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Sunil Chhetri
Newly-appointed India head coach Khalid Jamil on Sunday cleared the air about the leaving out of talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri from the CAFA Nations Cup national camp, saying it was just a preparatory tournament for the crucial Asian Cup qualifying round matches in October. Jamil, who succeeded Manolo Marquez's as India head coach earlier this month, on Friday named 35 probables for the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Chhetri missing from the list. Jamil did not say in so many words but made it clear that Chhetri is expected to walk into the national team for the Asian Cup qualifying round matches against Singapore on October 9 (away) and October 14 (home). He (Chhetri) is not there in this camp because we are playing a tournament which will essentially serve as a preparation for our Asian Cup Qualifiers, Jamil said on the second day of the national camp here. I also want to try out a few other players during this FIFA window. I had a talk with him .
Talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri has been left out of the 35 probables named by newly-appointed Indian football team head coach Khalid Jamil for the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It's unlikely that he was dropped on the basis of his form in the four matches he played after coming back from his international retirement. However, it's also not known whether Chhetri himself requested not to consider him for the tournament, to be held later this month, or if he was rested as his Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru FC is yet to start pre-season training. Bengaluru FC recently suspended salaries for its first-team players and staff, including that of Chhetri, due to uncertainty surrounding the ISL's future. However, Jamil's list of probables includes other Bengaluru FC players like goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, defenders Chinglensana Singh, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh Naorem, and midfieler Suresh Singh. All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials are
Former captain and top striker Sunil Chhetri on Wednesday said the current state of "uncertainty" in Indian football is very concerning and the sport's ecosystem is "worried, hurt, and scared" by the top-tier ISL being put on hold indefinitely. Chhetri, who turns up for Bengaluru FC in the league, said he has been inundated with phone calls and messages expressing apprehensions about the future of the sport in the country. "It began with worrying about how I am on borrowed time with what I have left in the tank. But speaking with players from across clubs, I've realised that my selfish problem isn't as important," the 40-year-old Chhetri posted on X. "The current situation that Indian football finds itself in, is very concerning. I've received a flurry of texts from players, staff members, physios, masseurs - not just from my club, but from other clubs as well. "Everybody in the Indian football ecosystem is worried, hurt, scared about the uncertainty we are faced with," he added.
Talismanic India striker Sunil Chhetri on Sunday said that his side cannot wait to make amends of the mistakes they had committed in the goal-less draw against Bangladesh in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying round contest in March. India were held to a 0-0 draw by lower-ranked Bangladesh in their opening Group C match of the Asian Cup qualifying third round match on March 25 in Shillong, which left head coach Manolo Marquez fuming. India are up against Hong Kong in their second match -- an away game -- on June 10 in Kowloon. Chhetri said the match against Hong Kong will be a chance for the team to redeem itself. "The initial feeling after the Bangladesh game was that we let ourselves down, let the country down. After I saw the replays, I thought we, as a team, could have done so much more. It was a huge opportunity to take the lead in the table, playing Bangladesh at home. We should have done so many things better," Chhetri said. "Ending up with just a point, I think we players have no
Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri has decided to come out of his international retirement to help the beleaguered national team in the FIFA friendly matches scheduled this month, the sport's apex body in the country said on Thursday. "Sunil Chhetri is back. The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March," the All India Football Federation (AIFF) wrote on its official 'X' handle. The move comes less than a year after he announced his retirement after a glorious career, leaving a huge void that is yet to be filled. Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host the Indian senior men's team's two matches that they will play during the FIFA international window this month.
Bengaluru FC secured qualification to the play-offs and ended Chennaiyin FC's race for the top six after a 1-0 win in their Indian Super League match here on Tuesday. Chennaiyin FC, who now have 24 points from 22 games, will not make the playoffs, whereas the Blues see themselves at the third spot courtesy 37 points as a result of this triumph. The Gerard Zaragoza-coached side held 57.1 per cent of the possession and were constantly in the hunt for goals, though their only strike of the night came through Rahul Bheke's emphatic finish inside the box in the first half. Prior to that, though, Chennaiyin FC had nearly cracked the code to carve open the Bengaluru FC defence in the ninth minute, with Jiteshwor Singh leading the move down the centre of the park before distributing the ball to the flanks to try and spot openings inside the home team's defensive third. The Marina Machans moved the ball slickly on the up from the right flank before Connor Shields glided in and hurled a cros
Punjab FC defeated Bengaluru FC 3-2 to snap their seven-game-long winless run in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday. The home team made an emphatic comeback that saw them strike thrice in the second half to get all the three points from the match. They stay in ninth spot in the standings with 23 points to their kitty. Alberto Noguera pulled off a slick corner kick in the 23rd minute, well-directed to Sunil Chhetri on the far post that produced Bengaluru FC's first concrete chance of the game. Chhetri's headed effort was aimed on target but blocked in time to keep the scores level. Noguera replicated a similar delivery from another corner kick in the 36th minute, this time from the left side. He attempted a different route this time, giving the ball to Rahul Bheke who was placed at a distance down the centre. Bheke thundered his shot above the post though as he couldn't keep his effort on target. Muhammad Suhail came close to breaking the
The legendary Sunil Chhetri etched his name in the Indian Super League (ISL) record books on Saturday, becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the league's history as he powered Bengaluru FC to a commanding 4-2 victory over Kerala Blasters. At 40 years and 126 days, Chhetri became the oldest hat-trick scorer in the ISL history, surpassing Bartholomew Ogbeche who did it for Hyderabad FC against FC Goa at 38 years and 96 days old in January 2023. The former India captain, who retired from international football earlier this year, struck in the 8th, 73rd and 90+8 minutes, while Ryan Williams scored the other goal for the Blues in the 38th minute. Jesus Jimenez (56th) and Freddy Lallawmawma (67th) were the goal scorers for Kerala Blasters. Bengaluru FC were clinical in converting the limited opportunities that they created, as four of their five shots on target resulted in goals. The duo of Chhetri and Williams were critical in helping the Blues take a 2-0 advantage in the
Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri hailed the Indian Super League as one of the most important tournaments he has participated in, ahead of the commencement of the 2024-25 season of the competition. Chhetri admitted that back in 2014, he wouldn't have predicted the growth that the ISL has seen over the years, producing umpteen young talents and becoming bigger with the entrance of new clubs. "It has been outstanding. 10 years back if I was asked where ISL would reach, or the position that it would hold in Indian football, I probably wouldn't have guessed where we are. It has grown outstandingly well from an eight-club two-month-long league to now running for the whole year, with the talents that it has produced," Chhetri said. He added, "It has single-handedly become one of the most important tournaments in my lifetime. In the coming future, as I am an Indian football fan, I hope it grows exponentially and I hope the coming 10 years are far better than what we have seen in the last
The influential Sunil Chhetri's absence will be a difficult void to fill as the Indian football team enters a testing transition phase with a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying match against heavyweights Qatar here on Tuesday. The 39-year-old Chhetri called time on his glorious international career by playing in last week's fixture against Kuwait in Kolkata, which ended in a goal-less draw as the team failed to give him a fitting farewell. Chhetri ended with 94 goals in 151 matches, having led the country with aplomb for more than a decade. The Indian team will be led by the 32-year-old first-choice goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has so far appeared in 72 internationals and is the most experienced player in the 23-member squad after Chhetri's retirement. An acid test awaits India as they run into two-time Asian champions Qatar at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, knowing well that a defeat will end their campaign and dash all hopes of securing a maiden entry into the third round