Now Reading: East Bengal’s Asian draw sparks three wishes for Indian football
-
01
East Bengal’s Asian draw sparks three wishes for Indian football
East Bengal men's team fought back to draw 2-2 with Kuwait's Al Arabi SC in the AFC Champions League 2 qualifier on Wednesday, with 18,000 fans braving heavy rain. The result is…
The Story in Brief
East Bengal men's team fought back to draw 2-2 with Kuwait's Al Arabi SC in the AFC Champions League 2 qualifier on Wednesday, with 18,000 fans braving heavy rain. The result is a rare bright spot for Indian club football, which has struggled in Asian competitions. According to a KPMG report released by the sports minister, India has 300 million football followers, more than hockey and badminton combined, and the sport is growing at 25%.
The article lists three wishes for the coming year: a full ISL season with better broadcast deals, a tribute to former India captain Mohammed Habib (who died on August 15, 2023) by naming the Golden Boot award after him, and a lesson from Sumit Rathi's career decline, the young defender played just 46 minutes in 2024-25 after being misused by Mohun Bagan. East Bengal's women's team also qualified for the Asian Women's Champions League preliminary stage.
The Indian Opinion
The usual narrative that Indian football is doomed ignores real signs of life. East Bengal's comeback against a well-funded Kuwaiti side, without an investor, shows grit. The KPMG report of 300 million followers and 25% growth contradicts the idea that nobody cares. Yet the sport's problems remain: a short season, player mismanagement, Sumit Rathi's wasted years at Mohun Bagan is a case study. Will the AIFF or ISL clubs finally fix how they develop and retain young talent, or will every promising player's career stall the same way?
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
