AIFF says it received fake head coach applications under the names of Pep Guardiola and Xavi, dismissing them as hoaxes after verification.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has dismissed fake head coach applications submitted under the names of Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez, describing them as hoaxes.
AIFF’s national team director, Subrata Paul, told The Times of India that an application had been received under Xavi’s name, but its authenticity could not be verified.
On Saturday, the federation confirmed: “The AIFF received an email furnishing the applications from Spanish coaches Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandez. The authenticity of their applications could not be confirmed, and it has since emerged that the email applications were not genuine.”
India, who are currently without a permanent coach following the departure of Manolo Marquez earlier in July, received 170 applications for the role, now narrowed down to a three-man shortlist.
Xavi, 45, left Barcelona at the end of the 2023–24 season, while Guardiola remains under contract with Manchester City until 2027.
India are set to face Singapore in an Asian Cup qualifier on October 9.