Manolo Marquez has stepped down as the head coach of the Indian national football team, following a mutual agreement with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The decision brings an end to Marquez's relatively short and underwhelming stint in charge, which began in June 2024.
The AIFF Deputy Secretary General, K Satyanarayana, confirmed that the separation occurred without any financial implications for either party. The federation will soon begin the search for a new head coach.
Marquez's departure comes after a string of poor results that have put the team's performance under scrutiny. Under his leadership, India managed only one win in eight matches, a 3-0 victory against the Maldives in a friendly. The team's recent 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers further jeopardized their chances of qualifying for the 2027 tournament.
Marquez's appointment in June 2024 was initially met with optimism, given his prior success in the Indian Super League (ISL). He had previously led Hyderabad FC to the ISL title in 2022 and FC Goa to the Super Cup victory in 2024. However, he also managed FC Goa during the 2024-25 season.
Despite the team's struggles, Marquez had insisted that India still had a chance to qualify for the Asian Cup, even after the loss to Hong Kong. However, frustrations had been building, and he had openly criticized the team's performance after a goalless draw against Bangladesh in March, stating, "I'm very angry, disappointed with everyone. Maybe this is the reality of Indian football".
India's form has been declining over the past year. They failed to win a single game at the 2024 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar and crashed out in the group stage. Since November 2023, the Blue Tigers have not won a competitive match and have fallen in the FIFA world rankings from 99th to 127th.
Marquez had replaced Igor Stimac as head coach last year. The team's next scheduled international match is an away fixture against Singapore in the third round of Asian Cup qualifiers. According to sources, Marquez had expressed his desire to leave sometime before the June 10 match against Hong Kong.
