‘No pressure’ is the mantra for Pamela Conti as India kicks off AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup campaign

In early 2026, Indian women’s football looked set to redefine its boundaries as teams from three age groups prepared for their respective Asian Cups.

Five months later, things certainly haven’t gone according to plan.

In March it was the senior team that crashed out in the group stage after three defeats in as many games, and a month later the Under-20 team followed suit, although they did manage a win against Chinese Taipei.

And now, with Italian manager Pamela Conti at the helm, it’s the youngest’s turn to have a go as the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup kicks off in Suzhou, China on Friday.

With the seniors struggling to make an impact, it’s only natural that there’s an extra weight of expectation or even self-doubt on the players’ shoulders. But Conti claims this is not the case.

“I don’t like to talk about pressure, especially at this age,” Conti said Sports stars during an exclusive interaction.

«The players must go into the tournament with 100 percent, but without pressure. They must enjoy football. They will not feel any pressure from my side. I will bear that responsibility myself, although as a coach it does not bother me too much,» she added.

That sense of calm could perhaps come from the fact that Conti is a former player herself, with 90 caps and 30 goals for the Italian national team.

«I was only introduced to football in my life,» she said, adding: «My father and two brothers were professional players, and we always talked about football. And by the time I was 16, I left them to pursue my career.»

Her longest spell as a player came with Torres, with whom she won two Serie A titles and five Italian Cups before representing clubs in Spain, the US, Russia and Sweden. It was during her time in the greatest country in the world that she decided she wanted to stay involved in football after her retirement.

«When I play, I like to be in control and make my own decisions, and sometimes it doesn’t match what my coach wanted. That’s when I realized it was better to not play anymore and coach instead.»

And when she made the move to the sidelines, by her side, as assistant coach, was her brother Vincenzo Conti, whom she describes as an «important part» 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 doesn’t matter. He is a former player himself and knows the game well. So when I have to make a decision, I make sure I talk to him,» she explained.

In Conti’s first major role as coach of the Venezuelan women’s senior and U-20 team, Vincenzo assisted his sister as the older side narrowly missed out on a first World Cup qualification in 2023, while the juniors achieved the feat the following year before bowing out of the group stage.

And in January this year, she embarked on a new adventure, one that got off to 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 in the continental competition, with the former scoring a combined 17 goals against the Indian seniors and U-20s earlier this year.

In fact, the players got a taste of what was to come when they traveled to Russia in three preliminary matches, losing all three by scoring zero and conceding ten. But the results did not waver Conti’s spirits as she noted that the squad and staff left with «very good feelings».

«This difference was quite noticeable physically. Nevertheless, we managed to maintain a good level of physical, technical and tactical performance for 90 minutes,» she said.

«What we need to improve is our lack of experience. If you make one mistake at this level, these big teams can score two goals. As I have often told the players 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 insisted 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 is just a number. At this age, the players have to make sure they know the principles of football,» Conti stressed, also emphasizing the need for a structured competition system to keep the players prepared and ready.

“If you only play for three or four months in the domestic league and then rest for six or seven months, it is impossible to be competitive,” Conti said, adding: “Look at women’s football as a product and invest money with the intention of selling it to the media and fans.”

But before that, the results have to come.

While Conti and her girls have nothing to lose, what they stand to gain with a good performance should be enough motivation to take to the field and write a new script in Indian football history.

Published on April 30, 2026