At the start of 2026, Indian women’s football looked set to redefine its boundaries as teams across three age groups found themselves preparing for their respective Asian Cups.
Five months in, things certainly have not gone to plan.
In March, it was the senior team that crashed out in the group stage after three losses in as many matches, and a month later, the Under-20 team followed suit, although it managed to record a win against Chinese Taipei.
And now, with Italian manager Pamela Conti at the helm, it’s the youngest lot’s turn to have a crack as the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup kicks off on Friday in Suzhou, China.
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With the senior side struggling to make an impact, it is only natural that an added weight of expectation or even self-doubt rests on the players’ shoulders. But Conti asserts that it is not the case.
“I don’t like to talk about pressure, especially at this age,” Conti told Sportstar during an exclusive interaction.
“The players should go into the tournament giving 100 per cent, but without pressure. They need to enjoy football. From my side, they will not feel any pressure. I will carry that responsibility myself, although as a coach I don’t suffer too much from it,” she added.
That sense of calmness could perhaps stem from the fact that Conti is a former player herself, with 90 caps and 30 goals for the Italian national team.
“I have just known football in my life,” she said, adding, “My father and two brothers were professional players, and we used to discuss football all the time. And then by the time I was 16, I left them to pursue my career.”
Her longest stint as a player came with Torres, with which she lifted two Serie A titles and five Italian Cups before representing clubs in Spain, the U.S., Russia and Sweden. It was during her time in the world’s largest country that she decided that she wanted to remain involved with football after retirement.
“When I play, I like to have control and take my own decisions, and sometimes it does not match what my coach wanted. That’s when I realised that it was better not to play anymore and instead coach.”
And as she made the transition to the touchlines, there by her side, as assistant coach, was her brother, Vincenzo Conti, whom she describes as an “important piece” of her life.
“We maintain our relationship based on trust, teamwork, and respect. He knows I am the head coach, and he respects that. But for me, the tag does not matter. He is a former player himself and knows the game well. So, whenever I have to make a decision, I make sure to talk to him,” she explained.
In Conti’s first major role as Venezuela women’s senior and U-20 team coach, Vincenzo assisted his sister as the older squad narrowly missed out on a maiden World Cup qualification in 2023, while the juniors achieved the feat the following year before exiting in the group stage.
And in January this year, she embarked on a new adventure, one that had an encouraging start as the Indian U-17 team punched above its weight to secure the SAFF U-19 Women’s title.
But a much tougher challenge, including group matches against heavyweights Japan and Australia, awaits the players at the continental competition, with the former scoring a combined 17 goals against the Indian senior and U-20 sides earlier this year.
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In fact, the players got a taste of what was to come when they travelled to face Russia in three preparatory matches, losing all three with zero goals scored and 10 conceded. But the results did not shake Conti’s spirit as she noted that the squad and staff left with “very good feelings”.
“This difference was quite noticeable physically. Despite that, we managed to maintain a good level for 90 minutes in terms of physical, technical, and tactical performance,” she said.
“What we need to improve is our lack of experience. At this level, if you make one mistake, these big teams can score two goals. As I’ve told the players many times in the dressing room, the first and last minutes are the most difficult, also because our concentration at this age is not yet at the required level,” Conti added.
While tactics and formations have their own place in the game, Conti maintained that improvement was the most crucial part for these young players.
“The most important thing is not just a style or philosophy. We play 4-3-3. But for me, it’s just a number. At this age, the players should make sure they know the principles of football,” Conti insisted, also highlighting the need for a structured league system to keep the players primed and ready.
“The (domestic) league, if you play just three or four months, and then you rest for six or seven months, it’s impossible to be competitive,” Conti said, adding that, “Look at women’s football like a product and invest money with the aim of selling it to the media and fans.”
But for that, the results need to come.
While Conti and her girls have nothing to lose, what they have to gain with a good showing should be enough motivation to go out on the pitch and write up a new script in Indian football history.
Published on Apr 30, 2026