With the side going through a lot during the past 18 months, it has been a really terrible time for Indian men's football. Following a 1-0 defeat to underdog Hong Kong in Tuesday's AFC Asian Cup qualifier, India have reached a breaking point, having played 16 games since the start of 2024 and won only one.

Marquez's humiliating defeats in 2025, in which the national team has appeared completely defenseless in front of the goal, have greatly increased fan displeasure with him. Three straight games have now passed without a goal against somewhat beatable teams in Bangladesh, Thailand, and now Hong Kong.

Marquez is expected to resign from his position as head coach in light of India's qualification chances for the 2027 Asia Cup currently at stake and the absence of any advancement in the country's football development.

The choice to bench Sunil Chhetri for this game against Hong Kong has been perceived as a managerial mistake, and according to insiders, the Spaniard is thinking about resigning from his position within a year after succeeding Igor Stimac in July 2024. The FIFA global rankings now place India at number 133.

Nonetheless, an AIFF official has said that India's football federation is only able to wait for any choice Marquez makes because he has not yet taken any steps to resign from his position.

"We don't have any written requests..."

Regarding the process necessary to resign from the position, a source told PTI that it is not a one-sided decision and that he may only do so with a mutual agreement: "He can do so only after mutual agreement, that the AIFF gives him permission to part ways."

Marquez accepted the coaching position on a two-year tender, but just eleven months into the job, things haven't gone according to plan, causing significant stakeholder pressure. Nonetheless, Marquez has not yet expressed a wish to quit his job.

We haven't received any written requests from Manolo asking for a resignation from his position. According to the source, "We can only use our intellect after he tells us what he wants."

With four victories necessary to keep their hopes for qualifying alive, India currently have time to consider their next steps.he bottom of their group. Their next Asian Cup qualification fixtures is a set of matches home and away against Singapore during the October international break, but with no guarantee that Marquez will be at the helm for those games.

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