Since the AFC Asian Cup was founded in 1956, India has qualified for five Asian Cups, in 1964, 1984, 2011, 2019 and 2023.

The team played their first Asian Cup in 1964. It was India's best finish in the continental competition which came 55 years ago when they finished runners-up. In 1964, India gained a direct qualification to the finals of the tournament after several Western Zone teams pulled out due to the participation of Israel. 14 years after the country missed out on FIFA World Cup participation, the India national team had earned the opportunity to take centre stage in Asian football under English coach Harry Wright. Played in a round-robin format, the 1964 edition of the Asian Cup was won by hosts Israel but it had only four participants - one team from each zone. And with wins over South Korea and Hong Kong, India cemented second place. Inder Singh became team's top scorer with two goals.

The team had to wait 20 years to qualify for the finals again. Once they did qualify, a group stage disaster awaited the Men in Blue. The 10 participants were divided into two groups of five and India were placed in Group B alongside China PR, Iran, UAE and hosts Singapore. India lost three games and held Iran to a goalless draw to come away with a just a point in 1984. Saudi Arabia clinched their first Asian title, defeating China PR in the final. The legendary Krishanu Dey was part of Serbian coach Milovan Ćirić's India national team that battled it out with heavyweights like China PR and Iran.

The 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar marked India's third continental campaign. The Blues qualified on the virtue of being the winners of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. A Sunil Chhetri hat-trick and a goal by Bhaichung Bhutia helped hosts India defeat Tajikistan in the final of the Challenge Cup and qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time in 27 years. Drawn into Group C from Pot 4, the Blues lost all three of their group games to get dumped out of the tournament without any points on the board. Tim Cahill's brace helped Australia register a 4–0 win against India in the group opener. Gouramangi Singh and Chhetri scored in either half as India lost 2–5 to Bahrain and Chhetri's first-half spot-kick was the team's only consolation as South Korea thrashed them 1–4 in the final game in Group C.

Eight years later, India national team qualified and was set to travel to UAE for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup under head coach Stephen Constantine. The team won their opening match against Thailand with the help of Sunil Chhetri's brace and broke the 55 years winless drought. However, India lost two remaining matches and crashed out from the group stage for the third consecutive participation.

India qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup by topping their group in the third round of qualifiers by winning all 3 of their games against Afghanistan, Hong Kong & Cambodia. This was first time India qualified in back-to-back Asian Cups. In the tournament, India lost all 3 matches, ending their campaign. This was also the first time in India's history they ended their Asian Cup Campaign without a point or a goal.

Record record recordHost / YearResultPositionSquad 1956Did not enterDid not enter 1960Did not qualify620479 1964Runners-up2nd320153SquadBye 1968Did not qualify301226 1972Did not enterDid not enter 1976 1980 1984Group stage10th401307Squad430182 1988Did not qualify501406 1992210123 19962002312 2000411289 2004201113 20076006224 2011Group stage16th3003313Squad2008 AFC Challenge Cup winners 2015Did not qualifyFailed to win 2012 & did not qualify for 2014 AFC Challenge Cup 2019Group stage17th310244Squad188282524 2023Group stage24th300306Squad11443148 2027Did not qualify12246713TotalsRunners-up5/191631121233 7521153980119

1964 AFC Asian Cup

1984 AFC Asian Cup

Group B Teamwidth=25width=25width=25width=25width=25width=254301102+86422061+56420238−54411234−13401307−71

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Group C

Team321061+57321073+47310265+133003313−100

2019 AFC Asian Cup

Group A

2023 AFC Asian Cup

India qualified by finishing as group D winners in third round. This marked India's first ever consecutive Asian Cup qualification.

Group B

Record by Opponent OpponentWinsDrawsLossesTotalGoals forGoals againstGoal differencePoints002206–6001010001100131+23002226–40001103–30100141+33101234–13001102–20001102–20001103–30002204–40001101–10Total3112161233–2110

Player records Top goalscorers Rank Player Goals Years (goals)1Sunil Chhetri42011 (2), 2019 (2)2Inder Singh21964 3K. Appalaraju11964 Sukumar Samajpati1964 Chuni Goswami1964Gouramangi Singh2011Anirudh Thapa2019Jeje Lalpekhlua2019

Goals by tournament Player Venue Opponent Date Edition Goals 1 Municipal Stadium, Haifa 27 May 1964 1964 1 2 1 Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv 2 June 1964 1 3 1 4 1 5 Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha 14 January 2011 2011 1 6 1 Al Gharafa Stadium, Doha 18 January 2011 1 Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi 6 January 2019 2019 2 7 1 8 1

See also

History of the India national football team Football at the Summer Olympics India national football team at the Olympics India at the FIFA World Cup qualification Football at the Asian Games India national football team at the Asian Games

References