Igor Stimac's faith in experience and other talking points from India's final squad for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

There is a lot to take away from Igor Stimac’s final squad that will compete in the qualifiers.

Indian men’s football team’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Kuwait and Qatar will be extremely vital in their quest to make it into the third and final round of the AFC region’s qualifiers. The fate of the Blue Tigers and their head coach Igor Stimac hangs in the balance as the outfit aims to finish amongst the top two places.

To achieve success in the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers, the Croatian tactician finalised a 27-member squad on Thursday, 23 May 2024. There have been many discussions and takeaways from the final squad that would be competing against Kuwait and Qatar for a place in the third round of the WCQ and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Here is a look at some of the talking points from India’s squad selection ahead of their crucial fixtures against Kuwait and Qatar:

The released lot

Players like Phurba Lachenpa, Parthib Gogoi, Imran Khan, Muhammad Hammad and Jithin MS were released from the camp. They made the initial provisional squad. While it is a disappointing outcome for the players, it serves as a motivational factor to try harder and make the final cut next time. The released players in question have time on their hands. In addition, injuries to Parthib and Hammad were unfortunate which took them out of contention.

Focus on the attacking front

Igor Stimac has given the nod to plenty of attackers in the 27-member squad. There are five forwards which have been finalised, offering a lot of competition for that role. India is also stacked in terms of wide attackers. The onus will be on the likes of Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco and co. to deliver attacking returns after having a decent domestic campaign in the Indian Super League.

Faith in the experienced figures

There were calls from sections of the fans to give players like Phurba Lachenpa the nod in goal. However, Igor Stimac has decided to stick with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Amrinder Singh between the sticks, figures who bring a lot of experience to the table. Considering the high stakes, the tactician is taking the safer route and putting his faith in players who have seen it all.

A moment of pride for I-League players

Two players from the I-League, the second division in the Indian football league pyramid, have made it into the final squad for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. David Lalhlansanga of Mohammedan SC, a club that will play in the ISL next season and Edmund Lalrindika of Inter Kashi, will be representing India. Their selection sends a message to the rest of the players in the I-League that no matter their position in the pyramid, selection will be done on merit and players from the second division can represent the Blue Tigers.

Sunil Chhetri’s final dance

Sunil Chhetri’s decision to retire from international football took the Indian football fraternity by shock. The upcoming qualifier against Kuwait is set to be the final time the legendary footballer dons the colours of the national team. Emotions will be running high when India take on Kuwait on Kuwait in Kolkata on 6 June 2024. His selection into the side was expected despite a poor run of form, considering his nature to deliver clutch performances for the Indian team. The 39-year-old will hope to finish on a positive note after years of service to the nation.

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