India Faces Thailand in Crucial FIFA Friendly in Thailand

India is set to face Thailand in an international friendly football match on June 4, serving as a crucial warm-up ahead of their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. The match will feature key battles, most notably between India's veteran striker Sunil Chhetri, who remains in excellent form, and Thailand's forward Supachai Chaided. India’s new head coach, Manolo Marquez, who has had a challenging start with only one win in six games, aims to build momentum, while Thailand, coached by Masatada Ishii, enters the game with recent strong performances and a higher FIFA ranking of 99 compared to India's 127. Historically, the two teams have met 26 times, with Thailand holding a slight edge overall, but India won the last two encounters in 2019, including a memorable 4-1 victory at the AFC Asian Cup. Chhetri, reflecting on that historic win, emphasized the importance of hard work and team effort as a source of inspiration for this upcoming match. This friendly is expected to be a tightly contested game that will test tactical discipline and individual brilliance on both sides.