Introducing Khalid Jamil, the Kuwaiti coach tapped to turn around India's struggling football squad
Khalid Jamil, a former football player turned coach, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian national team. This marks the first time an Indian coach has held this prestigious position since 2012.
Jamil, who was born in Kuwait and moved to India in the 1990s, has achieved significant domestic success. He led Jamshedpur FC to a fifth-place finish in the Indian Super League (ISL) campaign and reached the Super Cup final in the previous season. In the current Durand Cup campaign, he has turned Jamshedpur FC's season around, keeping the team unbeaten so far.
Before joining Jamshedpur FC, Jamil managed several top Indian clubs, including East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, despite turning down offers from these giants during his playing career due to alcohol sponsorships. He is known for his pragmatic coaching style, which emphasises strong defensive fundamentals, counter-attacks with pace, and the use of flying wingers and a target man.
Jamil's first assignment as national coach will be the CAFA Nations Cup, where India will compete against defending champions Iran and 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinalists Tajikistan. With most first-team regulars expected to be available for the tournament due to the scheduling of the Durand Cup final just prior to the tournament opener, Jamil will have a strong squad to work with.
Jamil is a rare individual who has won India's top division both as a player (with Mahindra United in 2005) and as a coach, showcasing his deep understanding of Indian football. He holds the AFC Pro Licence, the highest coaching certification in Asian football, and has experience managing across all levels of Indian football—from the lower I-League tiers to the ISL.
In his coaching career, Jamil has led NorthEast United to the playoffs in the ISL, becoming the first Indian coach to do so. He also led Aizawl FC, a small club from India's northeast, to the I-League title in 2017, defeating big teams including Mohun Bagan. This was the first time an Indian coach had won the country's top league and the first time a northeast-based club won the I-League.
Despite a tough first professional coaching job with Mumbai FC due to the club's lack of financial resources, Jamil's success continued in the ISL, where he made a significant impact with NorthEast United and Jamshedpur FC. His appointment as the national coach represents a philosophical shift by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) towards trusting a homegrown coach who understands the domestic football culture and ecosystem deeply, aiming to rebuild confidence in the national setup and foster competitiveness at the continental stage.
With Jamil at the helm, there is hope for a future where Indian football relies more on national coaching talent. His task will be to rejuvenate the national team, which has struggled recently on the Asian stage, by blending continuity, cultural familiarity, and practical strategy to compete against stronger continental teams.
- As a coach, Khalid Jamil made headlines when he led Aizawl FC, a small club from India's northeast, to win the country's top league (I-League) in 2017, marking a significant achievement in the history of Indian football.
- In the sports-analysis world, Jamil's coaching career has been characterized by his pragmatic approach, using strong defensive fundamentals, counter-attacks with pace, and employing flying wingers and a target man, which earned him success in the Indian Super League (ISL).
- Amidst the news of Jamil's appointment as the new head coach of the Indian national team, experts anticipate a new era for Indian sports, as this marks the first time a homegrown coach with a deep understanding of domestic football culture and ecosystem will be leading the national team, with the goal of boosting competitiveness on the Asian continent.
