Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian football team, won the 2023 Bangabandhu SAFF Championship last week in Bengaluru, and his name is currently on everyone’s lips in India. But the 38-year-old modestly thanks everyone who has given him and the other Blue Tigers support, praise, and inspiration.
Sunil Chhetri said, “The support has been fantastic since day one (of the competition).” On the field, the supporters’ support and encouragement of us throughout the game was exceptional and magical. Not precisely SAFF teams are Kuwait and Lebanon, which India faced off against in the final and semifinals, respectively. They were welcomed, and they are excellent sides. So defeating them and similar competitions also felt amazing.”
Chhetri expresses on popularity of football in India.
At the same time, Chhetri, who acknowledges a positive change in the attitude and awareness of fans towards Indian football, insists that both the team and the fans stay cautious and stay real. “There was never a problem with the match-going fans, but yes, there has been an increase in the number of people who have started talking about football, and I think that’s a really good thing. I can sense the atmosphere is changing. But at the same time, I know we have jumped up a few ranks, we still have a long way to go. We have to just keep up the good work and stay focused on where we want to reach now,” he added.
Also Read: People Are Going Overboard While Criticising Rohit’s Captaincy: Harbhajan Singh
Indian Football Team up for Asia Cup
The next aim, Chhetri says, is to perform well in the upcoming Asian Cup. “The Asian Cup is like the World Cup for us. It is right at the very top of our list, and therefore, performing our best there is paramount. I don’t mean to put this pressure on the boys, but we should be qualifying for the Asian Cup every time,” said Chhetri.
“Right now, international football is such that no one knows what will happen, and underdogs, too, can win! You just never know what is going to happen in football. That’s why we have to give our best, and that’s a message I am trying to send to the rest of the team,” he added.
He has been the captain for more than a decade now and is arguably one of the most decorated skippers of all time. His individual stats for the team prove he has been leading the team from the front. Chhetri is in the all-time top 10 list of highest goal scorers for their international teams, right alongside the names of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“There’s no comparison with the rest of the nine names on the list. I mean, I am a fan of players like Ronaldo and Messi, just like so many other fans of them. There’s just no comparison, and I don’t take this list, or whatever this list is, too seriously. But, yes, when it comes to representing the national team, I can be even better than them,” he said.
