5) Indian National Football Team (1956, Melbourne)
Trending
Indian football may not be a dominant force in football in the present day, but the men in blue also had their glory where they were a force to reckon with in world football. It is true that India qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup (Jules Rimet Cup back then) and was drawn alongside Sweden, Italy and Paraguay in Group 3.
But several reasons like lack of proper playing boots available and a shortage of funds to provide ship fares eventually forced India to skip the competition which saw the historic match between hosts Brazil and Uruguay at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Six years later ‘The Blue Tigers’ got another opportunity to prove themselves in the world arena at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, in which they began on a high having the better of hosts Australia by 4 goals to 2 in the group stages but they were defeated by Yugoslavia in the semi-final.
The Indian side still had a chance of picking up a bronze medal against Bulgaria but was defeated by the European team 3-0.
