Three Maldives players to watch out for against Indian Football Team

The Red Snappers will be banking on these three players to earn their first win in 2025.

The Indian football team is set to return to action when they face off against the Maldives national team on Wednesday (19 March 2025). It will be the first match for both sides in 2025, with the Blue Tigers hoping to use it as a stepping stone to bolster their momentum heading into the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Bangladesh.

Manolo Marquez’s side can expect a challenging task against the Red Snappers. Maldives might not have played that many matches in 2024, but they remain a stubborn, unpredictable opposition to take the fight to India.

There are a few particular members of the Maldives national team that can take the game away from India by producing impressive performances. Here, we look at the three Maldives players to watch out for the India clash.

3. Ibrahim Mahudhee

Maldives midfielder Ibrahim Mahudhee has a history of playing against India and doing quite well against them. He scored against the Blue Tigers in his side’s 2-1 loss in the 2018 SAFF Championship, producing eye-catching performances for the Red Snappers. The 31-year-old has now slotted into a more profound central midfield role for his side but still has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. Mahudhee is a diligent, hard-working midfield player who runs his socks off and is willing to cover significant distances to help out his side.

Mahudhee can help out defensively with his impressive game-reading ability and tendency to drop back to help his centre-backs absorb pressure better. The 31-year-old, however, also retains much creative threat in passing the ball into the danger areas to set things up for his side. He will need to produce a sturdy performance for the Maldives to disrupt India’s flow through midfield, and he would look to use his experience to trouble the Indian midfielders.

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2. Ali Fasir

While Sunil Chhetri might be making a triumphant return for the Indian Football team in the upcoming game, Maldives have their experienced leader in the attack in Ali Fasir. The 36-year-old has been going strong for the Maldives for the last 15 years, making his professional debut in 2010. He has since scored 11 goals for the Maldives side, being their most prolific active goal scorer in the national team.

Fasir can be troublesome with his intelligent off-the-ball runs and tendency to get into all the prime areas in and around the final third. The 36-year-old might not be the quickest anymore, but he will use his knowledge and experience to trouble the Indian defenders. Fasir can be a significant threat if given too much freedom in the attack, primarily because of his clean finishing ability and tendency to get to the end of chances.

1. Hassan Naiz

The Maldives will likely take a defensive approach against India, but they should not be taken for granted in the transitions. The Red Snappers have shown a tendency to play in a 4-4-2 formation under coach Ali Suzain, who gives his forwards more protection and freedom to cause trouble together. Ali Fasir might be in the final stretch of his career, but the Red Snappers are fortunate enough to have a lively forward in Hassan Naiz.

Naiz has a pretty impressive record at the international level, having scored 10 goals in 43 appearances for his side. He is a wily forward who loves to make the defenders work with his relentless running in the opposition half and clever link-up play with teammates. Naiz has also proven himself as a clinical finisher who can get at the end of opportunities and take them up in a decisive fashion.

Naiz can be a real thorn for the Indian backline if given too much room to roam around, and he will look to make the defenders work with his diligent movement around the final third. The forward will look to run riot over the Indian backline with his unpredictable work and needs to be marked out of the game to neutralize Maldives’ attacking potential.

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