Valverde high on belief as India chase World Cup dream | Goa News

Panaji: When Amelia Valverde was contacted for the India coaching job, she sat down to watch the women’s national team matches and observed the performances minutely. What the former Costa Rica coach saw, particularly during the AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign in Thailand, left her impressed.“I think it’s a very brave team,” Valverde told TOI over a video call from Turkiye where she has joined the senior women’s national team as head coach and technical head. “One of the reasons I decided to take up the job was because of these girls, who are brave, they fight in all the games. They keep believing (throughout the game), and it’s something that I like. The way India qualified was impressive,” she said.Valverde has quite the CV for someone coming into Indian football.

She has managed Costa Rica twice at the FIFA World Cups (2015 and 2023), been with the U-20 team too at the biggest stage. Now, she’s keen to help India realise its biggest dream, even though she will have just 45 days before the group opener against Vietnam.“Our belief is absolutely strong. We have to keep working, try and prepare the team for the big challenge. From our group, Japan is the best team (in Asia), have won the World Cup. We know that Vietnam and Chinese Taipei have been at World Cups. We have to work, but above all, believe that it’s possible.“I have told the girls: qualification is not what you do only during the tournament. It’s in our everyday work, our training, our mentality. I am not a magician, but I know that we can control the way we work, how we train. Our dream is clear. We have to be competitive, and if we can compete, anything can happen,” said Valverde, who’s only coaching stint outside Costa Rica has been in Mexico.Valverde, who managed Mexican club side Monterrey and guided them to significant success, has spent the last four days with the national team in Turkiye, speaking with the coaching staff – coach Crispin Chettri and assistant Priya PV in particular – and assessing the players.“It’s very important for me to know them; who they are, how they play, what is each one’s role in the team, and what is the role of the (coaching) staff.

I’ve been speaking with everyone, particularly Cris and he’s been open sharing all his knowledge. This week I will have to start taking important decisions. How are we going to approach games, what more can we do? For me, time is like gold. We have a match on Saturday and it will be an important one (to assess players).

Training and games are always different,” said Valverde.India had to overcome several hurdles, chiefly Thailand, during the qualifiers.

A team who played the last two World Cups, and now playing at home, should have been favourites. Instead, India snatched the lone spot from right under their nose to make it to the 12-team AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, scheduled to take place across three cities in Australia from March 1 to 21.Eight of the 12 teams could make it to the next World Cup in Brazil. The top six qualify directly, and two will earn playoff spots.India will head to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, looking to punch above their weight and qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time. They’ll need to be brave, determined, and with Valverde at the helm, they won’t be short on belief or experience.