Khalid Jamil has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s national football team. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) made the confirmation on Friday.
The appointment makes him the first Indian football coach of men’s team in 13 years. The last Indian to coach the senior Blue Tigers was Savio Medeira, who served from October 2011 to March 2012.
Jamil succeeds Spaniard Manolo Marquez, who stepped down last month after a winless tenure that lasted more than a year.
The 48-year-old was selected from a shortlist of three candidates, which also included former India coach Stephen Constantine and Slovakian manager Stefan Tarkovic.
The AIFF Technical Committee, headed by former India goalkeeper Subrata Pal, green-lighted the list on July 22 and recommended Jamil.
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On August 1, the AIFF Executive Committee formally endorsed the decision, handing Jamil one of the most high-pressure roles in Indian football.
Who is Khalid Jamil?
Khalid Jamil was born in Kuwait to Punjabi parents. While in Kuwait, Jamil went to an under-14 camp. He moved to India later and was offered a contract from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan but rejected them as the clubs were sponsored by an alcohol company.
During the 2000–01 season Jamil made his first professional appearances with Air India and reportedly got an offer to join a football club from Brunei but rejected the offer. He then went back to Mahindra United in 2002 but barely played due to many injuries which eventually led to early retirement. He retired in 2009.
Khalid Jamil made his international debut in a friendly match against Uzbekistan in 1998. He later appeared in 2002 World Cup Qualifiers, where they defeated teams like United Arab Emirates, Brunei and Yemen.
While Jamil did not have a glittering career as a player, he has done a remarkable job as a coach.
Last season, he led Jamshedpur FC to the Indian Super League (ISL) semifinals and the Super Cup final.
He began his coaching career in 2009 with Mumbai FC keeping the club in the top tier for several seasons. After his departure in 2016, he joined Aizawl FC.
In 2016–17, Jamil guided Aizawl to the I-League title, finishing ahead of traditional powerhouses such as Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Bengaluru FC. He made Aizawl the first club from the Northeast to claim a national title.
The achievement established Jamil’s reputation as a manager who could inspire and lift up minnow teams.
He is one of the individuals to have won India’s top division both as a player (with Mahindra United in 2005) and as a coach (with Aizawl FC in 2017). He holds an AFC Pro Licence and has managed teams across all levels of Indian football — from I-League and I-League 2 to the ISL.
Also Read: Durand Cup 2025: All You Need To Know
Expectations from Khalid Jamil
Jamil will be tested in his assignment as India’s head coach. India, currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA rankings, will compete in the CAFA Nations Cup later this month against defending champions Iran and 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalists Tajikistan.
The Indian football team has been struggling without a single win this season. He has a huge responsibility to bring the Blue Tigers on the winning track.
Although he remains under contract with Jamshedpur FC until 2026, Jamil is expected to juggle his dual responsibilities at least until the conclusion of the 2025 Durand Cup, where Jamshedpur have already reached the quarterfinals unbeaten.
