
New Delhi: Nobody said it to his face but when All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel said last week India's goal was to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, his sunny optimism bordered on grim absurdity. With FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke sitting next to him, the AIFF chief announced it minutes before signing a 10-year agreement with soccer's governing body to develop the game...

01:05 PM, Sep 13, 2012