Akhil Rawat
AIFF Media Team

ARDIYA, KUWAIT: When the scoreboard of Kuwait's Qushaian Al-Mutairi Hall read Mongolia zero, India three, on Wednesday evening, there weren't just numbers glowing in; it was history. For the first time ever, India’s men's national futsal team walked away with an international victory. For a side 135th in the world rankings, beating Mongolia, 25 places above them, was a statement and also about proving a point: India can play futsal, India can grow.

“This victory means a lot to the team, the country, and to me personally,” said skipper Nikhil Mali, who has been with the Futsal Tigers through every step of the way since the team played their first game just over two years ago. “I think this is the first step in the right direction, and I hope from here we just keep moving forward.”

When India were blanked twice by Bahrain in the two friendlies in August 2023, Mali and co got the first taste of what international futsal feels like.

"From our very first international match against Bahrain to now, our tenth, I think we have learned so much tactically, and technically as well. Futsal is completely different from football — the techniques, the tactics, the rotations, everything. Slowly, we will reach the point where we can qualify for the Asian Cup, and hopefully for the World Cup in the coming years," the 28-year-old aspired.

The dreams are big, and to some, may seem unrealistic at this point. And what should be made clear is that these dreams did not just crop up because India beat Mongolia. This gives them a foundation to build upon. Indian futsal has the right to dream of reaching the pinnacle.

“Winning India’s first game is the best feeling ever,” said Aman Shah, who put up a solid showing in the fixo position and played a crucial role in India's first clean sheet. “We struggled at the start of this campaign, but came back stronger. Learning from our mistakes, playing with heart, taking chances and defending together. Getting a clean sheet in futsal is very difficult, so it was really satisfying. Our keeper (Ozen Silva) did a great job, and the whole team defended and attacked as one.

"You could see it on the players’ faces, after every tackle we were celebrating, the fans were celebrating, the coaches and staff too. That’s the feeling you get when you play for India. You have to earn it," Shah added.

It wasn’t only players who carried the belief. In Ardiya, Kuwait, a small but passionate group of Indian fans stood by their team through all three games, chanting through defeats, never losing faith, and staying until the end. As the Indian players headed to the bus outside the stadium after the 1-10 defeat to Australia, their apologies to the fans were met with replies of 'no worries at all, we're sure you'll win the last game for us.'

The Futsal Tigers rewarded their loyalty, and they watched history unfold.

"The Indian fans in Kuwait supported us in every match, even after the first two heavy defeats. They came again for the last game and stood by us. It feels amazing to see our people supporting us when we play outside India, and that is a very special feeling," said Mali.

And at the heart of this all was the nation's first foreign head coach in futsal, Reza Kordi. Hailing from Iran, a nation that has won 13 out of 17 AFC Futsal Asian Cups held so far, he was bound to change the face of futsal in India.

"Under coach Reza, who has so much experience, we’ve learned many new aspects, from movements in defence and attack, set-pieces, to even the small details like how to react in different situations," said Shah.

From the first day he arrived in India, witnessing the AIFF Futsal Club Championship in Rudrapur and holding the national training camp in Bengaluru, Kordi has been sure about India's potential in futsal. The focus, he claims, must be on the foundation and the groundwork. This victory is not a finish, but a first step.

"During our preparations, we tried to galvanise the players on the futsal court. I watched the AIFF Futsal Club Championship and selected the squad from there. All the futsal players in India began by playing football. Now we are just starting and trying to play futsal, but this takes time," said Kordi.

The need is to grow futsal players organically, rather than have them switch from football, according to the Iranian.

"We have very, very good potential in futsal, and the ultimate dream would be qualifying for the World Cup. We need short-term, medium-term and long-term plans before achieving that dream. Players should learn futsal in school. We need to make courts accessible for kids, so we can develop organic futsal players. After that, support the clubs so they come into futsal and invest in the game.

"At the moment, we still cannot compare the Indian futsal team with other countries. In my opinion, our only fair measure is the progress from one month ago. Teams like Australia and Kuwait, which we faced here, have a long story in futsal, more than 30 years. We are new to futsal and still developing," Kordi added.

The scoreboard in Kuwait stood, symbolising both pride and promise. Pride in the taste of a first victory. Promise in the belief of a future that could be built if the right foundations are laid. And then we would all look back and remember how it all began on September 24, 2025, in Ardiya, Kuwait.

Mali concluded, "I hope this win gives futsal in India a real boost to grow. I want to see many more players take up the sport professionally. I hope we have a professional league so that more talent can come in and we can positively use that talent."