The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and head coach Manolo Marquez have mutually agreed to part ways, marking the end of a short and largely unsuccessful tenure for the Spaniard. The decision, reached on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, came after a meeting of the AIFF Executive Committee, where members agreed to relieve Marquez of his duties despite one year remaining on his contract.

Marquez's departure follows a string of poor results for the Indian national team, including a recent 1-0 defeat to Hong Kong in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. This loss has jeopardized India's chances of qualifying for the 2027 continental showpiece. Under Marquez, India managed only one win in their last eight matches, a 3-0 victory against the Maldives in March. Overall, in the four matches played this year, India won one, drew one, and lost two.

Marquez was appointed as India's head coach in June 2024, succeeding Igor Stimac. While he brought a strong resume to the role, including an Indian Super League (ISL) title with Hyderabad FC in 2022 and a Super Cup win with FC Goa this year, he struggled to replicate that success at the international level.

According to sources, Marquez had expressed his desire to leave the position some time ago, even before the Hong Kong match. However, he needed an agreement with the AIFF to terminate his contract. The AIFF Deputy Secretary General, K Satyanarayana, stated that the separation was "mutual" and without "financial implications" for either party.

The AIFF will now begin the search for a new head coach, with an advertisement for the position to be released shortly. The Technical Committee (TC), chaired by I.M. Vijayan, had recommended to the Executive Committee to appoint a new head coach through an open application process.

In addition to the coaching change, the AIFF Executive Committee discussed potential reforms to improve the performance of Indian players, particularly strikers. One proposal involves increasing match time for Indian players by reducing the number of foreign players in both leagues. The committee will also conduct a feasibility study on fielding U23 national team probables in the I-League as part of long-term preparations for the Asian Games. These changes will be implemented in consultation with club owners and league management to ensure they benefit the national team.

The committee also congratulated the Senior India Women's National Team for their 5-0 victory against Iraq in their AFC Women's Asian Cup Group B qualification match.