Gareth Southgate, the head coach of the England national team, praised Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and expressed support for consistently including him in the national squad, even when he wasn't featuring in the Red Devils' starting lineup.
Argentina's football maestro and Diego Maradona's successor, Lionel Messi, had a remarkable year, paralleling the groundbreaking success of the Sunil Chhetri-led Indian football team, thriving under the guidance of Igor Stimac.
Kolkata will once again reverberate with the collective energy of thousands of runners as the city gears up for the much-awaited Kolkata 25K (TSK 25K), which will be flagged off from the iconic Red Road on Sunday.
The Blue Tigers have been drawn in Group B, alongside Australia (January 13), Uzbekistan (January 18), and Syria (January 23). The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed finishers (out of six) will make their way into the Round of 16
Ahead of India's World Cup Qualifier match against Qatar at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, Blue Tigers' goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu hoped to achieve more success with the national football team in the coming years.
Off to a flying start four days ago with three points against Kuwait in Group A, India will now count on home support in a very familiar location to tackle the test from the 61-ranked Qatari side.
Qatar, ranked 61st in the FIFA rankings, boasts quality in their squad and holds the top spot in Group A. Tuesday's match promises to be a tough battle as the Blue Tigers aim to deliver their best performance at home and potentially upset one of Asia's football powerhouses.
The Blue Tigers secured a hard-fought victory over Kuwait away from home, breaking the deadlock with a solid finish from Manvir Singh in the 75th minute, connecting perfectly with a Lallianzuala Chhangte cross.
Former England football team captain David Beckham is currently in India as UNICEF's goodwill ambassador and he is likely to meet members of the Indian film fraternity soon.
While World Cup qualification remains a distant goal, the performances of the Indian Football Team consistently ignite hopes for a brighter future. With that in mind, let us take a look at some of India's best results in the World Cup qualifiers.