Manuel D'Souza (born 5 December 1989) is an Indian professional football coach and former player who is currently the strength and conditioning coach of the India national football team. He previously played as a forward for Mumbai in the I-League.
Career In August 2025, D'Souza was appointed to the coaching staff of the India national football team under head coach Khalid Jamil. He was part of the technical staff for the 23-member squad selected for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong.
His coaching focus is on high-performance physical conditioning, specifically the "Fitter, Faster, Stronger" mission for the national team. Having transitioned from a professional player to a coach, he also contributes to scouting and technical development within the Indian football ecosystem.
Career Manuel D'Souza is a former professional footballer who played as a forward, primarily known for his long stint with Mumbai F.C. in the I-League. In August 2025, he was appointed to the coaching staff of the India national football team under head coach Khalid Jamil.
He was part of the technical staff for the 23-member squad selected for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong. His coaching focus is on high-performance physical conditioning, often associated with the "Fitter, Faster, Stronger" mission for the national team.
Coaching career In August 2025, Manuel D'Souza was appointed to the coaching staff of the India national football team under head coach Khalid Jamil. He was part of the staff for the 23-member squad selected for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Hong Kong.
His coaching methodology focuses on high-performance training, with a mission titled "Fitter, Faster, Stronger" aimed at improving the physical conditioning of the national team players. Having transitioned from an I-League player to a national coach, he also contributes to scouting and technical development within the Indian football ecosystem.
Career Mumbai D'Souza started his footballing career with Mumbai F.C. of the I-League. He started making a name for himself with the under-19 side in the Mumbai Elite Division in 2010. D'Souza made his first-team debut for the club on 6 May 2012 in Mumbai's last I-League match of the 2011–12 season and scored within 8 minutes to give Mumbai the early lead but that was not enough as Mumbai lost the match 5–2 in the end.
National Team In August 2025, D'Souza was appointed as the Strength and Conditioning coach for the India national football team following the appointment of Khalid Jamil as head coach. He joined the national camp at the Padukone-Dravid Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Career statistics Club
ClubSeasonLeagueFederation CupDurand CupAFCTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals Mumbai2011–12110000——112012–13100000--102013–14700000- -70 Career total9100000091
References