The credit for introducing football in India goes to the British. The game was first introduced during the colonial period when British soldiers and civil servants brought the sport to the country. The first recorded football match in India took place in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1854 between two British teams.
Football gained popularity among the Indian population, and several clubs were formed, primarily consisting of British expatriates. The Calcutta Football Club, formed in 1872, is considered the oldest existing football club in India.
Over time, football started gaining recognition and acceptance among the Indian population, and Indian players began participating in the sport. The first official football tournament, the Durand Cup, was held in 1888 and continues to be one of the oldest football tournaments in the world.
As the sport grew in popularity, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was formed in 1937 to govern and promote football in India. Since then, football has become one of the most popular sports in the country, with the Indian national team participating in international tournaments and domestic leagues like the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League.
For more information on the history of football in India, you can refer to this [link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_in_India).