MARGAO
The Indian U-17 football team, which made its FIFA U-17 World Cup debut as hosts in 2017, now has a genuine opportunity to qualify for the global showpiece on merit, thanks to the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams.
Their chances have further improved after DPR Korea withdrew from Group D of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup due to security concerns. A win against either Australia or Uzbekistan — or even two draws — could be enough for India to reach the quarter-finals and stay in contention for World Cup qualification.
India begin their campaign against Australia on May 6, followed by a clash with Uzbekistan on May 10 in Saudi Arabia. The side is once again led by Bibiano Fernandes, who previously guided India to the quarter-finals in 2018. Boosted by their impressive 2-1 win over Iran in last year’s qualifiers, Fernandes remains confident about his team’s prospects.
Speaking about India’s build-up, Fernandes said the squad’s experience against strong opponents has been crucial.
“If we can deliver a performance like we did against Iran in the qualifiers, then anything is possible. We’ve also had very good exposure coming into this tournament,” he said.
On adapting to higher standards, he added: “Playing high-level matches always helps us understand the standard. It’s about building ourselves and learning to adapt to that level.”
Reflecting on the preparation phase, Fernandes said the team had a productive camp and exposure matches. “At this level, every team is strong. Our approach will be to stay disciplined and compete in every match.”
He also highlighted the growing talent pool in Indian football. “The talent has always been there. What has improved is our understanding of the game. We are preparing better now, and compared to 2018, we are creating more chances even against strong teams like South Korea. That’s a positive sign.”
