This is not the end, says U- 16 coach

Kuala Lumpur, Oct. 2: “The world hasn’t ended for us,” India’s U- 16 coach Bibiano Fernandes said on Tuesday after his team missed qualification to the FIFA U- 17 World Cup by a whisker.

Needing a win to qualify for the age- group global showpiece, India crashed out of the AFC U- 16 Championship following a narrow loss to title contenders South Korea on Monday night.

Bibiano said, despite the defeat, his side “showed the world what India is capable of.”

“The world hasn’t ended for us,” Bibiano said.

“We go back and begin again. The U- 16 Championship is over and it is time to look forward to the U- 19 Championships. This was an experience and we go back enriched,” he stated.

The coach said he was proud of his side’s performance throughout the tournament.

“The boys gave their hundred per cent in the match. We have showed the world what India are capable of. We pipped Iran in our group and finished ahead of them to qualify for the quarterfinals. The match against Korea proved that it wasn’t a fluke,” Bibiano said.

The morning after, Bibiano’s phone was flooded with messages, including one from Sunil Chhetri.