Top three longest stints as Indian football team's head coach

The recently dismissed Igor Stimac had one of the longest reigns as head coach of the Indian football team.

The Indian football team recently bowed out of the running from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. It was one of the many recent failures for the Blue Tigers under head coach Igor Stimac that had increased the pressure and put his job under serious threat. With one negative result after another, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) dismissed the Croatian tactician as the head coach of the national team on 17 June 2024.

The Indian football team parting ways with Igor Stimac brought an end to a five-year-long stint by the manager. The tactician took over the position in 2019 and the Blue Tigers saw plenty of highs and lows under his leadership. He will go down in history as one of the longest-serving managers of the national team.

However, it makes for an interesting view where he lies in the list of longest-serving Indian national team head coaches. Here is a look at the top three longest coaching stints in the history of the Indian football team:

Bob Houghton – 44 matches

Bob Houghton is the third longest-serving head coach of the Indian football team. The Englishman took over the post in 2006 and remained in the position until 2011. He oversaw the team for 44 matches during which the Blue Tigers won 14, drew six and lost 24 times.

Houghton led India to two Nehru Cup titles in 2007 and 2009, one AFC Challenge Cup triumph in 2008 and a runners-up finish at the SAFF Championship in 2008. 

Igor Stimac – 46 matches

Igor Stimac spent five years at the helm, overseeing 46 matches as the head coach of the Indian football team. The tactician was appointed as the successor to Stephen Constantine after the latter resigned from the post in 2019 soon after India’s elimination from the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. 

The Croatian head coach helped India win the SAFF Championship in 2021 and 2023, the Tri-Nation Series in 2023 and the Intercontinental Cup in 2023. Failure to guide the Indian football team to the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers was the final nail in the coffin for the manager that led to his dismissal. Under his leadership, the national team won 19, drew 12 and lost 15 matches out of the 46.

Stephen Constantine – 60 matches

Stephen Constantine remains the head coach with the longest term with the Indian football team. The Englishman took over the position for the first time in 2002 and spent three years at the helm until 2005. He was hired for the second time as the head coach of the Blue Tigers in 2015 and spent four years this time until 2019.

The current head coach of the Pakistan football team is the only foreign tactician to manage the Indian team on two occasions. Under his stewardship, the Blue Tigers saw a steep rise in their FIFA rankings, rising from 173 in March 2015 to 97 in December 2018. He led the side for 60 matches overall, 18 in his first stint and 42 in his second.

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