Eye on Asian football crown, India to launch King’s Cup campaign
The perfect birthday gift for India coach Igor Stimac, the Serbian who celebrated his 56th birthday on Wednesday says, would be if his team could defeat Iraq at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai on Thursday. However, the King’s Cup encounter would not be straightforward. For a country invaded by the US only two decades ago, Iraq has emerged as a footballing powerhouse, currently ranked 70th in the world, 27 places above India.
But for India, the four-nation knockout tournament holds multiple significance. It would be a perfect portrayal of what’s in store, at least for the next four months. While aware of the challenge that Iraq pose, India won’t be fixated on getting a win and reaching the final where they will play the winners of the other semifinal between Lebanon and Thailand. They’re already looking ahead at their destination, which is the AFC Asian Cup in January. It is just the start of their long and treacherous journey.
Stimac’s side have won three trophies already this year—the Tri-Nation tournament in Imphal in March, the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar in June, and the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru in July. While those results put India back in the top 100 in the FIFA rankings, those tournaments were all played at home. Take nothing away from that India beat Lebanon and Kuwait en route to their title triumphs but the King’s Cup will be India’s biggest test, in terms of conditions, in 2023. It will be the first overseas tour for Stimac’s boys as they prepare for the Asian Cup in Qatar.
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