AFC Asian Cup: I like my teams to be brave, says new coach Amelia Valverde

There is a new-found buzz around the Blue Tigresses, the senior Indian women’s football team, who are in the middle of a training-cum-exposure trip in Turkey in preparation for the AFC Women’s Asia Cup in Australia in March. A lot of it has to do with the arrival of the feisty Amelia Valverde, former coach of Costa Rica in two FIFA Women’s World Cups, as a mentor for the short term.

‘’I like my teams to be brave,’’ said Amelia, a quality which she wants aplenty in her new proteges as they look to punch above their weight in the continental event for a shot at qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, for the first time. The national federation has pulled out all stops to give the coach her own support staff in the shape of goalkeeping coach Eli Avila and strength and conditioning coach Jose Sanchez.

Speaking to AIFF.com as to what motivated her to take up her first assignment outside of the Americas, the 39-year-old Amelia said: ‘’I believe that when we talk about motivation in terms of a challenge, it is very important to understand what it means to have a chance to qualify for a World Cup with a team in a new confederation. It is a great responsibility.

‘’India have been doing important things in women’s football and it has been more than 20 years since we last qualified for the Asian Cup. Now we have this opportunity to reach the World Cup for the first time.’’

Barely 23 when she began her coaching career back home, Amelia made rapid strides as in four years’ time, she found herself in the dugout at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, leading her country in its first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup match in 2015. Costa Rica drew 1-1 with Spain, a commendable job by the first female head coach that the country had ever appointed. She was once again in charge when Costa Rica qualified for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

How were her first couple of days in office with the group, which provided one of the few silver linings for Indian football in an otherwise dismal 2025 by qualifying for the AFC showpiece? ‘’It is a very respectful group we have and you can see that it is a group that has already been working. The players understand the importance of this. From my side, I have tried to get to know them as much as possible, gather as much information as I can about the players, learn about their history, and of course about the staff (Crispin Chhetri & Priya PV) as well. The key right now is to create that synergy as quickly as possible,’’ Amelia noted.

Responding to a query about the kind of approach she would like to inculcate in Sangita Basfour & Co, Amelia said: ‘’First of all, I like my teams to be very brave. I like teams that are united and supportive, both on and off the pitch, both defensively and offensively. No one is above the team. All players are important, whether they are on the pitch or not.’’

Finally, any word of advice for the fans who are starved of success for Indian teams, men or women? ‘’First, we need all of your positive energy and good vibes. The team and the players are doing a very good job. The dreams and the hopes are alive. We are working as hard as possible to represent this great country in the best possible way. We know the responsibility we carry, and we hope to be able to give the fans all the happiness.’’