Manolo Marquez has been officially named as the new head coach of the Indian national football team, succeeding Igor Stimac, who was dismissed following the team's failure to advance to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Marquez, who is also the head coach of FC Goa, will continue in his club role until May 2025. He will take over full-time as the national team coach after his contract with FC Goa ends next year. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed that they will coordinate with FC Goa to ensure Marquez can manage both responsibilities effectively.
The decision was made during an AIFF Executive Committee meeting on Saturday, July 20. Marquez, 55, was chosen over fellow Spaniard Antonio Lopez Habas, a former coach of Mohun Bagan.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey expressed gratitude to both FC Goa and Marquez. "We are delighted to welcome Mr. Marquez to this important role and are also thankful to FC Goa for their generosity in 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," Chaubey said.
Marquez, who previously coached Hyderabad FC for three seasons before joining FC Goa in 2023, expressed his enthusiasm for the role. "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. I am very grateful to FC Goa for allowing us the flexibility to help the national team during the coming season while I am still the club’s head coach. I'm grateful to the AIFF for this opportunity and we hope to do great things for football," Marquez said.
Marquez's first task will be to rebuild the national team following their disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign. He will also need to address the gap left by the retirement of captain Sunil Chhetri and find a new striker to lead the Blue Tigers.