The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is in the process of finding a new head coach for the men's national team following the departure of Manolo Marquez. The decision to part ways with Marquez was mutually agreed upon after a string of poor results. The AIFF's Executive Committee convened on July 2, 2025, to formalize the decision, acknowledging Marquez's desire to step down despite having a year remaining on his contract.

Marquez's tenure, which began in June 2024, failed to live up to expectations. Tasked with succeeding Igor Stimac, Marquez struggled to replicate his success in domestic football with Hyderabad FC and FC Goa on the international stage. Under his guidance, India played eight matches, managing only one win – a friendly against the Maldives. The team suffered three defeats, including a 1-0 loss to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, marking India's first competitive loss to Hong Kong in 32 years. A goalless draw against Bangladesh, a team ranked significantly lower, further amplified the concerns.

The team's performance under Marquez led to a significant drop in FIFA rankings, plummeting from 99 in July 2023 to 127. This decline raised concerns about the national team's direction and tactical approach. Marquez's win rate of 12.5% is reportedly the worst of his coaching career.

AIFF has officially announced that they will advertise the vacant position. The federation has set a deadline of July 13 for interested applicants. The AIFF is seeking a coach with at least 10 to 15 years of experience at the elite youth and senior levels. Experience as a first-team coach of a senior national team, particularly in World Cup and continental championship qualifiers, is highly desirable. A minimum of an AFC/UEFA Pro license or equivalent is also required. The AIFF is also looking for someone with "cultural sensitivity".

Among the potential candidates is Jamshedpur FC's Khalid Jamil, the only Indian head coach in the Indian Super League (ISL). Jamil has a proven track record, having guided two teams to ISL Cup semi-finals and narrowly missing out on the Super Cup title last season. While Jamil is under contract with Jamshedpur FC until 2026, the club may consider releasing him if a formal offer from AIFF is presented.

The new head coach will report to the AIFF Secretary General and will be responsible for the team's performance in all matches and competitions. The coach will work closely with the National Team Department, the National Team Director, and the Technical Director to improve the team's standing and performances. The AIFF Technical Committee has emphasized the importance of increasing match time for Indian players, especially strikers, potentially by reducing the number of foreign players in domestic leagues. They are also exploring the possibility of fielding U23 national team players in the I-League to prepare them for the Asian Games.