The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has dismissed reports that former Barcelona star Xavi Hernández applied to become head coach of the Indian national football team, calling the emailed application attributed to him “bogus.”
In a statement released Saturday, the AIFF clarified that it had received emailed job applications from individuals claiming to be Xavi and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, but confirmed that neither was authentic.
“None of these applications came from the actual individuals,” the federation stated, addressing widespread speculation in Indian media that Xavi had sought the role.
Xavi has been without a club since parting ways with FC Barcelona in June 2024. Guardiola, regarded as one of the top coaches in world football, remains under contract with Manchester City until June 2027.
India is currently searching for a new head coach following the departure of Spanish manager Manolo Márquez earlier this month. Márquez exited by mutual consent after less than a year in the position and securing just one win in eight matches.
The AIFF confirmed it has narrowed down the list of 170 applicants to three unnamed finalists.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
