AIFF Denies Guardiola, Xavi India Job Interest, Calls Applications ‘Hoax’

In a bizarre twist to India’s ongoing search for a new national football team manager, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has revealed that high-profile applications allegedly submitted by Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez were nothing but elaborate hoaxes.

Naija News reports that this development comes just days after a flurry of reports in both Indian and Spanish media suggested that Xavi, who stepped down from his Barcelona role in May, had expressed interest in the India job. Some even cited the country’s technical director, Subrata Paul, as having confirmed Xavi’s intent to lead the Blue Tigers.

But in a statement issued on Saturday, the AIFF debunks the reports.

“AIFF received an email furnishing the applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez. The authenticity of their applications could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email applications were not genuine,” the statement read.

The federation clarified that the emails were not sent from official representatives of the two football icons and stressed that it had no contact with either coach regarding the job.

The vacancy arose after Spanish coach Manolo Marquez stepped down earlier this month to focus on his role at Indian Super League side FC Goa. Since then, the AIFF says it has received over 170 applications for the position, which remains open.

Xavi has been without a coaching role since parting ways with Barcelona at the end of the 2023/2024 season, while Guardiola is still under contract with Manchester City until June 2027.

India, currently ranked 133rd in the FIFA men’s world rankings, have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup and finished bottom of their group at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

Despite the unexpected drama, the AIFF insists it remains committed to finding the right candidate.

Previous coaches of the Indian football national team include Englishman Stephen Constantine and Croatian Igor Štimac.