Marquez announces 28-member India squad for Kolkata camp

New Delhi

India’s senior men’s football team head coach, Manolo Marquez, has named a 28-member squad for a training camp in Kolkata starting on May 18. This camp will prepare the team for the upcoming FIFA International window in June.

India is gearing up for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, where they are in Group C with Bangladesh, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. The team’s next challenge is an away match against Hong Kong on June 10 at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon City.

The opening two matches in Group C ended in draws, leaving all four teams with one point each. India will train in Kolkata for 10 days before traveling to Bangkok for a FIFA International Friendly against Thailand on June 4. The squad will then head to Hong Kong for the Asian Cup qualifier.

India and Thailand have played 26 times, with Thailand winning 12 matches and India winning 7. The two sides met most recently in 2019, with India winning both encounters, including a 1-0 victory in the King's Cup to claim bronze.

The squad includes goalkeepers Hrithik Tiwari, Vishal Kaith, Gurmeet Singh Chahal, and Amrinder Singh; defenders such as Sandesh Jhingan and Rahul Bheke; midfielders including Suresh Singh Wangjam and Liston Colaco; and forwards like Sunil Chhetri and Irfan Yadwad. The team is led by head coach Manolo Marquez.