Winger lallianzuala chhangte

AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: It’s a new phase for the India senior men’s national team, as head coach Manolo Marquez takes the helm in the Blue Tigers’ camp. His first assignment, the Intercontinental Cup in Hyderabad, a city he is all too familiar with.

For those in his team, it is a matter of proving themselves over the course of the next three FIFA international windows, before they dive head-first into the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers (March 2025). Winger Lallianzuala Chhangte, who was named the AIFF Player of the Year earlier this year, is all too aware of the paucity of time.

“We don’t have the time to be complacent. We must do whatever we have to on and off the pitch to be prepared to take on the Asian Cup qualification head-on. We must not only be physically strong, but mentally as well. The bond within the team has to be stronger than ever,” Chhangte told AIFF's official website.