Indian Football: High Salaries, No Trophies & The Fan Debate

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Another day, and another disappointment comes from the Indian football side as they lost to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup Qualification on June 10, 2025.

There is now little hope for India to compete in the Asia competition, but why is this happening after a promising 2023 season? Why has the Indian football team once again fallen this far?

Teams like New Zealand, which were ranked 161st in 2016, when India was 135th ranked, and even in 2018, when they were a 97th-ranked team in the FIFA World Ranking, still managed to go down. On the other hand, many teams went up.

For fans who keep hoping to see India succeed, this loss felt like another big letdown. It raises the question: Why does this keep happening?

Pay scale went up, but the performance went down

Thanks to the Indian Super League (ISL), our football players now earn good money. The top players make a hefty amount, which is excellent for them. However, when the team fails to win critical international matches, fans begin to question these high salaries.

They believe that substantial benefits for the country should accompany significant pay. When the team loses games they are expected to win, the players’ wages become a topic of concern for angry fans.

Yes, indeed, the pay grade is still lower than in many other foreign countries, but if you compare it to other Indian sports that have achieved more success in the international arena, it’s truly agreeable that Indian football is failing.

The Comparison at a Glance

Metric	Indian Football	Indian Hockey	Other Individual Sports (Average Athlete)
Top-Tier Annual Salary	₹1 crore – ₹2.5 crore+ (from ISL)	₹70 lakh – ₹90 lakh (from HIL)	Heavily reliant on prize money; base salary low.
Average Player Salary	₹20 lakh – ₹80 lakh (in ISL)	₹10 lakh – ₹15 lakh	₹5 lakh – ₹7 lakh (base salary)
Primary Income Source	Annual Club Contracts (ISL)	League Contracts (HIL) & Awards	Government Awards & Public Sector Jobs
Income Stability	High and Consistent	Moderate (depends on HIL)	Low and performance-dependent

The Big Cricket Comparison

We all love cricket. But why? We started loving cricket so much after our team, led by Kapil Dev, won the World Cup in 1983. That one win changed everything. Following that, India continued to win major tournaments, including the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011.

Our cricket players receive substantial financial rewards and support because they have consistently performed at the highest level and brought the country pride. They have earned the love and respect they receive.

Where are Indian Football’s Big Wins?

Now, let’s look at football. India did have a “golden era” in the 1950s and 60s, winning the Asian Games. But that was a long, long time ago. In recent years, our major successes have been primarily in South Asia, notably the SAFF Championship.

While these are good, they are not on the same level as winning on the world stage. We have never played in the FIFA World Cup. The recent loss to Hong Kong serves as a reminder that we still have a long way to go.

“Please Support Us” vs. “Win and Get Support”

We often hear players asking fans to come to the stadiums and support them. It’s a fair request. But many fans believe that support shouldn’t be asked for; it should be earned.

Think about it – the cricket team won first, and then the whole country started following them passionately. Fans feel that if the football team starts winning critical international matches and shows real progress, the support will come automatically. People want to cheer for a team that makes them proud.

So, What’s the Real Problem?

It is not just the players’ fault. There are bigger problems in Indian football. We don’t have enough good training centers for young kids (at the grassroots level), and the management of football in the country has often been criticized.

But we must also remember that nearly every sport in India has faced these system-related problems. Sports such as wrestling, shooting, badminton, and athletics have long struggled with funding and infrastructure issues.

Despite these challenges, they have given us heroes and moments of success. Our athletes in these sports won Olympic medals and world championships. It was after they achieved this success that widespread fan support and media attention followed. People supported them because they saw results against all odds.

So, while fixing the system is very important for the long term, for a typical fan, the team’s performance is what matters most right now. Until the Indian football team starts delivering victories on the international stage, the sad cycle of losses, fan anger, and pleas for support will likely continue. The fans are ready to cheer; they are just waiting for a reason to.

A Tale of Trophies: A Stark Look at a Half-Empty Cabinet

A major reason for the difference in support between cricket, hockey, and football is the history of success in these sports. While the football team has had its moments, its trophy cabinet looks very different from that of other Indian sports that have delivered glory on the world’s biggest stages. The following table provides a clear comparison of their highest achievements.

Sport	Highest Honours (Trophy/Medal)	Number of Wins / Key Details	Years of Most Significant Finishes
Cricket (Men’s)	ICC ODI World Cup	Winners (2), Runners-up (2)	Won: 1983, 2011> Runners-up: 2003, 2023
	ICC T20 World Cup	Winners (2), Runners-up (1)	Won: 2007, 2024> Runners-up: 2014
	ICC Champions Trophy	Winners (3), Runners-up (2)	Won: 2002 (Shared), 2013 & 2025> Runners-up: 2000, 2017
Hockey (Men’s)	Olympic Games Medals	8 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze	Gold: 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980
	FIH World Cup	1 Gold	Gold: 1975
	Asian Games	4 Gold	Gold: 1966, 1998, 2014, 2022
Football (Men’s)	AFC Asian Cup	Runners-up (1)	1964
	Asian Games	2 Gold, 1 Bronze	Gold: 1951, 1962
	SAFF Championship (Regional)	9-time Champions	Most recently: 2023
	FIFA World Cup	0 Appearances	N/A

As the table clearly shows, the sustained, multi-generational success of cricket, marked by multiple world titles and consistent finals appearances, and the historic dominance of hockey provide a stark contrast to football’s record. While football’s “golden era” in the 50s and 60s was significant, the decades since have been lean on major international success.