Kolkata : India U15 men’s team head coach Bibiano Fernandes has described the opening round of the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan 2026 as a valuable learning experience, with the Blue Colts set to compete in Tier C of the tournament’s second phase from October 28.
India finished third in Group K with 10 points from five matches, recording three wins, one draw and one defeat. The Blue Colts will now compete in Tier C, which determines positions 65 to 96, as the tournament continues with all participating teams playing through to the final matchday.
“It’s been a great learning experience for all of us. This U15 World Cup is about understanding whether we can compete at this level, and I’m proud of the way the boys have competed in the first round, showing great character and belief,” said Fernandes.
India began with a 4-2 victory over Laos before edging Cameroon 2-1. They then drew 3-3 with Grenada after taking a three-goal lead, beat Bahrain 4-3 with two late goals, and concluded the group stage with a 1-6 defeat to Senegal. Cameroon’s 2-0 win over Bahrain in the final round of fixtures meant India finished third behind Senegal and Cameroon.
The 2-1 win over Cameroon was a notable defensive performance from the Blue Colts. Goalkeeper Jenit Ningthoujam made several important saves, including stopping a penalty, while India’s defenders showed good communication, made timely tackles and worked together to contain Cameroon’s attacks.
However, the draw against Grenada highlighted the need to maintain concentration throughout a match. Having led 3-0, India conceded three times in six minutes to share the points. The subsequent 4-3 win over Bahrain demonstrated the team’s ability to respond under pressure, with R Lalremruatfela and Nibas Meetei Wahengbam scoring in the 38th and 39th minutes, respectively, after Bahrain had drawn level.
Fernandes acknowledged that the team still had areas to improve, despite remaining unbeaten across their first four matches.
“Hard work and belief were key to our unbeaten run. However, we know there is still a lot of room for improvement, and we must continue working hard, learning, and developing as a team,” he said.
India’s attacking play also provided several positives during the group stage. The team produced effective one-touch combinations, made good use of the wings and showed a willingness to create opportunities through individual dribbling as well as an extra pass in the box. The Blue Colts’ goals included Soumojit Sarkar’s sizzling long-range strike against Laos, while his diagonal deliveries into the box offered another attacking option. Defenders such as Nara Meitei Loushambam, Muhammad Sohil Khan and Birjit Singh Amom also contributed going forward.
R Lalremruatfela and Macdonnish Ngairangbam were among India’s most prominent attacking players, together contributing eight goals across the group stage. Fernandes, however, stressed the collective effort behind their performances.
“Both have stood out with their attacking qualities and individual talent. They have contributed important goals, but football is a team game, and their performances are also a result of the collective effort and support of the entire team,” he said.
Fernandes also rotated the captaincy during the group stage, with Macdonnish, Lalremruatfela, Birjit and C Lalhmingropuia taking on the responsibility at different points of the campaign.
After India’s final group-stage defeat against Senegal, Fernandes said he views the result in the context of the opponent’s level of development and emphasised the importance of learning from the experience.
“We must recognise that we lost to a country that is more advanced in football development and ranked 18th in the senior world rankings. That experience itself is a valuable lesson for our boys. We must focus on the positives, stay motivated, learn from the experience, and move forward with belief and determination,” he said.
The tournament’s second phase begins on October 28, with India taking on Honduras in the Round of 32 of Tier C at 13:00 IST. The winner of the fixture will progress to face the winner of the match-up between France and Trinidad and Tobago at 19:45 IST. Meanwhile, the respective losing sides will drop to the 81st-96th place bracket and play each other at 19:45 IST as well.
“Our priority is to learn from the first round, adapt, and continue improving. We want to perform even better in the next stage, achieve the best possible standing, and use every match as an opportunity to develop as a team,” Fernandes said.
