India’s women’s football: a glimpse into the thinking of coach Joakim Alexandersson

When Joakim Alexandersson first met the Indian women’s under-17 and under-20 teams at the beginning of this year, he immediately noticed how shy they were: talented, but overly cautious. When starting a new job, one of Joakim’s priorities was to make sure the players didn’t feel intimidated by anything, especially him.

“I worked a lot to make sure they understand that they don’t have to be afraid of me,” says Joakim. “I’m only human, even though I have no hair and I don’t speak their language.”

Ten months and two highly anticipated Asian Cup qualifications later, Joakim’s assessment of the group had a very different tone. “It seems like nothing can stop them now.”

A very good mentality

Joakim believes that football is as much a mental game as it is a physical one. He makes no concessions to discipline and expects a ‘fighting spirit’ from every player.

«The hard work has to be there. I don’t want to see ordinary players on the field,» says Joakim.

«Players all over the world make mistakes, that’s fine. It’s more about behavior. If you have a very good mentality to win the ball back after mistakes, if you can forget mistakes quickly, that’s what I appreciate,» the 49-year-old added.

This restlessness and ambition was clearly visible during both teams’ qualifying campaigns, especially in the U-17 side. While the U-20 team secured its place with two wins, a draw and no goals conceded, the younger group had a more difficult path. After beating hosts Kyrgyzstan 2-1, India played a decisive match against Uzbekistan, needing only a draw to qualify.

Uzbekistan, which has risen sharply in recent years, qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and winning the AFC Men’s U-17 Asian Cup in April, posed a huge challenge.

On the day, India conceded a goal before the tide turned, fueled by Joakim’s early substitutions. After Uzbekistan scored in the 38th minute, Joakim reacted quickly to bring on Thandamoni Baskey with five minutes left in the first half. The midfielder scored the equalizer and later set up Anushka Kumari’s winner.

Joakim says such decisions come from understanding exactly what he wants from each position.

«You see a problem on the pitch, you make the change every now and then. That’s why I decided to make some early substitutions in this last game because I needed some changes. We were struggling very hard, especially in the way we created chances,» Joakim explained.

“If I can’t see this kind of action, then it’s very simple: we need to make some changes,” he adds.

Balancing dual roles

For Joakim, managing two different age groups has not been as demanding as it seems. The reason, he says, is simple: success.

“So far it hasn’t been a problem at all, because if you succeed in what you do, it is of course easier to work,” says Joakim with a smile.

“It’s about showing the players that I want to work hard too, because if I show them that I want to work hard and work on small things in the long term, they can understand that this is what needs to be done,” he explains.

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He adds that while the aggressive playing style is almost identical for both U-17 and U-20, he tends to experiment more with the older group.

«Some of these players are very young. They are only 14, 15, 16 years old. At that age it is more about behaviour. There is still time to develop skills. But with the U-20 you can deal with more tactical things,» he says, adding: «It has not been that difficult because I also have some good assistant coaches who have been there to help the other team when I was not available.»

Stay grounded

India’s qualification in three age categories for women next year reflects how effective good mentorship and structure can be. But Joakim says he warns his players not to get too comfortable.

He admits that compared to some of the best teams in Asia, India still has a limited talent pool, something he hopes will improve over the next decade.

«The most important thing is to understand that we had to work so hard for this. I told both teams that when they return to their home clubs, you should not be satisfied with being a star in your team,» he says.

«Try to use every training session to push yourself harder, to take more action, both defensively and offensively. That’s the only way we can change things here.»

With the tournaments also serving as qualifiers for their respective World Cups, Joakim plans to fully commit.

“The expectation is that we can hopefully meet good opponents for the Asian Cup and have some good exposure, a good time together,” says Joakim.

“We need to progress with both teams to compete because we’re not going in there just to compete. We really want to give it a chance,” he added.

While the U-17 selection still has to get to know its opponents, the senior team faces an imposing task against record winners Japan, but also against Australia and Chinese Taipei. For both teams, qualifying itself means the end of a long wait. India last appeared in continental age-group competitions two decades ago: the U-17 side exited the group stage in 2005, while the U-20 team suffered a similar fate in 2006 in the then AFC U-19 Women’s Championship.

From encouraging players to speak out to creating a winning culture, Joakim has helped create belief in Indian women’s football. And at a time of uncertainty for the men’s game, his impact suggests that Indian football’s revival could start with the women.

Published on November 20, 2025