French football expert Arsene Wenger, who led Arsenal for 22 years and wrote the history of English football, is now working with FIFA to develop football around the world. He has set his sights on India and is optimistic about the potential of the sport in that country. In an interview with the president of the Indian Football Association, Kalyan Chaubey, Wenger expressed his belief that India has great strengths and characteristics that make it possible to improve football in the country.
“I am very motivated to help with the growth of football in India,” said Wenger. “This is an opportunity I have been looking forward to for a long time. I believe there is a gold mine here that needs to be discovered.”
Wenger also expressed his belief that Igor Štimac, who coaches India’s national team and U23 national team, will play a role in this project. So far, Štimac has sat on the bench for 46 games and won 19 times, drew 13 times and lost 14 games as coach of India’s senior team.
Wenger believes that with proper development and support from both government and people, football could become a major sport in India just like cricket. He plans to use his expertise to work towards creating a sustainable ecosystem for football development in India, which will not only benefit Indian players but also contribute towards global football development.