The upcoming FIFA International break might be a momentous one the place the India males’s soccer group will play Tri-Nation FIFA Friendly Football Tournament matches towards Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic on the Khuman Lampak Stadium in the capital of Manipur, Imphal. The video games will happen in the course of the March FIFA International Window. The matches might be performed on March 22, 24, and 26.
This was introduced by Shri N Biren Singh, the honourable Chief Minister of Manipur in a press convention in Imphal on Monday, February 6, 2023. Present on the press convention was Mr Kalyan Chaubey, President, All India Football Federation and Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran.
The hon’ble Chief Minister of Manipur stated, “It is a great initiative by the AIFF leadership that we are getting to host International friendly matches in Manipur for the first time in history. From our end, I can assure everyone that the Government of Manipur will do everything to provide the best facilities and facilitate in the successful organisation of the tournament.
“Manipur has been a significant contributor in Indian Football scene and we are grateful that the AIFF management has also taken the step towards spreading the game to different parts of the country,” stated the hon’ble CM. “Manipur has provided many International players for the National Team. It is indeed an honour to host the tournament and further encourage our players and sports enthusiasts.
“The likes of Renedy Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Udanta Singh, Amarjit Kiyam, Suresh, Jeakson and lots more have all set the international stage alight and held the standards of Manipur football high on the national and international stages,” he stated.
“Manipur has been a great contributor to women’s football as well. Players like Bala Devi, who is one of the best strikers of this generation, captain Ashalata Devi, Dangmei Grace, Elangbam Panthoi Chanu and many more have made the country proud time and again well.”
The hon’ble CM also requested the AIFF’s assistance in establishing a top-class academy in the state. “I would also like to request the AIFF for its assistance in establishing a football academy of global standards in Manipur, where we can nurture the talented boys and girls from the state and set their course for further development.”
This will be the first time that the India Senior National Team will be playing in Imphal, Manipur, as the Federation looks to spread the outreach of the beautiful game throughout the country, in line with its strategic roadmap, Vision 2047.
The venue for the games is the historic Khuman Lampak Stadium, which has over the years hosted many Hero I-League games and also group stage games of the prestigious Durand Cup in August 2022. Established in 1999, the stadium has a capacity of 35,000.
“We all are aware of football’s popularity in Manipur. The state has produced a huge number of footballers, both men and women, but never before has a national team’s match been organised in the state,” AIFF President Mr Kalyan Chaubey stated. “Having launched Vision 2047 recently, our aim is to take quality football to the furthest corners of the country. Manipur’s vibrant football culture makes them deserving hosts, and so they have been given charge of hosting the Senior National Team’s matches.”
The AIFF President further praised Manipur Chief Minister Shri N Biren Singh, who has promised more infrastructural growth of football in the state of Manipur.
“I have massive respect for the state of Manipur, and was glad to see CM sir’s intent for connect with Indian Football. He told me what we can do for further development of the game,” stated Mr Chaubey. “There have already been so many international players from Manipur, but the CM sir is keen to take things even further. He has promised that the Manipur Government will open an academy, with top level grounds, infrastructure and hostels. With his leadership, I am sure the AIFF will put its best foot forward to so that every talent in Manipur can be nurtured properly. I can assure you that Indian Football will put all efforts to get the best from the boys and girls of Manipur.”
“Manipur is a state that has huge footballing potential and we hope that bringing international football here will provide a tremendous boost to local football and have a positive impact on Indian Football.” Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran stated.
“The state of Manipur is a factory of talent, which is clearly reflected in the record number of footballers playing in the top league across the country for a number of years. We will work with Manipur football in line with the Vision 2047 strategy to make things more vibrant and spread this culture throughout the country. Organising international friendlies here will hopefully galvanise the youth, inspire more youngsters to take up the sport, and even motivate other states to grow the game in a way where they can also become attractive locations with vibrant football culture.”
The Indian males’s soccer group final performed on dwelling soil in June 2022, after they topped their group to safe qualification for the 2024 AFC Asian Cup, defeating the likes of Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. The upcoming friendlies might be a part of a sequence of matches that India will play in the FIFA International home windows to put together for subsequent 12 months’s Asian Cup.
Head Coach Igor Stimac expressed pleasure on the forthcoming video games saying, “It will be great to play a few friendly matches at home again. We now have enough time to check our opponents’ form and formulate our plans accordingly.
“These games should serve us well as we prepare for the Asian Cup. Hopefully we can start the year with a few good results,” he added. “I hope all our boys will maintain good form and stay injury free in the next few weeks until we get together.”
The Indian males’s soccer group have a protracted soccer historical past with Myanmar, courting again to 1952 (then Burma), when the 2 sides first met, and Sahu Mewalal netted a hat-trick in a 4-Zero win for the India.
In current instances, Sunil Chhetri was the hero in a 1-Zero victory over Myanmar, who are actually 159th in the FIFA Rankings, in 2017 in the Asian Cup Qualifiers. The reverse fixture ended 2-2, with Chhetri netting a penalty and Jeje scoring one other one.
The Indian males’s soccer group have a successful report towards the Kyrgyz Republic (94 in the FIFA Rankings), having gained three matches to the Central Asian facet’s two. The match towards Kyrgyz Republic was one of many essential video games in India’s qualification marketing campaign for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The Indian males’s soccer group clinched a 1-Zero victory, thanks once more to a strike by Chhetri in Bengaluru in 2017. Although Kyrgyz Republic gained the reverse fixture 2-1, India secured qualification for the 2019 Asian Cup.
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