Indian football icons Bembem Devi and Ashalata Devi have earned prestigious nominations for the AFC Women's Asian Cup All-Time Dream XI, a recognition reserved for players who left a lasting mark on the continent’s biggest tournament.
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Former India captain Bembem Devi, the only Indian woman footballer to receive the Padma Shri, has been shortlisted among 12 midfielders for the Dream XI. Both Bembem and Ashalata hail from Manipur, widely regarded as the powerhouse of women’s football in India.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) praised Bembem’s extraordinary influence across her two-decade-long international career. “Bembem Devi was the true leader of a generation of Indian women's footballers,” the AFC said. “She captained India during their AFC Women’s Asian Cup appearance in 2003, won the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year award twice, and remains India’s third-most capped player. Her achievements laid the foundation for the rise of women’s football in South Asia.”
India narrowly missed the knockout stage in the 2003 Women’s Asian Cup, thrashing Uzbekistan 6-0, but falling to runners-up China (0-12) and Vietnam (1-2).
Defensive stalwart Ashalata Devi, meanwhile, has been nominated among 12 defenders for the Dream XI. She captained India in the COVID-hit 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, where a virus outbreak inside the bio-bubble forced the team to withdraw after their opening draw against Iran.
“Ashalata Devi is one of the Indian women’s national team’s most accomplished defenders,” noted the AFC. “Calm, strong, and dominant in the air, she has inspired a new generation of players. Her AFC Women’s Asian Cup debut came in 2022, and she was named the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year in 2019.”
The AFC has also nominated five goalkeepers and 12 forwards for the prestigious Dream XI. Voting is open until January 10, 2026.
The next edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will be held in Australia from March 1–21, 2026.
(By PTI Inputs)
