India national football team at the Olympics

As dry weather, Indians were practising barefooted at Richmond park, London

In 1948, London hosted the 1948 Summer Olympic Games. The Indian football team made its first Olympic appearance in a match against France. This was the first match played by a team from the newly independent India.[5][6] Coach Balaidas Chatterjee had prepared the team which successfully defeated Department Store XI 15–0 on 13 July, and the Metropolitan Police F.C. 3–1 on 16 July. The team then went on to defeat the Pinner FC by 9–1 on 24 July, Hayes F.C. by 4–1 on 26 July, and Alexandra Park FC by 8–2 on 28 July.[7][8][9]

Most of the Indian players were not accustomed to wearing boots and some having dislike of being shod.[10] However, during trials in India, the players wore boots as the pitch was wet due to heavy rain.[11] Thus during the Games, the Indian team decided to wear shoes if the conditions were wet and if they had to play on soft grounds. As conditions were dry,[12] most players opted to play without shoes and instead wore bandages to protect their feet. Of the eleven players who took the field against France eight players were barefooted, three wore boots.[7][13]

T Ao on the left, leading the Indian team to Cricklefield Stadium to play against France.

On 31 July 1948, the first eleven men in independent India's footballing history walked to the middle of Cricklefield Stadium in front of 17,000 spectators wearing thick socks cut off at the ankles and bare feet strapped up to protect them and to provide grip. Taj Mohammad, Dhanraj, Papen wore boots. For the first 29 minutes neither team dominated proceedings, then in the 30th minute René Courbin gave France a 1–0 lead.[9][12] Just before half-time, Swedish referee Gunnar Dahlner awarded India a penalty kick; Sailen Manna missed it as the ball flew over the crossbar. In the second half Ahmad Khan created an opening, he combined with substitute B.N. Vajravelu, beat the French defense, and passed the ball to Sarangapani Raman who scored the equaliser in the 70th minute. His name was recorded as independent India's first international goal scorer. Ten minutes after Raman's equaliser, India had a chance to take the lead through another penalty. This time Mahabir Prasad's shot at the goal was saved by the French goalkeeper Guy Rouxel. With one minute to go before the final whistle René Persillon scored to give France a 2–1 victory and a place in the quarterfinals.[7][9][12]

Indian team at 1948 Olympics, T. Ao at the centre of first row, goalscorer S. Raman next to Ao and coach Balaidas Chatterjee to the extreme right.

The Indian team was acknowledged and appreciated by the crowd for their good sportsmanship. "The French had been given a run for their money – and that, too, by the barefooted Indians!", the British media reported.[14][15] At a press conference, shortly after the match, the Indians were asked why they played barefooted. The Indian captain Talimeren Ao said, "Well, you see, we play football in India, whereas you play BOOTBALL!". This was applauded by the British and the next day Ao's comment was in the headlines of London's newspapers.[15][16]

While the 1–2 loss to France and first round elimination was a huge disappointment to the team and the public alike, the quality of football the team displayed had captivated one and all. The Indian footballers’ bravery and brilliance in bare feet at the 1948 Olympics earned them the admiration of Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II.[17][18][19] King George VI invited the team to Buckingham Palace and there, as the story goes, he lifted up Sailen Manna's trouser leg, telling him it was just to check if he really had legs of steel as it appeared from the strength of his shots.[12][18] Encouraged by the accolades and the positive reception to India's football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to extend the tour with some friendlies across Europe over the next several weeks that enhanced the team's reputation at the time.[7][8][9]

In 1952, under Sailen Manna's leadership at Helsinki, India would again lose in the first round, this time 10–1 to Yugoslavia.[20] The Yugloslavian Branko Zebec scored four of the ten goals for his side; the lone goal for the Indian side was scored by Ahmed Khan in the 89th minute as the final goal of the match.[21]

Indian team at a tussle against Bulgaria at the 1956 Olympics.

Four years later, at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, India attained its best outing at the Games as they reached the semi-finals of the tournament. The team was led by Samar Banerjee and India's most successful coach Syed Abdul Rahim,[22][23] who coached the team at both the 1952 and 1960 Olympics. India reached the first round without playing a scheduled preliminary match. The team received a walkover because Hungary did not play.[4] The team beat hosts Australia 4–2 and reached the semi-finals becoming the first Asian team to do so in Olympic history. At the match against Australia Neville D’Souza scored a hat trick.[22][24] He scored two goals in the first half at the ninth and 33rd minutes. The first was a nod to the rebound from captain Samar Banerjee's shot to the opponent's post. Then in the 33rd minute D'Souza converted a cross from P.K. Banerjee who sent the ball into the net from the right flank. A third goal was scored in the second half at the 50th minute when Banerjee converted a free ball received from a melee between Indian striker Muhammad Kannayan and Australian goalkeeper Ron Lord. The fourth Indian goal was scored by Krishna Kittu at the 80th minute. Bruce Morrow scored two goals for the hosts.[22][24]

However, India failed to reach the final losing to Yugoslavia by 4–1 in the semi finals. There were no goals scored in the first half. D'Souza scored the opening goal in the match for India at the 52nd minute, but in the next 15 minutes Yugoslavia scored three goals at the 54th, 57th and 65th minutes. A mistake by Indian defender Muhammad Salaam led to an own goal at the 78th minute ensuring Yugoslavia's victory in the match.[25] After the loss, India faced Bulgaria in the bronze medal match where they were again defeated by a score of 3–0.[26] With four goals Neville D’Souza became joint top scorer in that edition of the Games with Todor Veselinović of Yugoslavia and Dimitar Stoyanov of Bulgaria.[27]

Indian team at the 1960 Olympics, Coach Syed Rahim at the front row centre and captain P.K Banerjee on his right side.

At 1960 Olympics in Rome, India was placed in a group with strong sides from Hungary, France and Peru.[4] The team was led by P.K. Banerjee under the coaching of Syed Rahim.[28] Tulsidas Balaram scored two goals, one each in the matches against Hungary and Peru, both of which India lost.[29][30] In the second match Banerjee's goal in the 71st minute would help India hold France to a draw.[31] With two losses and a draw, India placed at the bottom of the group and failed to move to the next round.[32] This was the last time India qualified for the Olympics in football.[33]

From 1908 to 1988, football at the Olympics was played by senior national teams. Between these years the India national football team competed at Games from 1948 to 1960. From 1992, FIFA allowed only U-23 national teams to play in the tournament at the Olympics.[3] India withdrew from qualifying competition in the 1968, 1976 and 1988 Olympics.[34][35][36][37] For the 1964, 1972, 1980 and 1984 Olympics India failed to qualify.[38][39][40][41]

Though U-23 players were allowed, every qualifying matches from 1992 Olympics to the 2012 Olympics were played by India's senior national team. It failed to qualify for the Olympic finals from 1992 to 2012. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) started the AFC U-23 Championship in 2013 which now acts as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics for Asian countries. The top three teams are allowed entry to the Olympic finals.[42] India has yet to qualify for the AFC U-23 Championship and thus for the Olympics since then.[43][44]