From Aizawl to India: Khalid Jamil Appointed as New Head Coach of Indian Football Team

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) made it official in a meeting that Khalid Jamil is the new head coach of the Indian national football team, in a departure from previous leadership prior to important international fixtures.

Jamil was appointed by the AIFF Executive Committee prior to other great candidates, including Stephen Constantine and Stefan Tarkovic. He is the replacement for Manolo Marquez, who parted ways with the national team on July 2, 2025 with only one win in eight matches.

Marquez Out, Khalid Jamil in: A New Era for the Blue Tigers

Manolo Marquez’s time as the national team coach was pretty short – just eight games. He only won one, which was a friendly against the Maldives. Even with his good record in the ISL with Hyderabad FC and FC Goa, he didn’t do so well with the national team. That’s why he and the AIFF decided to part ways.

Now, Khalid Jamil is stepping in. He’s known for getting the most out of what he has, and he’s got a solid grasp of tactics and knows Indian football inside and out.

A Challenging Start: CAFA Cup and Asian Cup Qualification

Khalid Jamil’s coaching journey with India begins with some tough matches. The Blue Tigers, ranked 133rd in the FIFA rankings, are at the bottom of Group C in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, after drawing with Bangladesh and losing to Hong Kong.

To make things harder, India has been chosen to replace Malaysia in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025, which will be held from August 29 to September 8 in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

India’s CAFA Cup 2025 Group:

• Iran
• Afghanistan
• Tajikistan (Host)

These matches will serve as critical preparation ahead of must-win qualifiers against Singapore in October, with only group winners progressing to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

From Aizawl to India: Khalid Jamil’s Extraordinary Coaching Journey

Though born in Kuwait, Khalid Jamil is one of the few Indian players who grew up outside of the country. He started his playing career in 1997 with Mahindra United, then had a short stint with Air India, but recurring injuries cut his playing career short.

At only 32 years old, Jamil became a coach and took on management of Mumbai FC in 2009. He made a significant impression with his tactics and motivational coaching style.

Jamil’s moment of fame arrived at the 2016–17 I-League season when he led Aizawl FC—a side that was relegation bound—into a historic league title, which was the first for Northeast clubs. He turned an undervalued squad into champions against all odds and earned himself the AIFF Best Coach award.

After doing well in the I-League, Jamil joined East Bengal for a record ₹1.25 crore, which was the most any Indian coach had ever been paid. Even though he had some ups and downs with East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, he really stood out when he coached NorthEast United FC.

During the 2020–21 ISL season, he stepped in partway through and guided the Highlanders to the playoffs with a 10-game undefeated streak. This made him the first Indian to be a full-time head coach in ISL history.

In December 2023, Jamil became the head coach of Jamshedpur FC and quickly improved the team’s performance. In a short amount of time, he led them to the Super Cup semi-finals. Then, in the 2024-25 ISL season, they finished in 5th place with 38 points, which got them a spot in the Super Cup final.

Because he consistently helped teams do better than expected, even when they didn’t have many resources, he won the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year award two years in a row. This is not something you see very often for an Indian manager.

Khalid Jamil’s appointment marks a change in Indian football philosophy—one that embraces homegrown leadership and a culturally-national understanding of local talent.

With the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 upcoming, Asian Cup qualifiers, and regional commitments on the books, we can certainly expect a more tough, united Indian team under his guidance.