Three Indian football team players who stood out in June clashes

Indian Football team lost both the matches played in the June FIFA window.

The Indian football team tasted a bitter dose of reality in their matches during the June 2025 international window. They suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to Thailand in an international friendly before a cruel 1-0 defeat to Hong Kong in their second group game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Blue Tigers failed to score in either game, and some sloppy errors caused them to be condemned to back-to-back losses in what might’ve been the final matches of the Manolo Marquez era. With that being, amid all the disappointments, there were a few silver linings that came through the encouraging performances from a few players in the two matches.

A few individuals did themselves proud with efficient and sturdy displays to strengthen their hold on a place in the Indian Football team side for the foreseeable future. Here we look at the three players who stood out in the June matches.

3. Abhishek Singh

Abhishek Singh received a golden opportunity to become Indian Football team’s primary left-back because of an injury sustained by Subhasish Bose during the training camp. The 20-year-old started his first-ever International match for India in the clash against Thailand and was put under instant pressure by the Thailand players’ blistering attacking style. To his credit, Abhishek actually held his own against the opponents, being quite proactive with his defensive work and winning a lot of key duels.

He fought his way to win battles against Thailand and his bright performance also earned him a start against Hong Kong. Abhishek’s performance against Hong Kong was relatively even better, as he neutralized the majority of their threat on the left with his decisive defensive work and energetic presence. He might not have contributed that much going forward, but Abhishek showed his defensive resolve against international opponents and stood out with his performances.

2. Brandon Fernandes

Brandon Fernandes was able to prove his importance to the Indian side in terms of creating chances and making them tick in a midfield battle in the June clashes. He only had an outing as a substitute against Thailand, but was able to produce a few nice crosses. However, the Mumbai City midfielder really stood out in the clash against Hong Kong. He worked really hard in the central areas to win duels and regain possession in key areas, as well as helping India maintain a sturdy shape in the midfield to stop Hong Kong from dictating the tempo.

He was also able to create a number of big chances with his impressive delivery and set-piece prowess, as well as helping Liston Colaco create that big chance that Ashique Kuruniyan scuffed. Fernandes’ importance was further validated after his substitution, as India lost their composure and compactness in the middle after he went off.

1. Anwar Ali

In terms of sheer consistency, Anwar Ali has proven himself as a reliable figure at the back for India and further amplified that with some sturdy performances in the June fixtures. He was pretty good in the loss to Thailand, working hard to cut down a lot of their chances and even making some vital, potential goal-saving challenges.

The East Bengal man further improved his performance levels in the clash against Hong Kong, where he tried everything humanly possible to help his side get a clean sheet. Ali was an absolute rock at the back for India against Hong Kong, harassing their forwards with his crunching challenges and winning a lot of key duels to ruin their moves.

He might’ve made a silly foul late in the second half, but Ali was mostly a dominant figure who bailed his side out of trouble time and again. He was able to prove his quality as a regular starter for India and will remain a vital player for the Blue Tigers for years to come.

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