Asian teams put up a fight at World Cup, but what ails Indian football?

Indian football's problems are not physiological but institutional. For years, the country's football administration suffered from highly politicised neglect

For the first time, five Asian nations were represented at the World Cup Finals. But only Japan spared the continent’s blushes by retaining a toehold in the knockout stages, scraping past Senegal courtesy a fair play regulation (two fewer yellow cards than the doughty west African side).

Still, Asia’s sparse presence in the Round of 16 should not discourage fans: the teams acquitted themselves creditably and mostly produced some watchable football. True, South Korea’s early exit was a setback when set against the achievements of 2002 (quarter-finals) and 2010 (Round of 16). And its 2-0 shock defeat of Germany had