"We will give our best and look to win the game" - Kuwait head coach Rui Bento asserts confidence ahead of clash against India 

The Indian men’s team will return to action for the final two games of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, starting with a crucial match against Kuwait on June 6. The Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata will undoubtedly be buzzing, with both teams under pressure to deliver.

The Blue Tigers secured a memorable victory over Kuwait in November, with Manvir Singh’s second-half strike helping the team clinch all three points in their first qualifier match. Since then, the fortunes of the two teams have been contrasting.

India, after the poor performances in the Asian Cup and losses to Qatar and Afghanistan, are in the driving seat with four points. Meanwhile, Kuwait, having beaten Afghanistan but lost twice to Qatar, are at the bottom, but just one point behind India. A defeat for the visitors would effectively end their hopes of qualifying for the third round.

Head coach Rui Bento, whose team recently put up a solid fight against Qatar in Kuwait City, addressed the media ahead of the clash. He certainly anticipates a tough encounter, much like their previous three meetings in 2023.

“We expect a good game tomorrow with a nice environment where two teams who are equally competitive. We played three times against India and we drew once and lost twice. But the games were balanced, the teams were on the same level. We will certainly try to change some strategic things. But we will give our best and look to win the game," Bento said in the pre-match press conference.

The game holds added significance for India, as Sunil Chhetri will don the Blue jersey for the 151st and final time. Consequently, a massive crowd of over 60,000 is expected in Kolkata, cheering the Blues on as they aim to move one step closer to the historic third round of the qualifiers.

Asked about Chhetri’s impact and whether the crowd could have a say in his team’s performance and the result, Bento said:

"I know Chhetri very well. He’s a top player for Indian football. All the best to him for his retirement game. Maybe in the future, we will find more players like Chhetri. But it’s certainly better for the teams to play against a huge crowd."

"We also had less time to prepare because one week was not enough for preparation. But that doesn’t mean we are not fully prepared to face India," Bento expressed.

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"We believe that we are on the right path to achieving something important" - Kuwait head coach Rui Bento

India haven’t lost to Kuwait in their last three encounters, which arguably gives them a mental edge over the Blue Wave. Discussing what he expects from the hosts and the potential influence of past games, Bento was quick to express confidence in his players, asserting that they are a stronger team now than they were six months ago when they lost by a narrow margin to India.

"Each team has its own history and we believe that we have prepared to solve the problems India cause. The football is an ongoing process and we are confident about our work. We are better than before, so we expect better conditions for the game. We are also very confident about our players and one thing about football is that history can be made with the performances of the players," he added.

Kuwait boast a rich football history, having won the 1980 Asian Cup, while also participating in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Although their current ranking doesn’t reflect their true quality, they remain far from their past glory.

The rebuilding process has been promising, with the team now on the verge of qualifying for the third round of the qualifiers. Bento, formerly in charge of Portugal’s youth teams, discussed the ongoing efforts to improve the national team’s performance.

"Kuwait were in the World Cup in the past and it’s an achievement for football in Asia and for us. But football is evolving every day. Now, we keep going and we need to be aware of those changes. This is where I can bring my knowledge and experience I had with Portugal. This is ultimately a process, but we believe that we are on the right path to achieving something important," Bento said.

The highly anticipated clash between India and Kuwait will be broadcast on the Sports18 network and live-streamed on JioCinema on June 6 at 7:00 PM IST.