Top five players not included in Manolo Marquez's first Indian squad

Manolo Marquez has excluded some notable names from the list.

The Indian football team will play their first set of matches under new manager Manolo Marquez in the upcoming Intercontinental Cup that will be held in Hyderabad between September 3-9. Ahead of that tournament, the head coach has unveiled an initial 26-man probable squad of players in contention to play in the competition.

This list will be cut down to probably a 20-man list for the final squad that will feature in the Intercontinental Cup. Marquez has chosen all the prominent Indian players like Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad and Anwar Ali in the squad. But, there are also some notable absentees who were favoured under Igor Stimac’s leadership or those snubbed despite performing strongly in domestic competitions. Here, we look at the five major players excluded from the India squad for the Intercontinental Cup.

5. Deepak Tangri

Deepak Tangri got his breakthrough for the Indian football team as a surprising inclusion in the India squad for the 2024 AFC Asian Cup. He played all three matches in the group, producing some admirable performances. Tangri’s last outing for the Blue Tigers was in the 0-0 draw against Afghanistan in March.

The Mohun Bagan midfielder earned some plaudits last season for his aggressive, never-back-down mentality and ability to be a bullish figure in midfield. Tangri has started the 2024-25 season sharply for the Mariners under Jose Molina, but his good work hasn’t impressed Marquez. The Spaniard has decided to exclude Tangri from the squad, which could be based on his need for more technically adept midfielders.

4. Rahim Ali

Rahim Ali made a surprising return to the Indian squad in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers’ last two group games in June, which proved to be Stimac’s final ones as India coach. He featured in both the clashes against Afghanistan and the controversial loss to Qatar, playing as a physical centre-forward used for better link-up play. But, Ali’s inability to convert his chances in the matches appears to have cost him.

He has not even been considered in the probable India squad and has seen Chennaiyin FC forward Kiyan Nassiri picked instead. Rahim Ali, who scored three goals and provided two assists for Chennaiyin FC last season in the Indian Super League (ISL), will need to prove himself as a clinical and consistent forward at Odisha FC this season to win over Marquez’s attention.

ALSO READ: Manolo Marquez names India’s 26-man probable squad for 2024 Intercontinental Cup camp

3. Vishal Kaith

Vishal Kaith was one of the best goalkeepers in the ISL last season and has showcased an impressive growth in his ability at Mohun Bagan. The 28-year-old goalkeeper kept eight clean-sheets in 22 matches in the ISL for the Mariners last season, only conceding 26 goals and making 50 saves!

He’s proven himself as an excellent shot-stopper with great reflexes, but has surprisingly been dropped from the India squad.

Kaith was at least a part of the India squad over the last year under Stimac, but Marquez doesn’t seem to be that fond of him. Instead, East Bengal’s goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Gill has been picked as the third-choice goalkeeper in the India squad for the Intercontinental Cup – showing that Kaith still has a lot to prove to the Blue Tigers’ new tactician.

2. Vikram Partap Singh

After seeing him enjoy a prolific 2023-24 ISL season with Mumbai City, many Indian fans hoped that Vikram Partap Singh would be a key player under new management for the national team. But, the 22-year-old forward is unfortunate enough to miss out on Manolo’s first squad because he is recovering from an injury sustained after India’s last matches in June.

Singh scored eight goals and provided four assists in 22 ISL appearances last season, being one of the most prolific Indian players in the division. He featured in three of India’s final four matches under Stimac and produced some sharp and encouraging performances too. He’ll now have to work hard to regain fitness and make himself available for India’s next matches after the Intercontinental Cup.

1. Brandon Fernandes

Brandon Fernandes is widely recognized as arguably the most creative Indian player around and someone who is stylistically similar to European or South American players. Last season, Fernandes created 60 goalscoring chances for Marquez’s FC Goa side in the ISL, more than any other player. He had four goal contributions, but his overall performances were bright enough to prove that there’s still that special creative spark in him.

Unfortunately for Manolo Marquez, he won’t be able to use the bright midfielder in the upcoming competition as Brandon recovers from an injury blow. India will surely miss the huge set-piece threat the midfielder brings through his pinpoint crosses as well as has vision to send teammates through on goal.

Notable mentions: David Lalhlansanga, Lalchungnunga, Phurba Lachenpa

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