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India had its one and only opportunity to compete in the biggest football competition at the 1950 FIFA World Cup, but it stepped out. Although there have been rumours to the contrary, the team was not allowed to play because they opted to compete barefoot.
Digital Desk: The FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar begins on November 20, and India will not be a part of the competition. India only took part in the FIFA World Cup at the U-17 level since it was the host nation for the tournament in 2017. To date, the senior team has not competed in a single FIFA World Cup competition. In the 1950 FIFA World Cup, India got its only chance to take part in the biggest football event, but the nation chose not to participate. Although there have been rumours that the squad was denied permission to play because they preferred to compete barefoot, it was not the real reason.
The real reason behind India's decision to not participate in the 1950 FIFA World Cup
Brazil hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup following World War II, however it was plagued by too many issues. After the majority of nations chose not to travel to South America for the 1950 World Cup, India was invited to participate. Only 13 nations travelled to Brazil to participate in the event. Since the 1950 World Cup was only the fourth edition, India viewed the Olympics as being bigger than the World Cup, according to Sports Illustrated.
According to the report, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided against sending a team via ship halfway around the world.
Even Brazil offered to cover the costs of the travel, but the AIFF declined. The 1950 Indian football team's captain, Sailen Manna, stated that at the time, they were completely focused on the Olympics and had no idea about the World Cup.
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Has the Indian football team ever competed barefoot?
During the 1948 Olympics, the Indian football team did play the game without shoes. The Indian team either played barefoot or in socks. The Indians held their opponents at 1-1 in the opening match against France until their opponent scored in the 89th minute. The Indian team, led by Syed Abdul Rahim, was invited to Buckingham Palace by King George VI after the outstanding performance. The Indians, who found it difficult to play barefoot at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, lost 10-1 to Yugoslavia. The AIFF mandated that the players wear boots after their dismal defeat.
Here is all you need to know about FIFA World Cup in Qatar
The Middle East will play host to the Qatar 2022 event for the first time. It will also be the second FIFA World Cup to be staged in Asia when it takes place in Qatar. As of November 20, the group stage of the competition will get underway, which will feature a total of 32 teams from around the world. The competition will end on December 18 with the FIFA World Cup final.
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