India national under-20 football team

India Under-20

Nickname(s)	Blue Cubs
Association	All India Football Federation
Sub-confederation	SAFF (South Asia)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
FIFA code	IND
First colours Second colours
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances	0
AFC U-19 Championship
Appearances	12 (First in 1970)
Best result	Champions 1974

The India national Under-20 football team, also known as India Under-20s or India U20(s), is considered to be one of the feeder teams for the India national football team behind the India national under-23 football team.

This team is for Indian players aged under 19 at the start of the calendar year in which a two-year AFC U-19 Championship campaign begins, so some players can remain with the squad until the age of 21. As long as they are eligible, players can play for India at any level, making it possible to play for the U19s, senior side, and again for the U19s. It is also possible to play for one country at youth level and another at senior level (providing the player is eligible).

History

As an Asian U19 team, India compete for the Asian Championship, with the finals every even-numbered year, formerly odd-numbered years. There is no Under-19 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. For the first 12 (1959-1970) Asian Under-19 Football Championships, India did not participate.

Then in 1971 the All India Football Federation decided to send a youth squad to the Asian Championships that year in Japan. The team managed to make it to the quarter-finals before losing out to Japan.

They participated in the championships again in 1972, this time in Thailand. Even after there good tournament in 1971 they could not go past the group stage this time around. They then participated in 1973 where Iran was hosting the championships. India managed to make the semi-finals before bowing out.

This then moved on to 1974 where India won the championship after drawing Iran in the final 2-2. Even though it ended in a draw the AFC still called it a victory for both teams.

After winning the championship India went back again in 1975 but this time could not get past the group stage. The next two years would be normal for India as they finished in Quarter Final and Group Stage respectively. They would then though go on a run of not entering the next three tournaments.

India's luck world sense have been lacking as they have qualified for the championship eight times sense 1985 to 2011 out of thirteen tournaments. The highest they have made it in that time the group stage. In 2008, the federation built up a self-sufficient training centre at Goa. The centre has all the facilities to train and house both the under-19 and the under-16 teams. Even with the training ground though they failed to make the last tournament in 2010 after finishing fourth out of six in there qualifying group.

The under-19 team participated in the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship qualification games to be played at Tehran, Iran. India did not qualify for the main rounds, finished 3rd in their group. In October 2013, under-19 team is going to participate in the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship qualification, which will held in Qatar.

AFC U-19 Championship Record

Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1959 to 1970	DNP
1971	Quarter Final	4	2	1	2	5	5
1972	Group Stage	4	1	-	3	5	13
1973	3rd Place	5	4	-	1	11	7
1974	Champions	4	4	-	-	15	2
1975	Group Stage	4	1	1	2	5	6
1976	Group Stage	3	1	1	1	4	3
1977	Quarter Final	3	1	-	2	5	8
1978	Group Stage	4	1	1	2	7	8
1980 to 1985	DNQ
1986	Group Stage	3	-	1	2	2	8
1988	DNQ
1990	Group Stage	3	1	-	2	3	7
1992	Group Stage	3	-	-	3	0	7
1994	DNQ
1996	Group Stage	4	-	1	3	2	6
1998	Group Stage	4	-	1	3	3	10
2000	DNQ
2002	Quarter Final	4	1	-	3	2	14
2004	Group Stage	3	-	-	3	2	5
2006	Group Stage	3	-	1	2	3	7
2008 to 2016	DNQ
Total	Best: Winners

• DNP : Did Not Participate
• DNQ : Did Not Qualify

Current Staff

Team Management Table

Name	Position
Lee Johnson [1]	Manager
Syed Sabir Pasha	Assistant Manager
Yusuf Ansari	Goalkeeping Coach
Rohit Thorat	General Manager
Vishnu Nair	Physio

Current Squad

This is the 26 member squad selected for the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification held in Palestine from 2 to 6 October 2015.^[2] "Caps and goals accurate as of 6 October 2015, after the game against Afghanistan U19s"

Number	Name	DOB	Club	State	Caps (goals)
Goalkeepers
1	Sukhdev Patil	23 November 1998	Pune Academy	Maharashtra	3 (0)
21	Sayak Barai	22 January 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Delhi	4 (0)
99	Rafique Ali Sardar	16 April 1998	Tata Football Academy	-	0 (0)
Defenders
2	Shahabaaz Khan	1 January 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Manipur	5 (1)
3	Kapil Boro	12 January 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Assam	0 (0)
4	Nishu Kumar	1 January 1997	Bengaluru FC	Chandigarh	3 (0)
5	Gursimrat Singh Gill	11 February 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Punjab	3 (0)
6	Mohammad Sajid Dhot	10 February 1997	DSK Shivajians	Punjab	6 (0)
16	Sarthak Golui	25 May 1997	Mohun Bagan	West Bengal	6 (1)
27	Amey Ganesh Ranawade	7 March 1998	AIFF Elite Academy	Maharashtra	2 (0)
28	Lalthakima Ralte	1 January 1998	Aizawl	Mizoram	3 (0)
Midfielders
8	Lalramzuava Khiangte	11 September 1996 (age 19)	AIFF Elite Academy	Mizoram	6 (1)
14	Malsawmzuala	9 December 1997	Bengaluru FC	Mizoram	3 (0)
15	Bidyananda Singh (Vice-Captain)	27 November 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Manipur	1 (0)
20	Rakesh Oram	31 October 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Orissa	2 (0)
26	Vinit Rai	10 October 1997	Dempo	Assam	2 (0)
Forwards
7	Suman Sarkar	20 November 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	West Bengal	2 (0)
9	Milan Basumatary	2 September 1997	Shillong Lajong	Assam	3 (0)
10	Moinuddin Khan	14 April 1997	AIFF Elite Academy	Madhya Pradesh	3 (1)
13	Daniel Lalhlimpuia (c)	12 September 1997	Bengaluru FC	Mizoram	10 (0)
19	Muhammed Ashique Kuruniyan	1 January 1997	Pune Academy	Kerala	2 (0)
24	Lallianzuala Chhangte	6 August 1997	DSK Shivajians U19	Mizoram	3 (0)
41	Jerry Mawihmingthanga	9 March 1997	DSK Shivajians U19	Mizoram	3 (0)

See also

• India national football team
• India national under-23 football team
• India national under-16 football team

External links

• India U-19 team page at the Official AIFF website

References

1. http://www.the-aiff.com/official.htm?type=1&plrId=1
2. https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=6709