Both nations will collide this June in a friendly.
The Indian Football team are ready to return to action when they face off against Thailand on June 4, 2025, at the Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit. It will be a warm-up friendly clash for Manolo Marquez’s side ahead of their second AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier clash against Hong Kong later in the month.
The Blue Tigers will be working hard to raise their match sharpness levels in their upcoming game against Thailand. They will be heading into the game after a lengthy national camp and the domestic season already over, with players likely to be quite sharp and active for the matches ahead.
India have had a pretty decent record against Thailand in recent years, having defeated them in their previous two meetings. However, they can expect a feisty and difficult clash against the War Elephants, who are actually above India in the FIFA World Rankings as well! Here we look at some things you need to know about the Thailand national team before the upcoming clash.
About the Team
The Thailand national team have been playing competitive international football since 1948 and have had quite an interesting history behind them as well. They have had their share of ups and downs over the last seven decades, achieving some decent results in their history, too.
Thailand have never have had the opportunity to play in a FIFA World Cup edition, having failed to qualify in their 14 attempts. The closest they came was for the 2018 FIFA World Cup edition, winning four of their 16 matches but coming up short in the end.
The War Elephants have, however, qualified for the AFC Asian Cup on eight occasions in their history. Their best ever finish in the competition was way back in 1972, when they finished in third place. Thailand also managed to reach the Round of 16 of the last two Asian Cup editions, finishing in 13th place in the 2023 edition.
In terms of success, Thailand have won the ASEAN Championship title on seven occasions in their history. They have also won the Gold Medal in the Southeast Asian Games on nine occasions, as well as the King’s Cup on 15 occasions. They even finished third in the Nehru Cup in the 1995 edition!
Recent Performances
The Thailand national team have played four games in the year 2025 so far. Out of that, they have won two games and lost the other two. Their most recent clash was in their own opening game of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, where they hosted Sri Lanka. The War Elephants were able to get a 1-0 win thanks to the winning goal from Patrik Gustavsson.
Before that, Thailand had also defeated Afghanistan by a 2-0 margin in a friendly match. However, their ASEAN Championship edition for 2024/25 didn’t go that well. Thailand were defeated by Vietnam across the two final games on 2 January (2-1) and 5 January (3-2) to start off 2025 on a bitter note.
Ahead of the losses in the final, Thailand had dominated the opposition in the ASEAN Championship. They won all their group games, scoring 18 goals in four games and also defeated the Philippines in the semi-final, before losing in the final to Vietnam.
The Coach
Thailand appointed Japanese coach Masatada Ishii as their head coach back in 2023, something that has proved to be really rewarding for them. Ishii had worked as the head coach of top Thailand side Buriram United before taking up the national team job, helping them win two back-to-back domestic trebles.
He has done a pretty solid job as the Thailand national team coach since taking over in 2023. He helped them win the 2024 King’s Cup, where they defeated Syria in the final to clinch the crown. Ishii also helped them reach the final of the ASEAN Championship, where they ultimately lost to Vietnam.
The Japanese gaffer has taken part in 24 matches as Thailand’s head coach since taking over at the end of 2023. He has helped them win 12 of those matches, with six losses incurred too. He has helped turn Thailand into an exciting attacking side, as they have scored 44 goals in the period as well!
The 58-year-old has shown impressive flexibility in being able to switch up his formations to help his players adapt better. He has recently had them playing in a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 formation, using the speedy wide players to run havoc at the defenders and providing a lot of chances to the strikers. He likes his side to be direct, fluid with his attacking style and threatening on the counter-attack to harass defenders.
Players to Watch
Supachok Sarachat
Supachok Sarachat has remained a major threat for the Thailand national team for quite a few years now. He spent the 2024-25 season with J2 League side H.C. Sapporo, scoring one goal and providing an assist in 12 games for them. However, Supachok remains a menacing threat at the international level.
He has scored 10 goals in 42 international games for the War Elephants, providing seven assists as well. The 27-year-old can play anywhere across the frontline, but thrives in the wide areas. He loves using his speed and dribbling ability to torment defenders and getting himself into the key areas to run riot in the backline.
He will look to be a menacing and unpredictable threat against India to gain some momentum for his side ahead of their next AFC Asian Cup qualifier.
Chanathip Songkrasin
The BH Pathum United midfielder is heading into the clash against India at the back of a pretty impressive 2024/25 season. He made 37 appearances for his club, in which the 31-year-old managed five goals and 12 assists across all competitions. Songkrasin is the captain for the Thailand national team and excels in a no.10 role, even though he can also play as a left-winger or striker.
He’s quite an experienced customer at the international stage, having made 70 appearances for the War Elephants in his career. He has scored 13 goals and provided five assists in that period as well. Songkrasin will look to drive his side to a big result over India and cause major issues for the Blue Tigers. He will be looking to create big chances with his clever final third passes and also sneak his way into goal-scoring areas to raise his side’s efficiency in the final third.
What to Expect
Even though the Blue Tigers have gotten the better of Thailand in their last two meetings, this upcoming clash will be a major test for Manolo Marquez’s side. Thailand have found their groove under manager Masatad Ishii and are playing some troublesome attacking football for opposition sides.
As this is a friendly game, Thailand will try to enhance their momentum by taking the fight to India and pushing them back with constant attacking moves. They will always look to play on the front foot, create chances and try new innovations with their attacking pattern.
India will need to be at their defensive strongest to throw back whatever Thailand throws at them, because any errors from the Blue Tigers can be harshly punished by the War Elephants.
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