Skipper Sunil Chhetri, playing his 150^th International, kept his date with history by giving the Blue Tigers the lead off a penalty kick in the 38^th minute in front of jam-packed stands at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati. The joy, however, was turned into complete misery when Rahmat Akbari’s shot deflected off a defender to find its way past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the 70^th minute for the equaliser, and then Sharif Mukhammad dealt the deathly blow by converting a penalty in the 88^th minute.

India, who drew the away match against Afghanistan goalless in Saudi Arabia, desperately needed full points from this encounter to keep alive their hopes of a long and arduous journey to the third round. But like it was in Abha, Saudi Arabia, the Indians did everything to stretch the rival defence time and again but fell short of converting them into goals. They did create a few chances, including a second-minute shot by Chhetri that hit the post before Manvir blew it over the bar, but faltered at crucial moments in the second half to leave the turf empty-handed.

India took the lead in the 38^th minute. Haroon Amiri, the captain and towering figure in the Afghanistan defence, made the cardinal mistake of handling the ball inside the box as he found the inviting cross from the right by Manvir Singh, added with a fast-approaching Sunil Chhetri, hard to negotiate with and the Saudi Arabian referee pointed to the spot without hesitation.

As the packed stands waited with bated breath, Chhetri stepped in to slam the ball into the right of the goalkeeper Ovays Azizi, with a low but confident shot. He seemed unaffected by the riotous celebrations in the stadium and the sheer delight displayed by his teammates and he walked back to his position calmly.

It was Chhetri’s 94^th international goal and the first after a seven-match drought. He now holds the unique record of scoring at least one goal in his first, 25^th, 50^th, 75^th, 100th, and 125^th matches. But in the end, this unique achievement took the back seat as India surrendered all the points on the pitch.

India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Subhasish Bose, Jeakson Singh (Vikram Partap Singh 85’), Nikhil Poojary, Manvir Singh, Brandon Fernandes (Anirudh Thapa 68’), Lalengmawia Ratle, Liston Colaco (Mahesh Singh Naorem 68’), Sunil Chhetri (Lallianzuala Chhangte 68’).

COURTESY :- AIFF Media Team.

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Commenting on Chhetri’s achievement, AIFF President Mr. Kalyan Chaubey said: “It’s been an awe-inspiring and staggering cruise that all of us have been fortunate to witness since 2005. Chhetri playing his 150th international match is an extraordinary accomplishment that will go a long way in keeping the Indian football flag flying high. He has been a great influencer who has motivated millions to play this Beautiful Game. I congratulate Chhetri for reaching this great height in international football.”

AIFF Acting Secretary General Mr. M Satyanarayan said: “In many football fans’ eyes, Chhetri is almost the synonym of the Indian Men’s National Team, something that is not far from the truth. He is a fabulous footballer, a cool captain, and a star striker. The All India Football Federation is proud to felicitate him on his 150th international match. We sincerely hope Chhetri will continue to serve Indian football in the same breath in the future.”

Sunil Chhetri first donned the Senior National Team jersey on June 12, 2005, in a friendly match against Pakistan in Quetta. He was India’s scorer in the 1-1 draw. Since then, he has made 149 appearances for the National Team, netting a record 93 goals. A prolific goalgetter, Chhetri holds the unique record of scoring at least one goal in his first, 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th and 125th match for the Blue Tigers.

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How tricky an opponent will Nepal be in the final?

They may not have an extraordinary player in their ranks like an Ali Ashfaq in their ranks. But as far as attacking and defending are concerned, they do it as a team. They have been the best team that plays as a team in this Championship – they fight as a team. We have played them thrice since September and they are extremely compact as a team and it’s not going to be easy. But we have become better and better as games have gone by, and in the final we have to be at our best. We pulled our socks up after the first two games and now it is time to finish the job. But the job is not yet done.

What kinds of talks went on during the opening stages of the tournament?

Generally, the senior ones make sure that they calm the whole situation. When you have a team with a lot of youngsters, and if the mood and tempo go down, they may not be able to perform to the best of their abilities. The manner in which we lost two points in the first two matches wasn’t an ideal start. What was good was that the likes of Gurpreet, Kotal, Bheke, Subhashish started talking and mixing with the juniors to make sure the mood didn’t deteriorate. After all, it was easy to get into that vicious circle where you could have started to doubt each other. They made sure that there was a bit of banter, plenty of good vibes, some leg-pulling and the mood changed.

How do you describe Manvir Singh as your striking partner?

He is very talented, hungry, and a beast. He kills every test that we do at the camp – be it strength, stamina and speed. The guy is a machine. He has different roles in his club, and the National team and is working hard to adjust to the switch perfectly. He needs to learn to adapt, and he needs to do it by himself. He falls back and defends, and is an asset during attacking and defensive set-pieces. He is a proper weapon in our side.

What do you feel about results not being consistent?

The results haven’t been great and the first ones who should take the blame are us — the players. I can give you examples of five games which we should have not drawn, or lost. When you lose 0-1 against Qatar in Doha with 10-man, you take it. But then you lose the lead against Afghanistan to draw 1-1. We should have won against Bangladesh at home after drawing Qatar in Doha. I am not demeaning any opponent but we should have also won handsomely against Sri Lanka. The amount of chances me and Manvir missed is not acceptable. We can’t be that volatile. Take for example the match against Maldives. The manner we played against Maldives in Maldives in front of a packed stadium wasn’t easy. But how do you compare it with the manner we played against Sri Lanka? We need to be more consistent.

How much will Subhashish Bose be missed in the final?

I hope whoever replaces him can do a good job. Bose and Bheke have been brilliant at the back. Predominantly they play as full-backs at their respective clubs, but the duo has done a fantastic job so far. They have been vocal and charged up during this tournament, leading this team at the back. They were so charged up – they inspired the youngsters. Among the seniors, they have been the best performers so far.

You are now above Pele in terms of International goals scored. What qualities of Pele have you admired over the years?

Unfortunately, I did not get much footage of the great man to watch. Whatever little footage I could see – he was somebody who was dynamic, and powerful. The kind of challenges which were allowed at the time – football was much more brutal and physical. So to be that strong physically and mentally during that era and score that many goals was such a huge achievement.

There are huge expectations every time you go out and play. How do you manage to score so consistently despite all the pressure?

I try not to think much about it. I stay away from all the surrounding noise if I may say so. Otherwise, a few of the times I have failed not to do so, I have bogged myself down. It’s not healthy for me to read and to see what’s been talked about. So I keep myself away and keep it simple — I try to go and score for whichever team I play for. I understand people have an opinion about me but that’s none of my problems. I learn from what I have done wrong, and try to improve – that’s my job.

You presented your Man of the Match Award to Lalengmawia after the match against Maldives.

I wish I had two Man of the Match Awards which I could give to both Lalengmawia and Suresh. But Suresh stays close to me so I can give him something else. But Lalengmawia was brilliant, as was Suresh. When they were chosen to play this match, I didn’t see even an inch of doubt in their eyes and behaviour. They were so confident which was so soothing, and comforting. And then the manner they played made me so happy. I hope they keep their heads on their shoulders as they can do a lot of good for the nation.

CREDITS- AIFF MEDIA

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With this win, India are now in the third spot on the Group table with five points, just one behind Maldives and Nepal, both of whom have acquired six points each.

India started off on the front foot, winning their first corner of the match as early as in the third minute. The Nepali defence was up to the task though, as they cleared the ball that was swung in by Brandon Fernandes.

An interesting battle ensued between the two captains, Sunil Chhetri and Kiran Kumar Limbu in the opening exchanges. India constantly tried to feed the ball to Chhetri on multiple occasions, but Limbu stepped out as well, to nip the chances in time.

A little under the 20-minute mark, Chhetri managed to control an aerial ball inside the box, and got his shot away, but he was shepherded to a tight angle by the defence and Limbu managed to parry it away.

India had launched most of their attacks down the right-wing, but as the clock neared the half-hour mark, Suresh found Brandon on the left with a cross-field switch over. The midfielder turned a defender, cut inside, and unleashed a shot, which went wide.

India had their best chance of the first half in the 34th minute, when Suresh was fed through inside the box by Pritam Kotal. The midfielder flashed a low cross across goal to Chhetri, who was waiting unmarked at the far post. However, a slight touch by Limbu scuppered the chance, as the India captain’s eventual shot went agonisingly wide.

With two minutes of regulation time in the first half left, Chhetri created another chance, when he nodded a Suresh cross into the path of Manvir Singh, who tried to control the ball, but was muscled off it, as the two teams went into the break with the score still remaining 0-0.

The Blue Tigers continued much in the same vein in the second half, passing the ball around the park and looking to prise open the Nepal defence. They earned a free kick just outside the penalty box, 10 minutes into the second half. Brandon Fernandes, who took the free-kick, sent it inches over the bar.

Manvir Singh had another chance, this time off a cross by Yasir, as the forward produced a textbook header, hard into the ground, but Nepal captain Kiran Limbu again produced a diving save. That was the last piece of action for Manvir, who was replaced by Udanta Singh, while Anirudh Thapa came on for Suresh Wangjam.

Yasir soon cut inside from the right and unleashed a vicious long ranger, but it went wide. Soon after, he was replaced by Farukh Chaudhury, while Liston Colaco came on for Mandar Rao Dessai.

Subhasish had a brilliant opportunity to snatch the lead, when Chhetri’s header off a Brandon set-piece fell to Subhasish, who sent in a powerful header, but it was straight into Linbu’s torso.

Brandon’s set-pieces were a menace as Chhetri broke free of his marker and managed to get a free header onto another of the midfielder’s corners, but his header that was directed to the ground, went over.

With eight minutes of regulation time left on the clock, it was none other than captain Sunil Chhetri, who broke the deadlock. Substitute Farukh Choudhary headed an aerial through ball by Brandon onto Chhetri’s path, as the India captain volleyed it home with his left foot.

India having scored a late first goal, Nepal mounted on the attacks, looking for the equaliser. Anjan Bista managed to penetrate the box and got his shot away with a few minutes of regulation time to go, but it failed to trouble India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Soon after Ayush Ghalan looked to find some space for his teammates with a dangerous cross, but Gurpreet came out of his line and collected it calmly. India saw off the late charge by Nepal as the three minutes of injury time came to a close, and the referee blew the long whistle, signalling the end of the game.

The Blue Tigers will play their final Group Stage game against hosts Maldives on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at the same venue. The match kicks off at 9.30 PM IST.

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“We will be playing a style which will bring us results,” he averred. Referring to the two matches played on the inaugural day, the Head Coach said, “There was one counter-attack by Nepal in their match against Maldives, and they won the game despite Maldives being the better side. We don’t know what each game will bring to us on the plate. We will adapt to everything that is thrown at us.”

“We are trying to provide all necessary information to our players about our opposition, and motivate ourselves. We came here four days before the tournament, and we have trained on artificial and natural grass. We are taking good care of the players, and explaining to them the possible situations,” Stimac informed.

“The players know what I’m expecting from them, and what their duties are. So I’m very confident and excited about this tournament and I really expect to enjoy this tournament and not to have any nervousness. We are determined to represent India in a good manner and deliver what is expected from us on the pitch.”

Bangladesh, India’s opponents in the first match sit pretty on 3 points after their solitary goal victory against Sri Lanka in the inaugural match of the Championship.

Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri stressed on everyone being “jolly” in the squad. “The mood in the camp is upbeat. There is a lot of familiarity in the squad, and we gel well. The youngsters push us to the limits. Everyone is jolly and we want to put our best foot forward, and do well.”

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu feels the level of competition in the SAFF region has “definitely improved”.

“We saw Nepal play Maldives, and they have definitely improved. The level of the competition has become better, and teams are aware of how to exploit an opponent’s weakness. We have to respect each and every team, and give our best.”

Stimac explained that the Blue Tigers are missing not just Sandesh Jhingan, but also Rowllin Borges, and Ashqique Kuruniyan, all of whom are under rehab at the moment.

“It’s not just Sandesh alone whom we are missing. Borges has been absent for a while for the National Team, and even Ashique.  But we just cannot think of that at the moment. We wish them a fast recovery and expect them to join us as soon as possible,” Stimac expressed.

“But we have other players here, and we need to have enough capacity to cover all the positions. Sandesh was a leader, very vocal, and he held the team together. But we need to replace him together as a team, making an effort throughout 90 minutes,” the coach explained.

Sunil admitted that “the team needs to improve in a lot of areas.”

“If we’re talking solely about the two games which we played against Nepal, we have to improve in a lot of areas. And that has already been talked and conveyed to us by our Head coach, and the whole coaching system,” he quipped.

“We know we could have done better in Nepal as players. And this is just me talking as a player. And whatever things that we had to work on were conveyed to us right after the game. And also now, with every passing day, we realised that every other team who probably are in the same region are also improving – which means that if we play against them, we cannot afford to be 90 percent. Not just against Nepal, but in a game against any one of them. That is one of the biggest learnings that we have learned playing Nepal in Nepal.”

“And hopefully, we will take it in our stride. Taking that forward to this tournament, we realise that there will not be a single easy game for us.”

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Bengaluru FC, on Sunday, announced that club captain Sunil Chhetri had signed a new two-year deal to keep him at the club until at least 2023. Chhetri, who signed with the Blues in 2013, will see the new deal extend his stay with Bengaluru into a tenth season.

Chhetri, who joined Bengaluru in 2013, has made 203 appearances for the club since, scoring 101 goals in that time. The 36-year-old has led the club since its inception in 2013 and has topped the goal-scoring charts in each of his eight seasons with the Blues.

“I’m really happy to have signed on for two more years at Bengaluru FC. The city is home now, and the people at this club are like family to me. It feels like just yesterday that I signed for the first time here, and I have to say the journey has been nothing short of special. I love this club, the supporters and the city, all three of which I have a strong bond with, and I’m looking forward to being part of many more great moments with them,” said Chhetri, after completing formalities on his extension.

Chhetri, a six-time AIFF Player of the Year, led the Blues to their first League title in 2013, and has since won five more trophies with the club, including the Federation Cup (2015, 2017), Indian Super League (2018-19) and Super Cup (2018). In addition to several other individual awards, Chhetri was named the Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Iconin 2018 and the following year, he was conferred the Padma Shri title, India’s fourth highest civilian honour.

“Sunil has been an integral part of this club since day one. We all know what he, as a player, brings to the team. But his presence as a leader has been equally crucial to us, and especially to the youngsters coming through the ranks. He is a role model, and his influence and application has been paramount to our success. Over the last eight years, he has made this city his home and we are really happy that he has committed his future to Bengaluru FC,” said club CEO, Mandar Tamhane.

Chhetri, who scored twice against Bangladesh in India’s FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup joint qualifier in Doha earlier this month, has amassed over 100 caps for the country and is India’s all-time leading scorer in international football, with 76 goals.

Bengaluru FC will face Eagles FC in a 2021 AFC Cup Playoff stage clash, in August.

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Where does your competitive spirit come from?

To start with, it comes from my parents – especially my mum. When I was growing up, playing different sports – carrom, chess, Chinese checkers, and other outdoor sports with my mum was a very common phenomenon at my house. My first competitor was always my mum. I remember I always wanted to beat my mum, but till the time I was 13, I couldn’t beat her. And she never wanted to lose either. I think the fact that I don’t like losing, a big part of that comes from my mum.

I don’t understand it. They say participation is the key, which is alright after the game is done, because that’s all you can do. You can give your best, and whatever result comes, it’s okay. But before the game, nobody wants to lose. I think about any game, be it a proper World Cup Qualifier, or a normal table tennis game, I feel the same way – I don’t like to lose.

Any childhood memory that still has a big impact on you, even today?

A lot of Army kids will relate to this. My father was away a lot, so when he came back, it was like a festival. But most of the time, me and my sister would spend time with my mum. A lot of things that we have learnt, the way we have been brought up, it’s all because of my mum.

And if I have to tell you one particular memory, it would be my mum coming with me to the field, because I complained that nobody wants to come and play with me in the heat of the Delhi summer. Around 3-4 pm in the summers, it’s impossible for people to come out. There’d be loo blowing outside, and it’s not easy. So one day I was complaining that I had nobody to play with, and my mum came with me to play.

For the whole 10-15 days of summer vacation, I used to play foot tennis with my mum, and that was amazing. At that time, I thought that it was normal. But when I look back, I realise that it’s not. She didn’t want me to not do or not enjoy something just because I didn’t have friends. And it’s not just once. Playing volleyball or football with my mum was common.

You were quite the prankster in your younger days. Were those the typical Delhi-wala pranks that you carried to the National Team?

Our jokes and pranks were a bit harsh, and over the edge in Delhi – that’s the kind of surrounding I was in, growing up. And also the fact that I was playing with players who were a bit senior than me. So I got a level-up kind of pranks. But now, because I’m surrounded by all these kids, I restrict myself to a few satires and sarcasm. I don’t do pranks anymore, because they’re too young.

The boys who remember me for all the pranks were in the National Team before. And I guess it was me and Stephen (Dias) who were the main protagonists of these pranks that went around in the National Team.

How do you look back at the journey?

It’s been amazing. To play for the number of years for the National Team, to represent the country the number of times I have, it’s been outstanding. It is beyond a dream.

It’s a wonderful journey, that would not have been possible without my family, friends, my close group, the players I’ve played with, the coaches I’ve trained under, the physios, the doctors – and I say this because all of them are equally important for whatever I’ve achieved.

You were a backbencher in the team bus before, but now you’ve changed your seat. Any reason for that?

I was a proper backbencher when I joined the team. All my musketeers were behind with me – Pradeep (NP), Mehraj (Mehrajuddin Wadoo), Stephen (Dias), Pal (Subrata), Mangi (Gouramangi Singh), Anwar was there, but he wasn’t very mischievous, and Sameer Naik also used to come back with us, though he was a few years senior.

Our lot, we were all very mischievous. There were big stalwarts who used to sit in the front. There was Bhaichung (Bhutia) bhai, Renedy (Singh) bhai, Mahesh (Gawali) bhai, Deepak Mondal – all of them used to sit in the front. But we were behind, singing songs, doing pranks, talking stupid stuff mostly.

But slowly as all those boys started leaving, and new boys came in, that petered out. Just a small example, (it feels like) just yesterday, that these two kids came in – Sandesh (Jhingan) and Gurpreet (Singh). And I was telling these two kids are good, they’ll do well. And now those two are the main players here, and they’re Arjuna Awardees. That’s how time flies.

There are so many kids who are now calling them ‘Sandesh bhai’, ‘Gurpreet bhai’. And the one calling them bhai is Udanta. And then there’s a Suresh (Singh) who, in turn, is calling Udanta bhai. There are so many levels now. The only thing I can say, looking at all this is that I’m so fortunate that I’m still here, playing for my country.

The gap is huge now. I don’t have anyone even close to my age or era. But it’s good to be around kids. They teach me a lot of stuff with their excitement and fearlessness. I try to grasp whatever I can from this lot.

Just two days back, I was having a chat with Bhaichung da,  I was telling him how I miss the old camp, purely because now I don’t hang with anyone. I’m in my room only.

He told me something very interesting, “You know what, I know exactly what you’re going through. When I was about to retire, I felt the same thing. The only advice I’ll give you is to keep going until you are happy and motivated. And the day you think that it’s not motivating enough anymore, then you think about it. But right now, you just enjoy and keep doing what you love.”

When you came in, there was the one and only Bhaichung Bhutia, who dominated the Indian Football scene. What traits did you learn and take from him?

Oh, I learnt a lot from him. Not just him, but all the seniors that I named earlier – Renedy bhai, Mahesh bhai, Climax Lawrence, Abhishek Yadav, Surkumar (Singh) – all of them. I was very fortunate to have been pampered.

For Bhaichung da, one thing that I loved about him is how down-to-earth he really was. We all knew who he was – he was our captain, the main guy. But he was so approachable, and he made efforts to come and talk to each one of us. I still remember, our group used to talk to us, share his experiences, tell us where we are going wrong – not just on the field, but off the field too.

We were very well-nourished as far as our seniors were concerned, especially with Bhaiching da. All of them were very kind and helpful. They did tell us when we were wrong and told us in a very harsh way. They had different ways of dealing with us, but all of them taught us so much. There’s nobody better than Bhaichung da.

What did you learn from Bhaichung on the field?

That man was relentless in the way he approached a game. His mentality was bulletproof. He was at it, every game. The first challenge, the first tackle was always Bhaichung da. The one to fight for lost causes was always Bhaichung da. And when as a senior you saw that our captain, the most senior guy was working so hard, it rubbed on us.

There were so many times we weren’t that good, but we still got to the end was because of the perseverance that Bhaichung da got to the team. I keep telling all the number 9s that I meet about Bhaichung da. I don’t think that I’ve met anyone as dedicated and as hungry as him.

What difference do you see in the youngsters who are coming in today, to the time when you yourself had just made the team?

Nowadays the kids are more aware and more prepared. I know I’ll get a message from Stephen and Pal for saying this. But the simple thing is that the youngsters now have more information on their hands, and they use it properly. And I’m not trying to judge their performance, but just that the information on hand is way better now.

The kind of coaching, the kind of awareness is a huge difference now. The good thing is that a lot of youngsters are using it properly.

Where do these youngsters need to improve?

There are a lot of things where they have to work, and they know this. They’re all hungry. I think they can do much better with the ball. The technical aspect, where they have to keep the ball and move around with it, needs to improve. But I think that’s me being a little harsh. The more games they’ll play, the better it will be. As we talk, Glan Martins has two games under his belt, Suresh has three games, Subhasish seems young to me, Gurpreet and Sandesh have become regulars, Manvir did well last season in the ISL, then there’s Bipin as well.

It’s a young team, but the one criticism that I have is that we have to be a bit braver to pass the ball and keep the ball. I think it will come. We are all working hard, keeping shape, going and coming back, making those runs is a given now. But for us to go to the next level, I think we have to keep the ball and be brave with it. That’s probably one thing that the youngsters can work on.

What does it take to be a goalscorer?

A lot of training and hunger. If you don’t think that you’re going to score. Even if you have the skills, talent, and even if you do all the hard work – if you don’t think and visualise that you’re going to score – if your hunger isn’t there you won’t score. If you take the example of all top scorers in our country or the world, this will be a common aspect that they are hungry. They are losing, they’d want to score, the team is winning 6-0, they’d still want to score.

I think, there are a lot of attributes to become a good goalscorer, but the two most important things would be hunger and continuous training.

Padma Shri, Arjuna, an icon of International Football – what’s next for Sunil Chhetri?

These are things that I’ve never planned about. When I got there, I was really thankful and honoured. What is important to me is the game against Afghanistan, and then 10 days of rest, before I join my club again for the AFC Cup. That’s it, that’s how far my attention span goes. I am unable to think beyond. And that’s probably why my life is a little bit easier.

I don’t think long term, because it phases out. That’s how it works for me. The next game is Afghanistan, then take 10 days off, and then hopefully get ready for the AFC Cup.

Who are the athletes that you take inspiration from?

A lot of them. I think two days back I was on a spree of watching tennis highlights. I was watching Roger Federer and Serena Williams. I was also going through the kind of tournaments that Serena Williams has dominated.

The amount of inspiration around us is so much. There are so many extraordinary athletes. And not just athletes, because I am a sportsperson, I watch them and learn. But around the world, there are plenty of people who will inspire you. One I want to mention is that all the people who nobody knows about, but came out and helped others under COVID circumstances, was extraordinary.

There are so many that I could talk to. Their monthly income is Rs 50,000 and they’re donating Rs 40,000 out of it. They are on the ground, helping others. And you realise that this is extraordinary. And there’s not only one, these people are all around you. So if you want inspiration, it is all around you. If you want it, there’s so much inspiration everywhere.

What are your thoughts on having more goals than Lionel Messi in International Football?

There’s a lot of talk, even in my family WhatsApp group, and I tell everyone the same thing. The truth is that there’s absolutely no comparison between me and him. Along with everyone else in the world, I am also a huge fan. There is no comparison whatsoever.

I am just happy that I get an opportunity to score for my country, and that’s about it. When I see my name there, I feel proud for five seconds that I could do something for my country, and that’s about it. I don’t get into the stupid cocoon of comparing myself with all those great players. There are thousands of players who are better than me, and all of them are also fans of Lionel Messi. That’s the gap.

As for the numbers, once I’d done playing, we’ll talk about them. We will take out one goal and we will talk about the anecdote. I mean, nobody in the country has played more games than me – that’s something nice. Nobody in the country has scored more than me —  I feel honoured. These things are nice, and they motivate me, but I don’t think about them too often.

Only once I’m done, and I’ve got a belly full of food, then we can talk about them.

How will you greet Lionel Messi if and when you meet him?

I’d say, ‘Hi, I’m Sunil Chhetri, and I’m a big fan’. And that’s about it. I will not trouble him. I’m a fan, but all the people I’m a fan of, I don’t trouble them much. If I meet him, I’ll be happy, if I don’t, I’m still good. When I’m sad, I watch Messi’s videos, and it makes me happy, so when I meet him, I’ll tell him I’m a fan, give him a nice handshake, and that’s about it.

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A couple of days after Sunil scored a brace against Bangladesh to help India win 2-0, Sunil averred: “I tell the boys and myself to just turn up and give everything on the pitch, and then you will take whatever result comes. You saw Glan (Martins) and Suresh (Singh Wangjam) in the last game, that’s the kind of energy you want in games. They did make mistakes but their energy, fighting spirit, talking and listening — that’s all you need.”

“You might not get as many moments of individual brilliance and technical play like through-balls but if we can fight like how bees fight by coming together — that’s the foundation. The opponent should think that we will be annoying and fighting and defending as a team, and that is the first step. Slowly, other things will come from there,” Chhetri quipped.

‘BOYS ARE HUNGRY AND VERY FIT’

The talismanic forward, who has now taken his international tally of goals to 74 in 117 matches, spoke about how the players are “comfortable” with the style of football that head coach Igor Stimac wants them to play and praised the fitness levels in the team.

“The players are comfortable with the style the head coach wants us to play. It is a very simplified one and we need continuous training and matches to keep building on it,” he stated.

“We want to see more passing, as it would mean running less and more 1v1 situations. The players want that too and are capable of it, but it needs time. A lot of players are comfortable with the ball and it will definitely come soon.”

“Our next step from here is to be braver with the ball. We understand defending, communicating and taking care of ourselves. Everyone in the team is physically really fit and we are a very young side with many new boys. The head coach encourages us to keep the ball and the way forward is to keep the ball more and look to increase the number of passes and organized attacks.”

‘RELAX, KEEP YOUR HEAD HIGH’

Chhetri added that the team will continue to move forward together in their progression and mentioned that the whole team — players, coaches and technical staff are “in sync” with one another.

“Against Bangladesh, we were hurried at times in the final third and we will surely learn with more matches. For example, Manvir was a bit upset after missing one chance. I told him to relax and keep his head up, and that we all will miss chances.

“The boys are ready now — they are hungry, their GPS numbers are very good and they work very hard. The coaches and technical staff are in sync with the players and the next step is passing more, but it will not happen overnight,” he opined.

‘DEMAND FITNESS FROM ALL THE PLAYERS’

The 36-year-old, who made his Blue Tigers debut in 2005 against Pakistan, also touched upon how he guides the youngsters in the team on how to focus on oneself and the importance of being fit and taking care of one’s body.

“I advise youngsters to think about what you can do and not think about what others are saying. I learnt this early in my life — if you are more focused and thinking about yourself, you won’t get time to worry about what others are saying and thinking,” he maintained.

“I stress on fitness because it does not require brains. Doing the right exercises, avoiding the wrong kind of food, taking good sleep, drinking enough water — all these are easy and that is why I demand high fitness. I tell them that you have been chosen from 1.4 billion people, so it should be enough motivation to stay disciplined.”

“Bhaichung-bhai (Bhaichung Bhutia) always told me that you have to try and be a good example, and that is what I try to do. Being punctual, eating well, taking care of my body — the boys can see it and it is not difficult to motivate them. Earlier, I used to feel like a warden at times but now, it’s a natural process in the team,” he smiled.

‘CHANCES GIVEN TO MANY PLAYERS’

In the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Qatar 2022, India are currently placed at six points from seven games, having lost out narrowly to Asian champions Qatar 1-0 despite going down early to 10 men, and then defeating neighbours Bangladesh via two unanswered goals.

Chhetri highlighted how head coach Stimac has given chances to a number of players in the last two years and emphasised the importance of being consistent in performances over the qualification campaign.

“It is difficult to transition, play a certain way, face higher-ranked teams and also get results. We want to be in sync with the coach and what he wants from us, and deliver upon it. That’s all we can do. Results haven’t been ideal but we must look at the silver linings.”

“The coach is not afraid of giving chances to players. If he sees someone who is good, he will always give the boy a chance. No player can say that I didn’t get a chance, which is a good thing. Both the coach and players are looking to make a base of the first 14.”

“No coach likes to change his team every time and he is on the lookout for making his first 14. The players also have to help out and once it clicks, it will be more stable.”

“Even if we win the last match against Afghanistan, I don’t think we can call the campaign a success. I look back at the matches against Bangladesh in Kolkata, Oman in Guwahati and Afghanistan away (in Dushanbe), where we did not play well. We have been hot and cold, and that’s what bothers me. We need to continue playing at the same level,” he added.

In their last match of the qualifiers, the Blue Tigers will now go up against Afghanistan on June 15, 2021, at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, with the third-place spot in the group on the line. The match will kick-off at 7.30 PM IST and will be broadcast live on the Star Network, Disney +

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Sunil scored two goals in a span of 13 minutes to help India seal a 2-0 victory, India’s first win in a World Cup qualifier away from home since 2001.

The record book states that Chhetri, on 74 goals, is second behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time goal scorer’s list among active players in International Football, as he overtook Lionel Messi who is on 72 goals.

“Many people keep on asking as to when Sunil is going to retire. He works so hard on the pitch, and in every training session, he is by far the best. He is in such good shape and is working with such professionalism. He is working as if he is 25, playing as if he is 25, and scoring goals like he is 25,” Head Coach Igor Stimac stated.

‘Ironman’ Sandesh Jhingan felt that Sunil’s name will still be remembered even after a century. “Some 100 or 200 years down the line, people will still talk about Sunil Chhetri. As long as there is Indian Football, people will remember his name. It’s for everyone to see what he does on the field. Hence, I would rather like to mention that off the field he is the perfect example for all to follow.”

“I will keep on mentioning that there’s one guy floating in between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – and that’s my teammate, my captain Sunil Chhetri,” Gurpreet Singh Sandhu expressed. “It shows his commitment and how consistent he has been scoring goals – one after the other. It’s simply remarkable,” he added.

Chhetri smiled, looked to his side, shook his head, and smiled again. “The match against Bangladesh was a tough match, frustrating at times,” he referred. “We were guilty of missing a lot of chances. We could have done better. It has been a topsy-turvy qualifying campaign. Looking back, we understand that we could have done a lot better. We will talk about it but I am happy that we got three points,” Chhetri said.

One reminds him about his International goals. “You know what. All of this is past. We play Afghanistan, and we have to be at our best. It will be a new day, a new canvas. And it is up to us to paint it the manner we want to,” he argued. The alarm on his watch rings. Sunil gets up, gestures and walks off for the recovery session at the gym. The session is some 10 minutes away but he knows he cannot be late. In fact, and you can bet he will be the first one to step in.

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Courtesy the result, India moved to six points from seven matches, while Bangladesh are at two points seven matches. India next play Afghanistan in their last group league match on June 15.

Sunil broke the deadlock in the 78th minute when he headed in Ashique Kuruniyan’s cross from the left. He then sealed the result by curling in a shot from long range in added time, to win the match 2-0 for the Blue Tigers.

Stimac made three changes from the side that took on Qatar in the last match. The Blue Tigers made a cautious start, playing it amongst themselves, searching for the gaps.

In the 2^nd minute, Rakib Hossain was flashed the yellow for a tackle on Brandon Fernandes. Brandon tried to be in the thick of action in his effort to essay those passes, and find someone in the clear.

India earned their first corner in the 9^th minute, but the first real chance came in the 15^th minute when Brandon’s through ball played between the two central defenders found Manvir Singh in the clear inside the box.

With only the rival goalkeeper Anisur Rahaman to beat, Manvir was a bit shy to have a try, and delayed it that shade too long allowing the rival defence to regroup.

In the next minute, Suresh Singh got into the box but his centre was collected by a diving Anisur.

Bangladesh’s Rahmat Mia was shown the yellow card for his foul on Suresh in the 32^nd minute.

Bangladesh had a close shave in the 35^th minute when Chinglensana Singh’s header off a Brandon corner was cleared on the line by Riyadul Hasan.

Changing over, Mohammed Yasir came in for Udanta Singh, and Ashique Kuruniyan replaced Bipin in the 46th minute.

In the 56th minute, Sandesh did leap more than all to head Brandon’d corner but it didn’t pose any danger, and then two minutes later, Sunil received a pass form Brandon on the edge of the box and out Yasir to pull the trigger. Yasir delayed a bit, and the rival defence were able to thwart it off.

On the hour mark, India brought in their third substitute – Liston Colaco coming in for Manvir Singh.

Almost immediately, rival captain Jamal Bhuyan was flashed the yellow after Suresh had sped past him on the right flank. Off the resultant free-kick, Brandon did manage to find an unmarked Sunil Chhetri in the box but his header was off target.

Glan’s long-range effort won India a corner in the 73^rd when it deflected off a rival defender over the goal-line. But India’s agony continued as Subhashish Bose, all unmarked, failed to guide his header into the goal – it sailed past the post.

A minute later Asahique was shown the yellow card for his foul on Riyadul.

India finally was able to break the deadlock, and it was none other than Sunil Chhetri, on the 79th minute, who connected with an Ashique cross from an acute angle to send the ball back across Bangladesh goalkeeper Anisur Rahman.

Bangladesh began to throw bodies forward in search of the equaliser, but were often thwarted by the Indian defence. Jamal Bhuyian went into the referee’s books a minute after Chhetri’s goal, for a foul on Brandon Fernandes.

Stimac made a couple of tactical changes in order to hold on to the lead in added time, as Pronay Halder and Adil Khan replaced Chinglensana Singh and Brandon Fernandes, respectively.

However, captain Sunil Chhetri sealed the three points for the Blue Tigers, as he collected a pass from the left by Suresh, outside the Bangladesh area, and curled it into the back of the net.

INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Chingensana Singh (Pronay Halder — 90+1′), Sandesh Jhingan, Subhashish Bose; Udanta Singh (Mohammed Yasir – 46^th), Suresh Singh, Glan Martins, Brandon Fernandes (Adil Khan — 90+1′), Bipin Singh (Ashique Kuruniyan – 46^th), Sunil Chhetri, Manvir

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