage and make way for the next generation of players.
India may have an exciting group of young talents capable of stepping up in the years ahead, but replacing the commitment, passion, and dedication that Dangmei brought every time she wore the national colours will be no easy task.
For supporters, it will certainly feel strange to see an Indian women’s national team squad announcement without her name on the list, something fans have not had to experience for more than a decade.
As Indian football bids farewell to one of its most influential players, it is worth taking a moment to look back at Grace Dangmei’s remarkable journey, from a promising young forward to one of the finest goalscorers in the history of Indian women’s football.
The Start: Emergence of a 14-year-old prodigy
Grace Dangmei, hailing from Manipur, a state renowned for producing several outstanding goalscorers for the Indian national team, was regarded as a special talent from a very young age and quickly emerged as a player to watch.
Impressed by her performances during her formative years, the AIFF selected her to represent India at the AFC Grassroots Festival in Sri Lanka, providing one of the first major platforms for her talent.
She continued her rapid rise through the ranks and, at 18 years of age, earned a call-up to the India U-19 women’s team for the AFC U-19 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
During the competition, she scored against Lebanon, sparking a comeback that helped the Blue Tigresses secure a 3-1 victory after falling behind early in the match.
The Breakthrough: Grace Dangmei’s step-up to the senior National team
By the time she represented the U-19 side, Dangmei had already established herself as one of the team’s standout players. In fact, she was among the rare few who had represented the senior national team before featuring for the U-19s.
Back in 2013, at just 17 years old, she received her first senior national team call-up and was included in India’s squad for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Her first goal for the Blue Tigresses arrived in February 2016 when she scored a brace against Sri Lanka in India’s 5-0 victory at the South Asian Games.
It marked the beginning of a prolific international career. Following that breakthrough, Dangmei became a consistent goalscoring presence for the national team and added further goals against Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the same year, playing a significant role in India’s triumph at the 2016 SAFF Women’s Championship.
While making a name for herself on the international stage, Dangmei was also excelling at club level. She represented local side KRYPHSA FC (Kangchup Road Young Physical and Sports Association FC) and continued to deliver impressive performances for the Manipur women’s football team.
Her rapid development and impact were recognized with several individual honors, including the IWL Emerging Player of the Year award for the 2017–18 season and the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award for the 2018–19 season.
The Peak: Goals, titles and move to Uzbekistan
The peak years of Grace Dangmei’s international career began in 2019, a season that perfectly showcased her importance to the Blue Tigresses. She featured 26 times for India in a single calendar year, a remarkable number that highlighted her commitment and dedication to representing the country whenever called upon.
During that period, she found the net against opponents such as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, and several SAFF rivals, finishing the year with 11 international goals.
Her contributions were instrumental in India’s triumph at the 2019 SAFF Women’s Championship and in the team’s gold medal-winning campaign at the 2019 South Asian Games.
As the years progressed, Dangmei was entrusted with greater responsibility in attack. With veterans like Bala Devi and Kamala Devi entering the later stages of their careers, she increasingly took on a leading role in the national team’s frontline.
She continued to deliver important performances for India, scoring crucial goals against opponents such as Venezuela and Uzbekistan while remaining one of the team’s most reliable attacking outlets.
Her success was not limited to the international stage. At club level, Dangmei had firmly established herself as one of the finest players in the country.
Wherever she played, trophies seemed to follow. She first lifted the Indian Women’s League title with Sethu FC before moving to Gokulam Kerala FC, where she won back-to-back IWL titles and helped the club secure a third-place finish in the 2021 AFC Women’s Club Championship.
Seeking a new challenge, Dangmei moved abroad and joined FC Nasaf’s women’s side, Sevinch Qarshi FC, in Uzbekistan. Her spell with the club proved highly successful as she played an important role in their domestic double-winning campaign, contributing with key goals throughout the season.
After a year in Uzbekistan, she returned to Gokulam Kerala FC and continued to perform at a high level.
Her consistency and influence were recognized in 2023 when she was named the FPAI Women’s Indian Player of the Year, adding another prestigious individual honor to an already impressive career.
The Final Chapter: Grace Dangmei’s last years in the Indian jersey
Over the last few years, with the emergence of players like Pyari Xaxa, Manisha Kalyan, Soumya Guguloth, and several other young Indian talents, Grace Dangmei’s role gradually shifted to that of an experienced bench option within the national team setup.
Despite that, she continued to contribute whenever called upon, scoring against Mongolia in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers and also featuring in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Her final tournament for India was the 2026 SAFF Women’s Championship. She started the opening game against Maldives and scored in the first half, which sadly turned out to be the final goal of her international career.
Having featured in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup and ending her journey by winning the SAFF Women’s Championship, Dangmei could not have asked for a better send-off from international football.
She will continue to play in the Indian Women’s League, having represented Sribhumi FC and Kickstart FC in recent seasons.
With her retirement limited to international football, Indian football fans can still look forward to watching her in action in the domestic circuit.
Legacy with India in numbers
- 2nd most appearances for the Indian women’s national team (96 matches played)
- 4th most goals scored for the Indian women’s national team (26 goals scored)
- AIFF Emerging Women’s Player of the Year: 2018−19
- FPAI Indian Women’s Player of the Year: 2023
- SAFF Women’s Championship: 2016, 2019, 2026
- South Asian Games’ gold: 2016, 2019
- SAFF Women’s Championship 2019 – Most Valuable Player
Retired, but always remembered
While Grace Dangmei may have hung up her boots at the international level, her impact on Indian football is far from over.
There will always be young footballers in Manipur, boys and girls alike, who dream of following in her footsteps and making the nation proud. As one of the first Indian women’s footballers to move abroad, she helped pave the way for many others who now ply their trade overseas.
Grace Dangmei may have said goodbye to the Indian national team, but her achievements, records, and performances will continue to inspire generations of footballers for years to come.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Shyam Sundar is an Indian football fan turned writer who has been covering the sport since 2023, after following it closely since 2020. He has reported on the ISL, I-League, IWL, and Indian national team matches. A passionate football enthusiast, he holds a special place in his heart for Chennaiyin FC and Manchester United.