AIFF Appoints Spanish Coach Manolo Marquez as New Head Coach of Indian Men's Football Team

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday announced the appointment of FC Goa coach Manolo Maquez as the new head coach of Indian Men's Senior Football team.  

Manolo Marquez will replace the disgruntled coach Igor Stimac whose tenure as Team India coach ended in a massive dispute. 

Manolo Marquez New Team India Coach 

The AIFF in an executive committee meeting headed by Kalyan Chaubey decided to appoint the Spanish manager and current FC Goa coach as the new head coach of the national football team. 

Manolo Marquez takes over the Indian Football team having had a wealth of experience working in the Indian football ecosystem for quite some time and managing ISL clubs. 

The 55-year old Spanish manager Manolo Marque has been working in ISL since 2020 having managed Hyderabad FC and currently managing FC Goa. He has also coached Spanish club Las Palmas in La Liga

Manolo Marquez was delighted to have been appointed as the new head coach and considered it as a huge opportunity.  

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“It's an honour for me to be the National Football Team coach of India, a country I consider my second home. India and its people are something I feel attached to and I feel a part of since I first came to this beautiful country. I want to do my best to bring success to the millions of fans we have. We hope to do great things,” said Manolo Marquez on being appointed as the head coach. 

The AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey was elated with the appointment and looked forward to working for years ahead. 

“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Marquez to this important role and are also thankful to FC Goa for their generosity of releasing him for national duty. We look forward to working with Mr. Marquez in the years ahead. The AIFF, FC Goa, and Mr. Marquez will collaborate closely to ensure there is minimal impact between the two jobs and strive to achieve the best possible results for all involved,” said AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey on Manolo Marquez appointment.

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Why Manolo Marquez won't work full time

AIFF has also revealed that Manolo Marquez won't take over as India's new coach until after the 2024-25 season. 

The Spanish manager will work as a club and country manager as he will coach both FC Goa and Indian National team for