- India's national football coach has been sacked
- Stimac's tenure was marked by controversy
- The AIFF had intervened to stop this practice
Igor Stimac, India’s national football coach for the past five years, has been sacked following the team’s World Cup qualifying failure.
Stimac’s tenure was marked by controversy, including a turbulent relationship with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). After his dismissal, Stimac blamed “lies” and people with “private interests” for the stress that led to his heart surgery.
The AIFF, however, countered by accusing Stimac of damaging the organization with “negative statements.” They further claimed to be “shocked” by Stimac’s alleged reliance on astrology for player selection, a claim he previously denied. The AIFF stated they had intervened to stop this practice.
Stimac’s time as coach did see a brief rise in India’s FIFA ranking, breaking into the top 100 for the second time in decades.
However, the team’s performance ultimately fell short, losing all three games in the recent Asian Cup and currently sitting at a lowly 124th in the world rankings.
