MARGAO, Dec. 19 -- Team Herald[emailprotected]

Former India international Jules Alberto has delivered a scathing assessment of the current state of Indian football, questioning the priorities of administrators at a time when the country's domestic leagues continue to struggle for financial stability and long-term direction.Referring to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Indian Super League (ISL) and the stagnation of the I-League, Alberto said, "The focus on optics over substance had weakened the game."He described it as a "bitter irony" that Indian football, which continues to grapple with sponsorship shortages and fragile league structures, could spend hundreds of crores of rupees to parade a global icon such as Lionel Messi for s...