Top five Indian coaches to manage the Indian football Team

Khalid Jamil will start his stint as the Indian Football Team manager with the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

Khalid Jamil takes the reins as the first Indian to lead the Indian football team in 13 years, stepping into a legacy built by giants. Names like Syed Abdul Rahim, the architect of India’s golden era, still echo through the country’s footballing soul. These were coaches who didn’t just select players—they built belief, inspired dreams, and carried the weight of a nation’s hopes.

Now, as the new head coach, Jamil will look to spark change. He doesn’t have to search far for inspiration. Indian football has seen remarkable tacticians at the helm, with several home-grown leaders leaving their mark on the Blue Tigers. Here’s a look at five of the finest Indian coaches whose journeys can guide Jamil as he steps into the spotlight.

Also Read: Three things about Indian football team Khalid Jamil has to fix immediately

5. Savio Madeira

Of the most recent Indian coaches to take the pressure-packed seat, Madeira’s short stint was the most promising. The Goan-born footballer, who spent his entire playing career at Salgaocar, took charge of the Indian Football Team on a permanent basis in 2011 after Bob Houghton’s exit.

He was at the helm for 13 matches, notching a remarkable 5 victories, which also includes a title, the 2011 SAFF Championship. The title came just 2 months after he took charge of the team, and it was highlighted by a thumping 4-0 victory over Afghanistan in the final. Madeira’s tenure ended infamously after India crashed out of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup without notching a single victory.

4. P.K. Bannerjee

While P.K. Bannerjee’s tenure across three stints does not boast the high winning percentage of the other coaches, it is still remarkable for the achievements. Under the former player, India showed renewed vigour and verve, reminiscent of the 60s. The Indian football team clinched the bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games held in Thailand, the last medal the team won at the competition.

Bannerjee’s squad also followed that with the victory in the Pesta Sukan Cup held in Singapore the next year. During his third stint at the helm, Bannerjee’s Blue Tigers also claimed the gold at the South Asian Games. In 35 games, Bannerjee oversaw 7 victories and 10 draws as players developed under the watchful eye of one of India’s famous footballers.

3. Balaidas Chatterjee

Balaidas Chatterjee only took charge of the Blue Tigers for six matches. But those six matches were highly positive, especially during the second stint, when Chatterjee took the squad to the Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament and won all three matches, emerging as champions.

In the six matches, the Indian Football Team won four times, with Chatterjee boasting a win percentage of 66.67. Chatterjee’s tenure was a solid foundation that led to India’s more successful years.

2. Syed Nayeemuddin

Nayeemuddin took charge of the Indian Football Team in three distinct periods, each requiring three different kinds of approaches. The former player, however, managed to adopt his approach seamlessly during all three of his stints. In total, the Hyderabad-born native took charge for 25 matches and won 8 of them.

His tenure is also highlighted by the two SAFF Championships he clinched, one in 1997 and the other in 2005. Both victories were much-needed ones for India, as they had lost the championship two years before, both times (Sri Lanka won it in 1995, while Bangladesh won it in 2003). Nayeemuddin brought some much-needed stability to the senior team and made them winners.

Also Read: Top five coaches in history of Indian football team

1. Syed Abdul Rahim

Maulvi Sahib, as he was known in the football circles, is undoubtedly one of the greatest Indian coaches to take over the Indian football team. Syed Abdul Rahim’s tenure is bookended by two of the best runs made by the national team, the 1951 Asian Games Gold medal and the 1962 Asian Games Gold Medal.

Rahim put India on the map, allowing the nation to rise to the top of the continent. The 1956 Melbourne Olympics also allowed the world to take notice, as India finished fourth in the global event. He is also behind the development of several key players like Neville D’Souza, P.K. Bannerjee, Peter Thangaraj, Chuni Goswami and many more. His remarkable tenure, which had a 48.57% winning percentage, even inspired an Ajay Devgan-starrer in Bollywood named Maidaan.

India is yet to see a period of success similar to what they achieved under Rahim , under foreign or domestic coaches, but Jamil would hope that he can embody Rahim’s ideology and bring forth much-needed change within the football fraternity.

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