Can sense the atmosphere is changing: Sunil Chhetri on growing interest around Indian football

Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri feels there is a change in the atmosphere and he is noticing a growing interest in Indian football. The Blue Tigers recently won the Hero Tri-nation, Hero Intercontinental Cup, and the SAFF Championship and thus they have ticked the right boxes as a unit.

Chhetri, who has been a centrifugal force in promoting Indian football, feels the team is on the right track. India has won seven out of their last 11 matches and they will look to continue the good show. Furthermore, the national team moved into the top 100 FIFA rankings for the first time in five years.

“There was never a problem with the match-going fans, but yes, there has been an increase in the number of people who have started talking about football, and I think that’s a really good thing. I can sense the atmosphere is changing. But at the same time, I know we have jumped up a few ranks, we still have a long way to go. We have to just keep up the good work and stay focused on where we want to reach now,” Chhetri said in an interview with Hindustan Times.

Chhetri added there isn’t any such thing as an underdog in football and any team can beat any side on a given day. The national team will be taking part in back-to-back editions of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in history.

“Right now, international football is such that no one knows what will happen, and underdogs, too, can win! You just never know what is going to happen in football. That’s why we have to give our best, and that’s a message I am trying to send to the rest of the team,” he stated.

India will face potent teams like Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup and Chhetri feels the tournament will be like the World Cup for them.

“The (AFC) Asian Cup is like the World Cup for us. It is right at the very top of our list, and therefore, performing our best there is paramount. I don’t mean to put this pressure on the boys, but we should be qualifying for the (AFC) Asian Cup every time,” said Chhetri.

The talisman has scored 92 goals at the International level and he is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in terms of goals scored at the top level. Chhetri feels there is no comparison with Ronaldo and Messi but believes he can beat the legendary duo when it comes to the national team.

“There’s no comparison with the rest of the nine names on the list. I mean, I am a fan of players like Ronaldo and Messi, just like so many other fans of them. There’s just no comparison, and I don’t take this list, or whatever this list is, too seriously. But, yes, when it comes to representing the national team, I can be even better than them,” he signed off.