Sunil Chhetri may have stepped away from international football, but the former India captain still has a keen eye on the national team’s progress. And with India preparing to face heavyweight opponents Brazil and Uruguay, Chhetri conceded that watching the fixtures unfold will bring mixed emotions.
The legendary striker admitted he feels “a little jealous” that the current generation of Indian footballers will get an opportunity he never had during his lengthy international career.
Chhetri spent more than two decades as one of the defining figures of Indian football and represented the national team for close to 20 years. In my 24-26 years as a professional and nearly 20 years with the national team, I never got an opportunity like this,” Chhetri told the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Everyone gets their opportunity, just like I got mine 20 years ago,” he said.
Despite his extensive experience on the international stage, he never faced either Brazil or Uruguay. “I feel a little jealous as a spectator. Rather than dwelling on what he missed, Chhetri urged India’s current players to embrace the challenge. He hoped the squad could stay healthy, approach the matches with belief and compete against two of the biggest names in world football. The former India skipper was also unwilling to second-guess the decisions being made by the current coaching staff. Asked about team selection and the absence of certain players, Chhetri backed the head coach to make those calls based on what he believes the team needs. “The coach has to answer that. The former striker believes the current squad contains enough young talent to make the most of its opportunities. He pointed to his own journey as an example of how important such chances can be early in a player’s career. “This is their time. There are so many talented youngsters in the team.
I’m just a fan now, watching like everyone else,” he said.
