The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and national football team coach Manolo Marquez have parted ways on mutual agreement. Manolo, 56, took over from Igor Stimac in July last year.
He had the dual role of managing FC Goa and India for the first few months, and then was supposed to take over as the full-time national team coach. However, he was reportedly upset with the way things were run in the national team.
That Manolo may leave was reported by The Telegraph on May 6. The Spaniard will continue with his stint at FC Goa, who have an AFC Champions League 2 qualifying match on August 13.
“The Executive Committee, chaired by AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, met on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, with technical committee deputy chairpersons Shabbir Ali and Harjinder Singh, and members Tababi Devi and Climax Lawrence. Also present were the AIFF president’s advisors Armando Colaco and Bimal Ghosh, technical director Syed Sabir Pasha, director of national teams Subrata Paul, and members of the executive committee.
“The members collectively decided on the mutual termination of head coach Manolo Marquez’s contract. A new advertisement will be floated, inviting applications for the post,” the AIFF said in a statement.
Manolo did not have much success with the national team. India lost 1-0 to lower-ranked Hong Kong in an away match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on June 10 which left the country in danger of missing out on qualifying for the continental showpiece event in 2027. India play Singapore away in a crucial Qualifier on October 9.
When the new coach takes over, he will be the third manager at the helm since May last year.
India, who will drop to 133 when the new Fifa rankings list is released this month, logged just one win from their last eight matches under Manolo’s tutelage.
The lone victory came against the Maldives in an international friendly in Shillong in March.
‘Foreign’ invasion
The AIFF statement also stated that the executive committee, in consultation with the technical committee, proposed to increase match time for Indian players, particularly strikers, by reducing the number of foreign players in both leagues (ISL and I-League).
“In addition, a feasibility study will be conducted to explore the possibility of fielding U23 national team probables in the I-League, as part of long-term preparations for the Asian Games,” the statement added.
“AIFF is speaking about three foreigners on the field to boost Indian strikers. This defies logic. We can have a foreign striker fielded as a winger. How will you stop?” a club official said.
ISL and I-League teams at present can have four foreigners and register six on the field.
The AIFF also decided to treat South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) players as non-foreigners.