KOLKATA: THIS time ten years ago, Diego Forlan graced the football pitches of Indian cities, as he plied his trade for Indian Super League side Mumbai City FC. That season, Mumbai were knocked out in the semifinals at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata. Cut to the present, Forlan is back in the City of Joy and set to be on the touchline but at a different venue — Salt Lake Stadium.
Ranked 138th, the Indian football team last year failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, the first time since 2015. However, the friendly matches against higher-ranked opponents come as an opportunity to see and learn how the best functions.
Speaking to reporters during the pre-match press conference here on Monday, the former striker believed that there is talent across the country. “In my six months here in Mumbai, I got to know some good players. And as a manager, we saw how India played against Brazil, we saw that there were some good players,” Forlan said.
But as Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti had pointed out, Forlan also believed that football in India is second-fiddle to cricket. Asked to respond to the Italian’s comment, the former Manchester United footballer replied, “Well, your main sport is cricket. It has been football for so many years, but it’s not the main sport. That’s quite different sometimes, but the country has a lot of people. There’s a lot of young talented players. In the near future, India could be playing some important games,” he said.