Football

Igor Stimac's stats as Indian National Football Team Head Coach

Stimac's tactics are getting scrutinized after India's recent setbacks. Let's look at Igor Stimac's stats as the head coach of the Indian National Football Team.

Abishek GoswamiMarch 27, 2024 at 01:49 PM • 3 min read
Igor Stimac's stats as Indian National Football Team Head Coach
Stimac's tactics are getting scrutinized after India's recent setbacks. Let's look at Igor Stimac's stats as the head coach of the Indian National Football Team.

Indian men’s football team's performances have been very poor in the last few matches. They lost all matches of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 and then also failed to secure victory against Afghanistan in both legs of the second round of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. They have only scored a single goal in their last five matches. Sunil Chhetri's spot-kick against Afghanistan in the second leg at home is the only goal for India in the last five matches. Igor Stimac, the head coach of the Indian football team has always addressed the importance of football’s development in the country. But, the fans are now losing their patience over Stimac as the team is losing matches at regular intervals. Let's have a look at Igor Stimac's stats at the head coach of the Indian Men's National Football Team.

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Indian National Football Team under Igor Stimac

AIFF announced Igor Stimac as India's head coach on 15th May 2019 after the departure of Stephen Constantine. His first campaign with India was the 2019 King's Cup where India lost to Curcao by 3−1. But, in the next match against Thailand, India managed to register a 1−0 victory, handing Stimac his first win as head coach.

India finished third with only six points in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and couldn't qualify for the tournament. It was India's highest position since the 2002 qualification. The Blue Tigers earned a place in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification. India reached the Asian Cup finals in Qatar after a 2–0 victory over Cambodia, a 2–1 victory over Afghanistan, and a 4–0 victory over Hong Kong at Kolkata. 

Igor Stimac led India to two SAFF Championship titles

Stimac was untouchable in 2023. He became the first foreign head coach to win back-to-back SAFF Championship titles. Stimac led India to three titles in 2023, the most ever won by India in a calendar year. The Blue Tigers won the 2023 Tri-Nations Series Trophy, Intercontinental Cup, and SAFF Championship under the Croatian tactician in 2023. India also achieved eight consecutive clean sheets in 2023, breaking the previous record of seven in 1952. Igor Stimac's side was 99th on the FIFA team rankings in 2023, their best since 2018.

India failed to score a single goal and were knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 with 0 points. The Blue Tigers lost to Australia by 2-0, then got humbled by Uzbekistan (3-0) and helped Syria qualify for the round of 16 after a 1-0 loss in Qatar. India then went on to play a 0-0 away draw against Afghanistan in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The fans were expecting the team to perform better at home but India lost the game by 2-1 at Kolkata, followed by 'Stimac Out' chants. 

The Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri looks dejected after losing to Bahrain

Igor Stimac's stats as the Head Coach of India

Stimac has coached India for 52 matches from 2019-2024 and has witnessed 19 wins, 13 draws, and 20 losses in his tenure. 

  • Matches: 52
  • Wins: 19
  • Draws: 13
  • Losses: 20

India's titles under Igor Stimac

  • SAFF Championship: 2021, 2023
  • Tri-Nation Series: 2023
  • InterContinental Cup: 2023

 

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Abishek Goswami

Abishek Goswami is an aspiring technology professional currently pursuing a B.Tech in Information Technology from Haldia Institute of Technology. Alongside his passion for technology, he has a deep love for sports, which he explored further during his tenure as a writer and editor for Sportz Point. His experience in sports journalism not only enriched his knowledge of various sports but also instilled valuable life lessons and the importance of working in a structured environment. With a dynamic interest in both technology and sports, Abishek brings a well-rounded approach to learning, storytelling, and professional growth.

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