Former Arsenal Manager Wenger To Assist India Develop Football Talent

Arsene Wenger, a former manager of Arsenal, will assist India in fostering football potential as the country's national federation works to change its "brand and philosophy," the organization announced on Saturday. India, long referred to as a "sleeping giant" of football by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, is currently ranked 106th in the world and struggles to garner support in the nation that is fixated on cricket.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has had governance problems, and FIFA, the organization that oversees football, temporarily suspended it last year. Fresh elections were held in September, and now, with the assistance of 73-year-old Frenchman Wenger, the AIFF is aiming for significant changes.

"We will have a data driven scouting system in place for the national team," secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran told reporters on Saturday.

"We are going to work on this project with FIFA and Arsene Wenger is personally going to devote his time."

Wenger now serves as the head of FIFA's global football development department. Despite without elaborating on Wenger's specific position in the talent development program, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey claimed the initiative would be crucial to making India a football superpower by 2047, the year of the nation's century.

"We are not going to sell dreams," he said.

"We have to build the foundations of a strong structure and build our own identity and philosophy."

Croatian Igor Stimac has been India's head coach since 2019.

India hosted the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and the women's edition last year.