Indian Football Team Gears Up in Kolkata for Crucial FIFA World Cup Qualifier Against Kuwait

Sayak Banerjee / 31-05-2024

Upon arriving in Kolkata on Wednesday, the Indian senior men’s team commenced their first training session at the Centre of Excellence in Rajarhat on Thursday evening. With less than a week left until the crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait at Salt Lake Stadium on June 6th, preparations are intensifying.

India had begun their training on May 11th in Bhubaneswar before heading to Kolkata. Following a rigorous 17-day training camp, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu addressed the media upon their arrival in Kolkata, expressing confidence ahead of the match. “We are prepared for this crucial match. Despite a few weeks off from training, we started this camp in Kolkata, and we have trained together as a team,” the goalkeeper stated.

Since their arrival in Kolkata, the team has felt the warm support and affection from Kolkata fans. “When we talk about Kolkata, there is no doubt about the support from the fans. You can see the enthusiasm, demand, and love for the game, and our job is to play our best football so that people can derive joy from watching us,” Sandhu added.

However, the group stage does not offer India favourable conditions. After the Kuwait match, they aim to turn things around, according to head coach Igor Stimac. The team faced a 1-0 defeat in their opening group match against their own country. Nevertheless, West Asian opponents are currently on three points, having defeated Afghanistan and subsequently losing twice to Qatar. If India loses to them, they will be eliminated from the World Cup qualification and will have to wait for the third round of eligibility.