"We will need players who are better than Sunil Chhetri" - Indian skipper discusses what India must do to cement their name among Asia's best

Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri's enduring fame as a household name has spanned over two decades, and remarkably, it shows no signs of waning. At 38 years old, he continues to showcase his form at the highest level, with his recent SAFF Championship performances, underlining his impact.

Chhetri remains India's best forward, and the team noticeably lacks a focal point without his presence. However, what truly sets him apart over the years is his longevity and consistency.

A key factor behind his success lies in his commitment to fitness and discipline, traits that have defined him as India's talisman. As he approaches almost two decades since making his debut, Chhetri now has the opportunity to reflect on his illustrious career and share insights from that period.

During an interview with Sportstar, he humbly emphasized his journey.

"First of all, I was fortunate when I started. The norm was generally to play for 10 years. At that time, I did not know that I was going to play for 22 years. I am fortunate that I am surrounded by amazing individuals who have helped me reach where I have reached," Chhetri said.

"It is not only my family and close friends but also my teammates. It might sound cliched, but the doctors and coaches with whom I have been associated have helped me play for all these years. There have been many days when I thought I would not be able to take the field, but the doctors and physiotherapists did a magic trick to ensure I could reach the pitch," he added.

Even as Chhetri continues to shine as the star of the team, concerns have emerged about India's heavy reliance on him. As he approaches his 39th birthday in just a few days, the search for his potential successors has raised questions, yet no consistent candidate has emerged.

When asked about India's future in his absence, Chhetri reaffirmed that the team is on the right path, with or without him.

"I may ask in return: Did anyone predict the existence of Sunil Chhetri when names like I.M. Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia were playing? I know many talents in the country can do better than Sunil Chhetri. I am in a position where I can see it happening, and secondly, it is very important for you all to hope for that, or else the future will be bleak. When we are aiming to break into the top-10 teams in Asia, we will need players who are better than Sunil Chhetri," he explained.

"We once dropped to a ranking of 173 and then gradually recovered to make a substantial jump to the stage where we are now. We have remained between the rankings of 17 and 19 in Asia. Now we have to get within the top 10 and then cement our position there. For that, we need a team that can do better than this one, which I think has laid the foundation for the future," Chhetri continued.

Furthermore, he discussed the importance of maintaining India's current upward trajectory and expressed that the core members of the team must shoulder the responsibility of preventing the team from any regression.

"This is how the evolution of the Indian football team should be set in place. Our task is to ensure that we do not regress as a team, and for that to happen, people like me, [Anirudh] Thapa, and Sandesh [Jhingan] will keep working to the best of our abilities. It does not matter whether Sunil Chhetri has scored 92 international goals. What matters is the improvement of the national team," Chhetri stated.

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Sunil Chhetri discusses PIOs and Indian players representing the European leagues

During the SAFF Championship, India faced Pakistan, whose national team comprised players with European league experience.

In contrast to India, Pakistan has allowed players with dual nationality the opportunity to represent the national team. As a result of this policy, several talented individuals who have competed in European leagues have been unable to represent India.

Regarding this matter, Sunil Chhetri firmly advocates that while they may have advantages, such a policy is a short-term solution.

He elaborated:

"To this question, I have always given the same answer: this is a quick-fix solution and nothing more. If the national coach knows of specific players who can come straight into the starting eleven, then that is good. We are 1.4 billion people, and we have to work hard to make sure we have enough home-grown talents.

"My point is simple, and that is, if the coach knows which players to get from abroad, then fine. If those boys can come and immediately improve the level of our performance, then it is good. I am saying it because I know the whole world is doing it.

"There are two to three Brazilians in the UAE national team. It doesn’t make sense, but it is reality. If you want to do something remarkable in the Asian Cup, you can do it as a quick-fix solution. That is my point of view, and there are people above me who will have to make the decision. But in the long run, we have to make sure that we are a country that is self-sufficient and can get talent from our resources."

Players like Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu have significant experience playing in European leagues. Chhetri himself has also played in Portugal.

When asked about the possibility of this becoming a trend in the future and the impact on player improvement in higher-quality leagues, Chhetri replied:

"That is surely going to happen. But it is not going to happen with the top European clubs, as our level right now is not that good to play at the top level of European leagues. But it will eventually happen. When a kid goes outside the country, he or she will gather a lot of information playing at different levels of the league.

"For people like me, Bhaichung, Gurpreet (Singh Sandhu), and Sandesh, playing abroad definitely made us better players. The number of players going abroad will increase, but that alone cannot improve our game. Everything in totality needs to improve in Indian football. The good thing is that the spotlight is on the Indian football team, which means that we will have to work hard. We, as in the Federation, the Government, the corporates who are helping us, the fans, the players, and also the media."

While Sunil Chhetri remains a beacon of hope for the nation, the inevitable moment of bidding farewell is approaching, while Indian football is still looking for a suitable replacement.

However, as of now, the skipper is far from being finished and is fully aware of the job ahead in the upcoming months.