It was yet another important day for Indian football as the draws for the World Cup Qualifiers and the Asian Games were announced. And the man synonymous with the sport in India spoke to me soon after the draws were done. Here is Sunil Chhetri on India’s Asian Games participation, the World Cup draw and more.
Boria: Now that the Asian Games participation is confirmed, how pleased are you?
Chhetri: I am very pleased. It is a great opportunity for all of us, and you need to play with the better teams to improve. We are playing China, which is a very good team and one of the top ten teams of Asia. The other two teams in our group, Bangladesh and Myanmar, are teams we have played with very often, and it should be a good tournament. There is a lot of momentum and unless you play more and more games with better opposition, you will not improve. Playing China will be good exposure for the boys, for sure.
Boria: And now that the World Cup Qualifying draw is also final, what’s your take on it?
Chhetri: There was a lot of talk in our national team group on the draw, and people were getting really excited by it. After seeing the draw, you can say that it could have been better had we been drawn with some other team, or that it’s good we aren’t in one particular group, but you know what? It is all about us, and how we play. That’s what I told the boys. Yes, the draw is important and we were in Pot 2, which helped, but in today’s football, there is no easy game. Qatar is a quality side, and so is Kuwait. We need to back our strengths, and play good football. That’s what our fans want us to do, and that’s what we need to do.
This is how the groups stand for the #FIFAWorldCup2026 AFC Qualifiers!
India in Group A with Qatar, Kuwait and the Winner of Afghanistan vs Mongolia! #IndianFootball @IndianFootball
[📷 AFC ] pic.twitter.com/4YIr1zlNuf
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) July 27, 2023
Boria: You mention the fans. They have been fantastic for Indian football in the last few weeks.
Chhetri: Oh, yes. The kind of fan support we have received in the last few weeks has exceeded expectations. We are lucky here in Bengaluru, for we always get good support, but this time round, it was different. It was national, and you could see people forget their club colours, their club crests, and get behind the national team. It was superb to see, and something that each one of us will remember for a very long time.
Boria: You have been around for long. Am I right in saying this is the best we have seen of our football – not just on the pitch, but in terms of the momentum the sport now has? The AIFF, players, fans, all coming together. I haven’t seen anything like this in the recent past.
Chhetri: In the last 20 years, yes. I think this is the best phase of Indian football with everything coming together. And what this does is it puts everyone on their toes. In fact, may I say this is what all of us wanted. We wanted momentum, we wanted people to talk about the sport. We wanted our fans to engage and support. Now it is happening, and it gives us more responsibility. With social media, it will only get amplified going forward, but the point I am trying to make is each one of us, including yourself in the media, can’t make mistakes anymore. We will be called out, and it is our time to do something for the sport.
Boria: I have been told on record by the Secretary General that you are expected to lead the team to China for the Asian Games. While saying that the coach has the final call, we know that your name has been sent. We did not play in 2018, so how do you look at the opportunity?
Chhetri: I don’t know if I will lead, but I can tell you with certainty that whoever plays for the team will give it their absolute best. We will not take one backward step. There are many players in the younger lot who do well in the national camp, but don’t get an opportunity in the senior team. For them, this is a fantastic opportunity and each one of them will want to show the fans back home what they can do. They will want to show the coach that they need to be blooded in the national team. Suresh, Rahul KP, Vikram Pratap, Jeakson – I can name a number of players who will see the Asian Games as a fantastic platform. So it is not about me. Never was. It is about India, and whoever plays for India in China will do the country proud. And if I am asked to lead, you know what it means to me to play for and captain India. I will do whatever is in my powers to make sure we have a good Asian Games.
Boria: I had a chat with Coach Stimac, and he pointed out that his real focus is the WC Qualifiers. And he has repeatedly emphasised the need for a longer camp. Your thoughts?
Chhetri: Coming to the issue of the four-week camp which Igor had asked for, I can tell you as one who sees both sides that it is not something easy. Having said that, it is of serious importance that we get as many days as we can with the national set-up. Most of us come from ISL set-ups, and it is a very different framework altogether. The pace most importantly is different. And unless you play as a national team, we will never be best prepared when we play a team like Australia, for example. Or Qatar. That’s why the coach is very clear that we need to play at least three friendlies and one against a better and higher-ranked team. That’s when we can judge ourselves and know what pace we need to play. That’s what he meant when he asked for a four-week-long national camp. We need to be the best prepared, and that’s what he wants us to be.
Boria: Finally, let me wish you and your wife the best for the upcoming months, and hope things go very well with the family.
Chhetri: Thank you so much, Boria da. I wish you the same.
Also Read: “It Means a Lot to See this Wave of Support for Indian Football” – Igor Stimac