The Special Olympics Bharat football team was felicitated in New Delhi on Monday, July 20, following their bronze medal victory at the Gothia Cup 2026 in Sweden. Notably, India secured a third-place finish in the tournament after defeating Finland 2โ1 in the bronze medal playoff, capping off a challenging campaign marked by rapid adaptations to unfamiliar playing conditions and tough international competition.
The tournament began with two division matches to determine group placements. India opened with a 1โ1 draw against France before dropping a 2โ0 decision to Germany. The results placed the squad into Group 2 for the main competition stage.
In the group stage, India faced a tough start in group play, falling 6โ0 to Turkmenistan in their opening fixture. The team responded quickly with a 2โ0 victory over Estonia before concluding the group stage with a 3โ1 loss to Finland.
Turkmenistan and Estonia, for their consistency, advanced to the final after finishing first and second in the group standings. India, meanwhile, earned a spot in the third-place playoff for a rematch against Finland, where they secured a 2โ1 win to claim the bronze medal.
Coaches reflect on journey, success and future
After the felicitation ceremony, the coaching staff highlighted the team’s ability to adjust under pressure. They noted that surface conditions posed the single biggest hurdle during the tournament as the players arenโt used to turfs.ย
โThe journey was good,โ head coach Onaciss said. โBack in India, we were playing only on grass, but at the tournament we had to play on artificial turf. For most of the athletes, it was their first experience playing on turf, but this is just the beginning for them.โ
Onaciss emphasised that the team will focus on expanding its schedule over the coming months to build on the result. โFor the next one year, we want to play more practice matches so that the players are better prepared for the next Gothia Cup and continue improving,โ he added.
Assistant coach Pushpendra Kushwaha noted the squad’s lack of international exposure entering the event. However, he expects the team to get better and compete for gold again next year
โMost of the players were representing India at the international level for the first time. Despite all the challenges, they made the country proud. We won the gold medal in 2024 and 2025, and this year we won the bronze. Next year, the team will once again aim to bring home the gold,โ Kushwaha said.
The Special Olympics Bharat team is supported by industrial firm SKF India, which has backed athlete selection, training, and international participation over the past three years. The company also maintains a global association with both the Gothia Cup and Special Olympics.
Also Read: