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2017 will be remembered for the year that Indian football finally managed  to stir from its deep slumber. Stirred not shaken mind you.Once called the “sleeping giants” by FIFA, India have not exactly woken up to the potential that the world body saw. FIFA has since rechristened the country to “passionate giants” and all the right noises have been made to insist that India are inching in the right direction.India played the perfect host when the best young footballers came knocking for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the month of October. The year though started on a completely different note.FAIRY-TALE STARTAizawl FC, a small club cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas, led a revolution in Indian football. A small club with small means, but with a spirit of unwavering passion, slew  the traditional giants of the game in the country. Mizoram’s pride became the pride of the nation. Aizawl FC created history when they became the first club from north-east India to win the I-League. They beat Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan to the title race by drawing 1-1 with Shillong Lajong on the last day of league.The team that was relegated last year and only made the cut in the first division as the Goan clubs pulled out.  Mumbai FC’s coach, Khalid Jamil was roped in to lead the team, and the team new vigour to stage a fairy-tale season, characterised by resolute defence and late goals.  Arguably the ‘greatest feel good story’ Indian sport had witnessed in a very long time, it was exactly what the country needed to turn their attention towards the game.advertisementWORLD CUP DREAMAnd when FIFA Under-17 World Cup finally came around, the whole country was watching. The tournament became the first ever FIFA tournament that India participated in and it was a rousing success.India were clubbed with Colombia, Ghana and the United State of America in group A. Though India were supposed to play their home matches in Mumbai, they we moved to the national capital.  Eleven boys from around the country were tasked with heralding in a revolution to steer India’s aspirations to a force in the ‘beautiful game’.  India’s coach, Luis Norton de Matos, though was very careful about placing expectations on his young boys. Rather harping on the notion that the tournament is only the first step for India as a nation in the world of football.The stadiums in Kolkata, Guwahati, Goa, Kochi, New Delhi and Navi Mumbai were revamped according to international standards. The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, was the only casualty before the tournament, when the semi-final clash between England and Brazil had to be shifted to Kolkata at the last minute. Incessant rains forced FIFA and the local organising committee (LOC) to move the game after even a helicopter could not dry the pitch.In the first match, goals from Josh Sergent, Chris Durkin and Andrew Carleton helped USA defeat India 3-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The young boys gave a good first impression but it was evident that the magnanimity of fate could be seen on their faces.   In the second match against Colombia, history was made. Jackson Singh Thounaojam scored the first goal for India as a nation in a FIFA tournament. It wasn’t enough though as the hosts lost 2-1 in the end and practically crashed out of the tournament. The difference in class was seeming less apparent as the tournament progressed, but the gulf in physical ability was showing.In the last match, the Indian boys were schooled by Ghana in football. Rarely does the scoreline reflect the match, but at the end it did not matter how many goals the African team would pump in the ‘home’ net. Both teams shook hands at 4-0.The country did win something though and all was not gloom. India overtook China to become the most attended World Cup in the U-17 category as 12,80,459 spectators filled the stands throughout the course of the tournament. The earlier record attendance by China of 12,30,976, was set way back in the first edition of the tournament in 1985.Truth be told, all was not hunky dory. The mystery of the missing millions baffled many in the business, as empty pockets punctured the starry night that were the home games of the Indian team.   England and Spain played the best brand of football, knocking teams out of the competition en route to the final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on the fateful night of October 28. The Kolkata crowd is no less iconic, breaking attendance records over the course of the tournament and saw 66,684 football loving fans fill the stands for the final showdown between the Three Lions and La Roja.advertisementPhil Foden starred for England with a brace as the Three Lions came back from behind in a thrilling game, to beat Spain 5-2 and lift their first-ever FIFA U-17 World Cup.I-LEAGUE-ISL CONUNDRUM The national league was the main ‘bane’ of contention for the All India Football Federation (AIFF). With the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) breathing down the necks of the national association and the mounting financial might of the Star Sports-IMG-Reliance forced Indian football’s hand. Major changes were rung in to the footballing calendar as the Indian Super League saw two new teams join their ranks and be extended to a four-month (November to February) affair. Running simultaneously would be the I-League, as the race began to see who would jump ship to the ‘IPL’ of football.The Jindal group pulled their club from the I-League and entered the ISL, as the TATA group were ‘rewarded’ for their service (read TATA football academy) to Indian football with a team. So, Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC became the new teams of the fourth season of the ISL. As for the I-League, AIFF opened their doors for new clubs. The league returned to the beautiful state of Kerala with Gokulam Kerala  FC, based out of Kozhikode, after the Sree Gokulam Group won the bid. Last season’s I-League 2 winners NEROCA FC, were promoted, as the club became the first to play from the state of Manipur. The final debutants were the heroes of the U-17 World Cup Indian team. The players from the U-17 team and some of the U-19 boys, who represented the country in the 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification, formed the Indian Arrows.GLORY FOR SENIORSThe Indian national football team finished their year ranked 105th spot in the FIFA Rankings, but rarely has the position on the list reflected the year a team.  The Sunil Chhetri-led team, for majority of the year, remained unbeaten throughout the year.The last time India were at the wrong side of the scoreboard was back in March 2016. India had lost to Turkmenistan in the World Cup qualifiers (India failed to qualify). They are on a record 13-match unbeaten streak, last of which came in November 14 when the team drew 2-2 against Myanmar.India made history back in May, as the national team made it into the top-100, ranked 96, for the first time in over 21 years. Stephen Constantine’s boys qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, to be held in the United Arab Emirates, after the 2011 edition. Bengal men’s team became the Santosh Trophy champions after six-years and Eastern Sporting Union bagged the inaugural Indian Women’s League (IWL).AIFF also worked themselves into a knot when the Delhi High Court questioned their elections and asked to have them again. Praful Patel’s presidentship is definitely under threat and will, in all likelihood, force him to step down.   advertisementThe new year will bring new challenges for Indian football. The ISL-I-League experiment will be under thorough scrutiny and the national team will hope for more games to challenge and improve their ranking further. In a country crazed by marriages of popular celebrities and sporting heroes, the ‘beautiful game’ will try to germinate from the idea that is Indian football. read more