India's journey in the Asian Games 2023 has come to an end. The results didn't fall in their favor but it has to be acknowledged that the Blue Tigresses were competitive in both their matches. In this encounter against Thailand, they were impressive in the second half and created several goal-scoring chances. However, they were unable to capitalize on their chances and it cost the team an elimination from the competition.
The players seemed to have left their shooting boots at home in this very crucial game. Head coach Thomas Dennerby will have much to ponder, but India finished at the bottom of Group B and will return home after just a brief stay in China.
This loss followed India's earlier setback in their Asian Games debut, a 1-2 defeat to Chinese Taipei. This defeat against Thailand finished their chances of securing one of the three second-place spots, which would have allowed them to progress to the knockout rounds alongside the top-ranked teams from the five groups.
Asian Games 2023: What happened in the game?
Anju Tamang started brilliantly for the Indians as she created the first opportunity in the 11th minute from the right flank but her cross was intercepted. Five minutes later, Manisha Kalyan created a couple of chances in the company of Bala Devi and Dangmei Grace, but they failed to produce any result.
In the 25th minute, Manisha's shot was blocked by Thailand's defence. However, Thailand made its own move through Chetthabutr Kanyanat. However, she was denied by the combination of Ashalata Devi and goalkeeper Shreya Hooda. India and Thailand went into the half-time 0-0.
In the second half, Thailand increased their moves. India managed to keep them out, but not for long. Parichat slotted in easily a low cross from the right flank by Pengngam Saowalak. After that goal, India attempted to bounce back with some strong and purposeful moves. but they failed miserably
Manisha produced a couple of opportunities. But both were denied by the Thai keeper and also she was called for being off-side couple of moments. In the closing minutes of the match, Thailand switched to a possession-based play. They denied a series of desperate attempts by India to find the equaliser.
Manolo Márquez announces 28-member Indian football team travelling squad for Thailand friendly
Manolo Márquez announces 28-member Indian football team travelling squad for Thailand friendly. Get the full list and updates of this key preparatory match for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Head coach Manolo Márquez announces 28-member Blue Tigers travelling squad for Thailand friendly on May 28, 2025. All the 28 players, who are currently a part of the ongoing camp in Kolkata, will travel to Thailand for the FIFA friendly for the June 4 fixture.
With a crucial AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on the horizon, the Indian Men's National Football Team is gearing up for a significant test. The squad will leave for Thailand on Wednesday evening for their friendly on June 4, at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani at 18:00 IST.
Subsequently, the team will depart for Hong Kong on the next day (June 5) for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round fixture.
Kolkata: The Blue Tigers' pre-Thailand training hub
Sunil Chhetri along with the other squad members in Day 2 of training camp in Kolkata. Image | Facebook
The Blue Tigers' intensive training camp kicked off in Kolkata on May 19. The men in Blue underwent six full days of structured training and gym sessions. These were focused on refining patterns, defensive organisation, attacking transitions, and all other crucial elements for the gameplay.
A highlight of the camp was the inclusion of two practice matches:
On May 26, the Blue Tigers faced Santosh Trophy Champions Bengal, securing a 2-1 victory. (goal scorers: Brandon Fernandes and Ashique Kuruniyan)
On May 27, they faced North 24 Parganas, securing a 3-0 victory. (goal scorers: Sunil Chhetri, Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Udanta Singh Kumam)
Blue Tigers’ 28-member squad for the FIFA Friendly against Thailand
Indian Football: Rahul KP creates history, signs for West Ham United
Rahul KP, the Indian winger, will play for English Premier League club West Ham United in The Soccer Tournament (TST), an elite 7 v 7 football competition featuring 48 teams from across the globe.
In a groundbreaking moment for Indian football, Rahul KP, the dynamic winger of Odisha FC, has been extended a prestigious invitation to represent English Premier League powerhouse West Ham United in the highly anticipated summer edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST), an elite 7 v 7 football competition featuring 48 teams from across the globe.
This is the first time in Indian football history that an Indian player will represent a top-division English Premier League club men’s team. This is a monumental achievement not only for Rahul's burgeoning career and Odisha FC but also for the continued growth and recognition of the state of Odisha and Indian football on the international stage.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 4 to June 9, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The tournament boasts a diverse international roster, with participating teams and players hailing from countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and India. The star-studded event will notably feature teams led by legendary footballers such as Luis Nani, Sergio Agüero, and Hope Solo.
Rahul KP will join a distinguished West Ham United squad that includes notable personalities like actor Hero Fiennes Tiffin, former Argentina international Mauro Zárate, and several professional athletes who have represented the United States in the World Indoor Football Cup.
The three group stage games featuring West Ham United will be broadcast live on YouTube channels. Additionally, these matches will be televised live on ESPN.
Esha Oza currently holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is, with four centuries in the format. Explore the list of players with such century records!
Scoring a century in any form of cricket is a moment of glory, but in the fast-paced format of T20s, it gets more exciting to watch. Numerous cricketers have consistently proved themselves in this format by delivering spectacular tons.
The list goes deep as we have such power-hitters from around the globe!
Join us as we explore the list of players with most centuries in WT20Is and celebrate their glorious innings.
1. Esha Oza (4 centuries) | UAE
Esha Oza in action against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2024. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The current captain of UAE, Esha Oza, holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is with 4 centuries in her T20 career so far. This Indian-born cricketer made her debut in T20Is in 2018 and reached this milestone extremely fast.
She is also the fastest player from UAE to reach 1000 runs in T20Is. Her fourth century in T20Is came against Qatar in the Asia Cup qualifier, where she led her team to a brilliant victory.
Chamari Athapaththu celebrating her 113 off 66 balls against Australia in 2019. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Chamari Athapaththu, the current captain of Sri Lanka national team, holds the 2nd position in this list with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is one of the finest cricketers from Sri Lanka and led them to win the 2024 Asia Cup.
Chamari scored her first hundred in T20Is in 2019 against Australia. She scored the other following centuries in 2024 against Scotland and Malaysia.
Fatuma Kibasu celebrating her century in 2019. Image | Facebook
The former captain of Tanzania, Fatuma Kibasu, holds the 3rd position with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is the only Tanzanian woman to score a century at international level so far, and holds the highest individual score for her country in WT20Is.
Fatuma made her T20 debut in 2019 and played magnificently ever since!
Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now
Who are the best 10 women's footballers in the world right now making an impact globally? Find out who makes their way to the list with Aitana Bonmati topping the chart.
Football knows no gender, and the talented women are proving that with their breathtaking gameplay. The world of women's football is setting new standards which has made it difficult to pick the best ones.
Based on the current landscape of the sport, check out the best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
10. Lauren James
Lauren James celebrating her goal in a match against Aston Villa in 2022. Image | Pinterest
National Team: England
Club: Chelsea
Position: Forward
Goals: 65
Lauren James is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Chelsea in the WSL. She has won the PFAWomen's Young Player of the Year award in 2022-23 for her exceptional skills at a young age.
She previously played for Arsenal and Manchester United and switched to Chelsea in 2021. She has scored a total of 58 goals in 155 appearances across all clubs.
Lauren plays a major role in the England women's team, having 7 international goals in 27 appearances for England.
Klara Bühl adding a goal to their victory of 6-0 against Morocco in FIFA World Cup 2023. Image | Pinterest
National Team: Germany
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: Forward
Goals: 92
Klara Bühl is a professional german player who plays as left winger or forward. She is 17 year old and is considered as one of the best young wingers in Europe.
She was a part of SC Freiburg for four years before joining FC Bayern Munich in 2020. Klara has scored 65 goals in 230 appearances for clubs, and 27 international goals in 65 appearances for Germany.
Salma Paralluelo after scoring a goal Atlético de Madrid Femenino in 2024. Image | Instagram
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Forward
Goals: 99
The Spanish left winger, Salma Paralluelo, is a born champion, with all three 3 World Cups to her name. She started her career as a sprinter and holds several records in the categories of under 16 and 18.
Salma won the FIFA Women's World Cup with the Spanish senior team in 2023, the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2020, and FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018. She also won the U-17 UEFA U-17 Women's Championship in 2018.
Salma has scored 85 goals in 125 club appearances and 14 goals in 35 appearances for Spain.
Linda Caicedo after scoring a goal against Germany in FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. Image | FIFPro
National Team: Colombia
Club: Real Madrid
Position: Forward
Goals: 46
Linda Caicedo is a Colombian footballer who has reached commendable milestones at a young age of 20. She plays as a forward for Real Madrid, and has been associated with football legends like Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Trinity Rodman for commercial ad campaigns.
She played for América Cali and Deportivo Cali before joining Real Madrid, and scored a total of 33 goals in 92 appearances across all of them.
Linda has scored 13 goals to her name in 42 appearances for Colombia.
#FU17WWC Bronze Boot🥾 & Silver Ball ⚽ winner Linda Caicedo makes her senior #FIFAWWC debut 🫡
Alessia Russo after scoring a goal in a Arse's 4-1 WSL win over Chelsea in 2023. Image | Facebook
National Team: England
Club: Arsenal
Position: Forward
Goals: 87
Alessia Russo is a professional footballer who plays for England and the WSL club Arsenal as a forward. She has exceptional records, including being awarded the player of the month and goal of the month for Arsenal.
Alessia is known for her aggressive gameplay and match-winning abilities. She played for other clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United before, and was also the top scorer twice.
Her club goals count to 66 in 138 appearances across all clubs and 21 in 49 appearances for England.
Khadija Shaw in action for Manchester City in a WSL match against Liverpool. Image | womenfootball.blog
National Team: Jamaica
Club: Manchester City
Position: Forward
Goals: 182
The all-time top scorer, Khadija Shaw, is one of the world's best strikers from Jamaica, who also plays as a forward for Manchester City.
Khadija holds the record for the most hat-tricks in the history of the Women's Super League. She scored 125 goals in her 144 club appearances and 57 goals in 44 appearances for Jamaica!
She was named The Guardian Footballer of the Year in 2018 as a tribute to her legendary contributions in football.
4. Alexia Putellas
Alexia putellas in action for Spain in a football match. Image | Business Insider
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Midfielder
Goals: 260
Alexis Putellas is a Spanish midfielder or forward who currently plays for Barcelona. She is the captain of Barcelona and has won all the individual European football awards.
Alexis is widely appreciated for her style of play and aura. She has previously played for Espanyol and Levante, having a total of 226 goals in 515 appearances across all clubs.
She scored 34 goals for the Spanish National Team in 130 appearances. Alexis also won Ballon d'Or Féminin for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022.
3. Caroline Graham Hansen
Caroline Graham Hansen during a match playing for Barcelona. Image | BBC
National Team: Norway
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Winger
Goals: 225
Caroline Graham Hansen is a Norwegian footballer who is one of the best wingers in the world. She plays for Barcelona and has won prestigious awards like Statoil Talent Award of the Year and others.
Hansen has exceptional dribbling and passing skills, which never fail to amaze the fans. She played for other clubs like Stabæk and Wolfsburg and scored 180 goals in all 404 appearances.
Her goals count to 45 in 95 international caps for Norway.
Sophia Smith celebrating her goal against Vietnam in World Cup Opener in 2023. Image | The Today Show
National Team: USA
Club: Portland Thorns
Position: Forward
Goals: 74
Sophia Smith is an American footballer who plays as a forward for the team. She plays for the NWSL club Portland Thorns and was named the most valuable player for them, along with the Golden Boot, in 2022.
Sophia scored 3 goals in the Paris Olympics 2024 for the US National Team. She earned her national team cap in 2020 and became the youngest player to debut for the US Women's National Team.
She scored 50 goals in 95 appearances for Portland Thorns FC and 24 goals in 58 appearances for the USA.
Her contributions in the world of football makes her way to the list of best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
Aitana Bonmatí celebrates after scoring a goal for Barcelona in the Champions League Final in 2024. Image | Pinterest
National Team: Spain
Club: FC Barcelona
Position: Midfielder
Goals: 134
Aitana Bonmatí is a Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder for FC Barcelona. She is one of the greatest of all time in football history. Her elegant style of play is a treat to the eyes.
The Spanish National team captain won the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Laureus World Sports Award, and Golden Player Woman Award for her incredible 2023 season for Spain and Barcelona. She is the first women's player to win The Best, Ballon d'Or, UEFA Player of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball in the same year
Mary Earps celebrating a goal save during a match for England. Image | FIFPro
The legendary English goalkeeper, Mary Earps, is a name honorary mention for this list. She plays for PSG and is considered to have the safest pair of hands when it comes to football. Earps' legendary performance in the UEFA Euro 2022 will always be remembered in the history of English football, as they lifted the European Championship.
Earps played for a total of 11 clubs, including Manchester United and became the first goalkeeper to reach 50 clean sheets in the WSL.
Earps received the Golden Glove Award for her record-breaking 14 clean sheets in 2024 for Manchester United. She is a two-time FIFA Best and Golden Glove winner.
Her iconic contributions deserves a special place in the list of best 10 women's footballers in the world right now.
AIFF Awards 2025: Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth Shine as Top Players
Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth won the Best Men's and Women's Player of the Year Awards, respectively, in the recently concluded AIFF Awards 2025. Here are all the winners this season.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) celebrated the best of Indian football at the AIFF Awards 2025, held today in Bhubaneswar, honouring outstanding players, coaches, referees, and member associations for their contributions during the 2024-25 season.
Subhasish Bose recieving the Best Men's Footballer of the Year Award. Image | AIFFSoumya Guguloth won the Women's Footballer of the Year Award. Image | AIFF
The ceremony highlighted the growing competitiveness of Indian football, with Mohun Bagan SG’s Subhasish Bose and East Bengal FC’s Soumya Guguloth crowned Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, respectively.
AIFF Awards 2025 Winners
Individual Awards
Men's Player of the Year: Subhasish Bose (Mohun Bagan SG, Defender)
Recognised for his leadership as captain and stellar performances for Mohun Bagan SG as the mariners became the first team to defend the ISL Shield, along with reclaiming the ISL Cup. Bose kept 13 clean sheets as a defender and scored 6 goals as well.
Women's Player of the Year: Soumya Guguloth (East Bengal FC, Forward)
Honoured as the top Indian scorer in the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and a key player for the Blue Tigresses. She helped East Bengal FC win the IWL 2024-25 title.
Men's Goalkeeper of the Year: Vishal Kaith (Mohun Bagan SG)
Awarded for holding the record for the most clean sheets in Indian Super League (ISL) history. Kaith had a record 15 clean sheets in ISL 2024-25 and conceded only 19 goals across 26 appearances
Most Promising Men's Player of the Year: Brison Fernandes (Midfielder)
Noted for his midfield mastery and potential as a rising star.
Most Promising Women's Player of the Year: Neha (Haryana, Winger)
Recognised for her performances, including 2 goals in the SAFF U19 Women’s Championship and 3 goals in the Senior Women’s National Championship.
Men's Coach of the Year: Khalid Jamil (Jamshedpur FC)
Won for the second consecutive year for leading Jamshedpur FC to the Kalinga Super Cup semifinals.
Women's Coach of the Year: Sujata Kar (Sreebhumi FC)
Awarded for guiding newly-promoted Sreebhumi FC to a third-place finish in the IWL.
Male Referee of the Year: Venkatesh R
Acknowledged for consistent officiating on the pitch.
Female Referee of the Year: Tekcham Ranjita Devi
Recognised for her officiating excellence.
Male Referee of the Year: Venkatesh R
Male Assistant Referee of the Year: Vairamuthu P
Member Association (MA) Awards
Most Successful MA (Club Competitions): Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
For dominance in men’s competitions, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal winning major titles.
Most Successful MA (NFC Competitions): All Manipur Football Association
Recognised for success in the National Football Championships.
Best MA for Supporting Women’s Football: Punjab Football Association
Honoured for contributions to women’s football development.
Best MA for Hosting Most AIFF Competitions: Football Association of Odisha and Goa Football Association
For hosting numerous AIFF events.
MA with Most Player Registrations (Men’s): Kerala Football Association
For the highest number of male player registrations.
MA with Most Player Registrations (Women’s): Western India Football Association (Maharashtra)
For leading in female player registrations.
Special Award for MA Launching New Projects: Gujarat State Football Association
For innovative football initiatives.
MA with Most Grassroots Activities: Gujarat State Football Association
For extensive grassroots programs.
MA with Most Youth Tournaments Conducted: Karnataka State Football Association
For organising numerous youth tournaments.
MA with Most Coaching Courses: Punjab Football Association
For conducting the most coaching courses.
MA with Most Refereeing Courses: Gujarat State Football Association
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