When FIFA president termed India as ‘best technical side of Asia’

Facing the Japanese side who came to Bangkok at the back of winning the bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City — the first-ever Asian country to win an Olympic medal in football — was a herculean task for the Indian football team at the sixth Asian Games in 1970.

But the 20-men India contingent had something else in their mind. Right from goalkeeper Sampath to forward Amar Bahadur, everyone played the game of their lives to earn the title of “best technical side of Asia” from none other than the-then FIFA President Sir Stanley Rous, as recalled by Subhash Bhowmick, and Shyam Thapa. India rode on an Bahadur strike to beat Japan by a solitary goal to garner the bronze.

“Everyone was expecting to see an India-Japan final. But we faced the bronze-medal-decider. Sampath, Sudhir (Karmakar) everyone played like they were playing for their lives. FIFA President complimented us as the best technical team of Asia. Moreover, he praised Sudhir as the best defender in Asia,” Bhowmick remembered as per the-aiff.com.

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