On October 9, 2017, when India faced Colombia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Jeakson Singh etched his name in history by scoring India’s first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup. The stadium erupted in celebration. However, the joy was short-lived, as Colombia equalised almost immediately and eventually went on to win the match 2–1.
But that fleeting moment of ecstasy, when the whole stadium burst into euphoria and there was deafening applause, felt more like a big IPL match or any other major cricket fixture in India. In the crowd, countless fans cheered for the Indian team, many wearing the team’s T-shirts. The moment felt surreal, as India was playing in the FIFA World Cup. But nearly a decade on, where do we stand now? In a nation of over 1.4 billion people, why have we still not been able to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, even as the tournament now features 48 teams?
