Xavi as coach: Did Indian football association get pranked by a 19-year-old?

Dubai: It looks like the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has fallen victim to an cruel prank by a 19-year-old impersonator.

Earlier reports suggested that Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez had applied for the position of head coach of the Indian national football team. National team director Subrata Paul even told The Times of India that Xavi had submitted an application. According to Paul, “Yes, Xavi’s name was there. The application was emailed to the AIFF.” TOI also reported that the federation rejected the application, citing financial constraints.

However, a video recently surfaced on social media platform X, revealing that the application was actually a hoax. A 19-year-old reportedly created a fake email account — xaviofficialfcb@gmail.com — and sent a fabricated application to the AIFF. The prank has drawn widespread attention.

Meanwhile, Spanish and European media have reported that Xavi never applied for the India job. Some outlets even allege that the AIFF may have used Xavi’s name to boost interest in the vacant position.

India's previous head coach, Spaniard Manolo Marquez, parted ways with the AIFF after just eight matches. His stint saw only one win — a friendly against the Maldives — while India suffered losses to Thailand and Hong Kong. Despite having two years left on his contract, Marquez, who also coached FC Goa last season, mutually agreed to leave. Though he had prior success in the Indian Super League (ISL) with FC Goa and Hyderabad FC, he couldn't replicate it at the national level.