(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Igor Stimac, the former head coach of Indian men's football team, has reportedly moved FIFA over an alleged breach of contract by All India Football Federation (AIFF). The 56-year-old, who was part of the Croatian national team which reached the semifinals of 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA, sought compensation till June 2026, when his contract with AIFF was supposed to expire.
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Stimac, joined the Indian football team in May 2019, and got a contract extension in October last year. But the Croatian tactician was sacked in June 2024 after the Indian team failed to advance to the third round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers following a goalless draw against Kuwait and a 1-2 defeat against Qatar in the second round.
Meanwhile, poor performances against Afghanistan, home (1-2) and away (0-0), proved to be crucial as India finished third in Group A. Only the top two teams progress to the next round of qualification.
According to Hindustan Times report, Simac filed documents backing his claim to FIFA's legal team. "It's all in the hands of my lawyer," said Stimac. "The case is very simple so I am confident about the final verdict". The contract disputes are dealt by FIFA's Football Tribunal.
As per reports, Stimac was to be paid USD 30,000 per month till January 2025 and USD 40,000 thereafter till June 2026 which could amount to nearly INR 7.5 crore, including interest.
Stimac took over the Indian team from Stephan Constantine, after a successful 2019 AFC Asian Cup, where the Blue Tigers missed out on a knockout berth despite thrashing Thailand 4-1 in their opening match.
The Croatian then guided Indian team to a second successive AFC Asian Cup finals in 2023.
However, this time around, in Qatar, India lost all three group matches with an aggregate score of 8-0. Despite the poor performances, Stimac led the side in the second round of the World Cup qualifiers, where the Blue Tigers performed poorly, losing 2-1 to Afghanistan and sharing the spoils at home to the the Lions of Khurasan.
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