This year’s World Cup in Qatar offers up plenty of intrigue and the prospect of some unforgettable stand-out moments but one aspect sadly denied us is the sight of India participating in a major international football tournament.
This hardly surprises given that the Blue Tigers – ranked 104th in the world – didn’t come close to qualifying.
Indeed, at the start of their journey in the AFC Asian qualifiers, the chances of India ultimately reaching Qatar was comparable to the Premier League odds on Brentford winning a league crown next May.
More so, since first forming a national side in the 1920s, India have never made it to a World Cup finals, or at least that is technically true. In 1950, they did qualify, for FIFA’s showpiece event, held that year in Brazil. They just never chose to go.
Their reason for not attending has subsequently gone down in lore, becoming through the decades a hackneyed mistruth confidently passed on to the next generation as if there is some substance to the tale. In doing so it has become one of the most enduring football myths of the ages.
So, what is the myth, you may ask? Well, it is this: that India declined their entry to the 1950 World Cup finals because they were prevented from playing barefoot.
It is a fallacy that demands some background.
In 1948, a year after regaining independence as a nation, India took part in the Olympics, staged in London, and fared remarkably well, exiting to much-fancied France courtesy of a last-minute goal.
Led by captain Talimeren Ao their performance greatly impressed, but what really grabbed the attention was a team playing minus any boots.
Incidentally, an onlooker that day was a young Princess Margaret, who soon after invited the India national side to Buckingham Palace.
The story goes – and it may well be factual – that on meeting the players, King George VI jokingly lifted up the trouser of Sailen Manna to check if he had steel legs, so powerful were his shots.
Around this time FIFA were busy organising their next World Cup, an invitation-only tournament in those days, and it was decreed that seven teams would come from Europe, six from the Americas, and one from Asia.
To that end, the Philippines were invited but declined, then Indonesia and Burma who both also said no, and the very likely explanation for these rejections is a misunderstanding, with each nation’s governing body believing it fell on them to finance the trip.
India however – the fourth country approached – were very aware that FIFA would cover most of the costs, so money wasn’t the issue behind their refusal, nor did it have anything to do with footwear. No discussions about this ever took place.
The somewhat banal truth is that the World Cup back then was still relatively in its infancy and India did not regard it as a big deal. The Olympics, yes, that was huge. The World Cup? No.
Which in hindsight is a genuine shame, because historically we now know how much it means to the smaller footballing nations to participate in the greatest show on earth.
India has never participated in a FIFA World Cup. After gaining independence in 1947, India managed to qualify for the World Cup held in 1950. This was due to Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines withdrawing from qualification. pic.twitter.com/R8uGxi2TWT
— memoryindia (@memoryindia) November 6, 2020
That still holds true today, as evidenced by the excitement of Wales to finally take part, 64 years after last doing so.
Does that suggest the All India Football Federation regrets the decision made by their predecessors all those decades ago?
Very possibly, because our Premier League predictions certainly don’t tip Brentford to win the league anytime soon and any World Cup predictions for 2026 would absolutely not include mention of India.
The world rolls onward and sometimes you really have to grab your moment in the sun when it’s offered. Because who knows when it will be possible again?
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 24th August 2022
