India Unveils Squad for AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers

Fast Summary

• Event: India U23 men’s national football team announced a 23-member squad for AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
• Key Dates/Matches:

– India in Group H will play:
– Bahrain on September 3.
– Qatar (hosts) on September 6.
– Brunei Darussalam on September 9.
– group winners and four best second-placed teams from the 11 groups will qualify for AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia (2026).

• Planning: The team played two closed-door friendlies against Iraq U23s earlier this month, losing both matches (1-2 and 1-3). However,coach Naushad Moosa views these games as confidence-building experiences.
• Coach Remarks: Moosa emphasized playing good football, avoiding conceding goals, and taking it one match at a time. He stated that early success would help gauge the team’s standing.
• Squad Composition: Includes three goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders, and four forwards in total.

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Indian Opinion Analysis

india’s participation in the AFC U23 Qualifiers represents a significant step toward bolstering talent progress at youth levels while gaining exposure to international competition. Despite their recent losses against iraq’s strong U23 side during kind matches, coach Moosa’s belief in character-building offers an optimistic outlook for gradual improvement.

The emphasis on not just results but overall gameplay quality reflects a growth-centric mindset essential for scaling success at higher levels of football competition-a historically challenging area for India. Additionally, competing against strong opponents like Qatar on foreign soil provides invaluable experience that aligns with efforts to elevate India’s standing in global football forums.

This campaign is also pivotal as qualification could mean continued relevance and opportunity leading up to Saudi Arabia’s main event in 2026-a key milestone for nurturing new-gen players who could eventually feed into senior national squads.