Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on India Missing FIFA World Cup: ‘Why Didn’t We Reach the Asian Cup?’

Indian Football captain and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has sparked a fresh debate on the state of Indian football after sharing a thought-provoking message on social media. Rather than focusing solely on India’s inability to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, Sandhu highlighted a deeper issue — the nation’s inconsistency in qualifying for and progressing in the AFC Asian Cup.

Through an Instagram story, Sandhu emphasized that FIFA World Cup qualification is a long-term process built on sustained success at the continental level.

“Absolutely loving the conversation so many people are having about why we are not at the World Cup. People asking questions and accountability is necessary,” Sandhu wrote.

“As a player, I can tell you. We are not at the World Cup because we are not at the Asian Cup. To reach the World Cup, we have to be regulars in the Asian Cup and then be regulars at the knockout stages of the same. It’s a step-by-step process. So the real question is, why did we not reach the Asian Cup?” he added.

Asian Cup: The Missing Step for India

Sandhu believes that India’s football ambitions cannot begin with World Cup qualification alone. Instead, the focus should be on becoming a consistent force in Asian football by regularly qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup and competing in the latter stages of the tournament.

The AFC Asian Cup serves as Asia’s premier international competition and acts as a crucial stepping stone toward FIFA World Cup qualification.

India’s AFC Asian Cup Record

India have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup only five times in their history:

• 1964
• 1984
• 2011
• 2019
• 2023

The country’s best performance came in 1964, when India finished runners-up in a four-team round-robin tournament.

However, that success was followed by lengthy periods of absence. India failed to qualify for the tournament for two decades and later endured a 27-year gap before returning in 2011.

Recent Asian Cup Campaigns

At the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, India exited in the group stage after defeats against Australia, Bahrain, and South Korea.

In 2019, India showed signs of progress by defeating Thailand 4-1, ending a long wait for an Asian Cup victory. However, losses to UAE and Bahrain prevented them from reaching the knockout stage.

During the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, India qualified impressively through the third round but once again exited in the group stage after defeats to Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria.

Focus on Long-Term Development

Sandhu’s comments have reignited discussions about the structure and development of Indian football. His message underlines that consistent participation in the AFC Asian Cup and stronger performances against Asia’s top teams are essential if India hopes to one day compete on football’s biggest stage — the FIFA World Cup.

For now, the veteran goalkeeper believes the focus should shift from asking why India are missing the World Cup to understanding why the nation is still struggling to establish itself as a regular contender in Asia.