India finished 87th among 189 nations at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the Blue Colts’ campaign was one of the tournament’s major highlights.

Infantino made the remarks in a video interaction with a young Indian footballer, shared on his Instagram account. He described the side as a "very, very strong team" and spoke about what the tournament means for players at the Under-15 level.

"India won quite a few games. You have actually been a very, very strong team in this very first FIFA World Cup and Festival here in Azerbaijan. It has been one of the highlights," Infantino said.

For a team that had never competed on a stage this size, that kind of praise from the top of world football carries real weight. It puts a spotlight on a squad that went to Baku and held its own against opponents from every corner of the globe.

Five wins across ten matches

India played 10 matches in the inaugural tournament in Baku, coached by Bibiano Fernandes. The Blue Colts registered five victories, beating Laos 4-2, Cameroon 2-1, Cuba 6-4, and also defeating Bahrain and Trinidad and Tobago.

The results were not all wins. India lost four matches, to Senegal, Honduras, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. Their only draw came against Grenada, a 3-3 finish that stung because India had built a three-goal lead before the game slipped away.

That mix of brilliance and heartbreak defined the campaign. A side that could score six against Cuba could also let a three-goal cushion disappear against Grenada. For a group of teenagers facing the world’s best youth sides, the ups and downs were the education.

A winning finish in the play-off

India ended the tournament on a high. On October 30, at the Hovsan Competition Complex, the team beat Cuba 6-4 in the 87th-place play-off. That result gave the squad one final win to take home after a long run of matches.

The finish matters for the record books, and it matters for the players too. Every goal in that final game was scored by someone who, a few months ago, was likely just another young footballer hoping for a chance on a bigger stage.

Goals spread across the squad

R Lalremruatfela emerged as India’s leading goalscorer with nine goals. Lalawmpuia was close behind with eight, a strong return that made the two of them the engine of the attack.

Nibas contributed four goals. Macdonnish Ngairangbam and Ronandev Aheibam each scored three. C Lalhmingropuia and Soumojit Sarkar also found the net during the campaign, showing that the scoring was not limited to a couple of names.

That spread is part of what makes the story stronger. A tournament like this is never won by one player. When eight different names show up on the scoresheet, it tells you the coaching staff had a group that could contribute in different ways.

Why the praise from FIFA matters

Infantino’s comments went beyond the scoreline. He spoke about enjoying the experience, learning, and going home with something to cherish for life. Those words are aimed at young players who may one day carry this tournament with them as the start of a long football journey.

He also made clear that many teams performed well and many players did fantastic things. That framing places India’s campaign alongside a wider group of nations that showed what the next generation looks like.

When the head of world football singles out a team at its first major event, it sends a message to football fans back home. It says the country’s youth players were visible, competitive and worth watching in a global tournament held far from home.

For Indian football, this was a first look at what a future at this level could feel like. The 87th-place finish is a number that will be remembered as the starting point, not the end of the story.

Five wins, a draw, four defeats, and a final victory over Cuba in front of the world’s football community. Infantino has said what many fans will be thinking: the Blue Colts gave the tournament some of its most memorable moments, and the players left Azerbaijan with a memory that will last.