Meet Amelia Valverde, Football Coach Training India For Women's Asia Cup

Amelia Valverde Villalobos is a Costa Rican football manager who has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian women’s national football team. Her appointment comes as India prepares for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which will be held in Australia in March. Valverde takes charge of the senior women’s team after building a long career in international and club football.

Valverde has been involved with women’s football in Costa Rica for more than a decade. Before moving into management, she played in the Costa Rican Women’s Premier Division. She represented Flores de Heredia, now known as Herediano, and later played for Saprissa. Her playing career laid the foundation for her transition into coaching roles within the national setup.

Who is Amelia Valverde?

Valverde was born on January, 14, 1987. She joined the Costa Rica women’s national football team program in 2011. During this period, she worked in multiple positions. These included assistant manager roles with both the senior national team and the under-20 team.

Over time, her responsibilities within the federation increased. In January 2015, Costa Rica named Amelia Valverde as the head coach of the senior women’s national team. At the age of 28, she became one of the youngest head coaches at the international level in women’s football.

One of Valverde’s early achievements as head coach was guiding Costa Rica to qualification for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This was the first time the Costa Rican women’s team had reached the tournament. At the World Cup, Costa Rica was placed in a challenging group.

They opened their campaign with a draw against Spain. This was followed by another draw against South Korea. Going into their final group match, Costa Rica needed a win against Brazil to progress to the knockout stage. They were defeated by a late goal in the 83rd minute, which ended their campaign in the group stage.

Valverde continued to lead Costa Rica through regional and continental competitions. In 2017, Costa Rica won the gold medal at the Central American Games under her leadership. The next year, they secured a silver medal at the same competition. 

In 2022, Costa Rica competed at the CONCACAF Championship. The team finished in fourth place, behind the United States, Canada, and Jamaica. This secured Costa Rica a place at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Valverde remained in charge of the team during the qualification and tournament.

Club Career After Costa Rica

At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Costa Rica was once again drawn into a difficult group. They were grouped with Spain, Japan, and Zambia. Spain went on to win the tournament. Costa Rica lost their opening match 3–0 to Spain. They then suffered a 2–0 defeat against Japan and a 3–1 loss to Zambia.

After the conclusion of the tournament, Valverde stepped down from her role as head coach. Her time with the Costa Rica senior women’s national team lasted eight years, from 2015 to 2023.

Following her departure from international management, Valverde moved into club football in Mexico. In December 2023, she was appointed head coach of C.F. Monterrey in the Liga MX Femenil. She remained with the club until September 2025, a period of 21 months.

During her time at Monterrey, she led the team to notable success. The club won the Clausura 2024 and Apertura 2024 championships, securing back-to-back league titles in the Mexican women’s league.

Valverde’s work at both international and club levels has also been recognised through individual awards. In 2016, she was named CONCACAF Female Coach of the Year. She later received the Balón de Oro Best Female Manager award for the 2023–24 season. These honours were awarded during different stages of her coaching career.

AFC Women's Asia Cup

As she takes charge of the Indian women’s national team, Valverde is expected to lead the side during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. India will compete in a group that includes Japan, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei. The tournament offers qualification routes to the intercontinental playoffs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Indian squad is expected to remain in training camp in the lead-up to the tournament, allowing the new coaching staff time to work with the players.

According to reports, Valverde has agreed to a short-term appointment ahead of the Asian Cup. She is also expected to bring members of her own backroom staff. This is likely to include a goalkeeper’s coach and a strength and conditioning coach.

Instead of travelling to India immediately, she is set to meet the team in Turkey, where the Indian side is scheduled to play three practice matches against European clubs.

The All India Football Federation’s technical committee has reportedly approved her appointment, with only formal confirmation pending. With her background in international tournaments, World Cup experience, and recent club success, Amelia Valverde becomes the latest addition to the list of foreign coaches to lead the Indian women’s national football team.