Former India international Khalid Jamil applies for Indian football team head coach role

Jamshedpur FC head coach and two-time AIFF Coach of the Year eyes national job.

As the deadline to apply for the Indian football team’s head coach role passed last night, fans have begun speculating on who could take over the reins of the Blue Tigers.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will take around 10–12 days to assess all applications. After the technical committee finalises a shortlist, it will be forwarded to the Executive Committee for a final decision.

Following the failed tenure of Manolo Marquez—who won just one match, drew four, and lost three in eight games—many believe it’s time to trust an Indian coach with the national team. The team’s poor performances and a goal difference of -3 under Marquez added to the disappointment.

Amid growing calls for a domestic tactician, one name stands tall—Khalid Jamil.

Khel Now can confirm that the seasoned Indian coach Khalid Jamil has officially applied for the role.

“AIFF is still evaluating all the profiles who have applied for the Indian football team head coach, but the biggest high-profile Indian coach, Khalid Jamil, has finally applied for the job, and this is the first time he has applied for the Indian Football head coach position,” a source told Khel Now.

Journey from player to India’s top coach

Kuwait-born Khalid Jamil is one of the rare Indian internationals to be born outside the country. He began his professional career with Mahindra United in 1997 and later played for Air India before injuries led him to retire early at Mumbai FC.

In 2009, he began his coaching career with Mumbai FC at just 32. Over eight seasons, he developed a reputation for keeping the club afloat in the I-League with limited resources. His teams were compact, hard-working, and defensively solid.

In 2017, he took over Aizawl FC and rewrote Indian football history. The club had just been reinstated to the I-League, but Jamil led them to an incredible title triumph in the 2016–17 season, making Aizawl the first club from Northeast India to win the title.

He was later named the Syed Abdul Rahim Best Coach by AIFF and earned widespread admiration as the face of Indian football’s most excellent underdog story.

“They give their hundred per cent, all the credit goes to the boys,” Jamil had said after clinching the title.

Breakthrough to ISL and recent success

Following the Aizawl triumph, East Bengal signed him in a record-breaking ₹1.25 crore deal—the highest salary for an Indian coach at the time. He later had stints with Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United, Bengaluru United, and Chitwan FC.

At NorthEast United, Jamil took interim charge as a head coach in the 2020–21 season and inspired a 10-match unbeaten run, guiding the team to the ISL playoffs. He became the first Indian coach to manage an ISL team full-time the following season.

Jamil joined Jamshedpur FC in December 2023 and helped them reach the Super Cup semi-finals. In the 2024–25 season, he transformed them into playoff contenders, finishing fifth with 38 points. Jamshedpur also reached the Super Cup final under his leadership.

His achievements earned him the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

What Khalid Jamil brings to the table

Jamil’s coaching resume includes:

• I-League title (2016–17, Aizawl FC)
• Calcutta Football League title (2017, East Bengal)
• Stafford Challenge Cup (2023, Bengaluru United)
• FPAI and AIFF Coach of the Year awards
• He is the first Indian coach to be appointed full-time by an ISL club.

His teams are known for tactical discipline and defensive solidity. At Jamshedpur, he built a counter-attacking side that didn’t try to overplay but relied on smart pressing and efficiency.

Unlike foreign coaches, Jamil wouldn’t need much time to adapt. He has worked at every level of Indian football—ISL, I-League, and Second Division—and has an eye for emerging Indian talent. Unlike some foreign coaches who overlook I-League players, Jamil is more likely to cast a wider net for national team selections.

If appointed, India would likely return to a pragmatic, underdog strategy—especially against higher-ranked Asian sides. However, Jamil would need to show tactical flexibility if the team wants to build a more attacking identity.

Shortlist taking shape

Alongside Jamil, Antonio Lopez Habas has also applied, as Khel Now had reported earlier. As reported elsewhere, other foreign names like Andrey Chernyshov, Staikos Vergetis, and Antonio Rueda have also applied for the job.

In the coming days, AIFF is expected to prepare a shortlist. With the women’s team showing signs of growth, the next men’s head coach appointment could shape Indian football’s future for years to come.

Please stay tuned for more updates on the national team coach saga.

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