Jamshedpur, September 2: Jamshedpur FC’s Mohammed Sanan has been retained in the India U23 National Team after impressive performances in the U23 friendlies held in Malaysia recently.
He will be part of the squad for the India U23’s opening match against Bahrain in their AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers Group H opener on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, at 20:45 IST.
Sanan scored his maiden international goal in the friendly match against Iraq and was impressive in the second friendly also.
The Blue Colts, led by head coach Naushad Moosa, are aiming to qualify for the AFC U23 Asian Cup for the first time ever. In the previous six attempts, India have not made it past the Qualifiers, so Moosa and his youngsters will be gunning to create history in the Qatari capital.
Hosts Qatar and Brunei Darussalam are the other two teams in Group H. The group winners and the four best runners-up across all 11 groups will qualify for the final tournament, to be held in January 2026, in Saudi Arabia.
Sanan, a dynamic forward who rose through the Jamshedpur FC youth ranks, has been in fine form in recent months. He made a strong impression during the 2024–25 Indian Super League season, where his energetic performances and attacking flair added depth to JFC’s frontline. Sanan also showcased his scoring ability in the Durand Cup earlier this year, delivering a key goal and assists that underlined his growing maturity as a player.
At just 21 years of age, Sanan’s call-up is a reward for his consistent progress and standout displays in competitive matches. Known for his pace, sharp movement, and ability to link play in the final third, he has quickly become one of JFC’s most promising young talents.
The upcoming clashes against Iraq U23 provide Sanan with an opportunity to test himself against strong opposition and to stake his claim for a spot in India’s squad for the AFC U23 Asian Cup.
The Blue Colts have had two separate camps in the lead-up to the Qualifiers and Sanan was part of both the camps. In June, they played two friendly games against Tajikistan (2-3 defeat) and Kygryz Republic (0-0 draw) in Tajikistan. They had a 20-day camp at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru in August. In the last week of August, the India U23s travelled to Malaysia to play two closed-door friendly games against Iraq, where they lost 1-2 and 1-3, respectively.
