Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:33am on 23 Jun 2026,Tuesday Sports
India’s absence from the FIFA World Cup 2026 has reignited debate among football fans, prompting Indian goalkeeper and former captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to offer a candid explanation. Responding to discussions on social media, Sandhu argued that the real issue is not World Cup qualification but India’s failure to consistently qualify for the AFC Asian Cup. He stressed that reaching the World Cup requires becoming regular participants in the Asian Cup and advancing consistently to the knockout stages. Describing qualification as a step-by-step process, Sandhu called for greater accountability and reflection on India’s broader football development pathway rather than focusing solely on the World Cup dream. (PC: ESPN)
