Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, add the list of footballers, appeal for the resumption of the ISL
Country’s several leading footballers, like Shouvik Chakrabarty and Sandesh Jinghan, and even foreigners like Adrian Luna, expressing their frustration, have urged the country’s football ruling body to do the best that can resume ISL. Now, two more leading footballers of the country Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu have added the list. Both the footballers, frustrated by the ongoing stalemate in Indian football, have posted an impassioned plea on social media urging “those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway”. The ISL typically begins in September. But right now, there is no clarity on when it will begin, with the league already having missed two months of its regular calendar. This has led to some teams suspending operations. Many top footballers have been without competitive football for months. There are reports that even training schedules and salary payments have been disrupted. “We, professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League, are coming together to make a plea and, more importantly, to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway. To put it simply, we want to play and now,” footballers like Chhetri and Sandhu wrote in a joint statement they posted on their social media handles. Our anger, frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation. Desperation to play the game we love, in front of people who mean everything to us, our families, our fans. This is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country, to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway. India needs its competitive football now more than ever,” the statement read. Sharing the statement on his Instagram handle, Cheetri wrote: “We are all standing shoulder to shoulder, willing to do whatever it takes to resurrect the sport we love.” Sandhu’s message read, “We find ourselves in the midst of our hardest challenge yet. And yet, all we can do at this point is plead.”
Chhetri visits Blue Tigress; gives a rousing speech
Iconic striker and senior national captain Sunil Chhetri visited the India’s ongoing women’s football camp at SAI complex in Bangalore on Sunday and offered inspiring messages to the team members ahead of their AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers. Chhetri had some encouraging words for the women’s team as they prepare for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, to be held next month. The senior women’s national team, coached by Crispin Chettri, is currently training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, and will also play two FIFA Women’s International Friendlies against Uzbekistan on May 29 and June 3, in the city. He said, “Your coach (Crispin Chhetri) and I were in same team once. The reason I am saying this is to tell you that time flies. Fast! If you really want it bad, take all the margins. There will be no difference between sleeping at 10 pm and sleeping at 10.45 pm in one night. But do this for a year, and you see the difference. If you eat a samosa one day, won’t make too much of a difference. But don’t eat it for one year, you see where you are! Please don’t waste it (your youth). You’re still young. Just go mad!” The captain at the same time divulged that retiring from mainstream football completely will be the most sad moment for him. “I cannot the think that one day will come when I have to say goodbye completely from the mainstream of the game. I will be no more a professional footballer after that. That will my saddest day,” added Chhetri.
