Pleasantly surprised by the popularity of the football in India, German Ambassador Michael Steiner, on Monday said that he is looking forward to India's participation at the World Cup by 2022.
As Chhetri celebrates his 31st birthday today, here is a look at what makes him stand out.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday graced Indian football's historic moment when he greeted players of both the teams ahead of India's opening FIFA U-17 World Cup match against USA, in New Delhi.
India striker Robin Singh, who made his national debut at the Nehru Cup last year, signed a two-year contract with Bangalore-based I-League Club JSW Sports on Thursday.
Former champions Dempo suffered a shock 1-2 defeat at the hands of Pune FC in the first upset of the Federation Cup football tournament in Guwahati on Monday.
They beat Haywards Sporting via the tie-breaker in the final.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup a "big opportunity for our younger generation" and said the event will increase the interest in football in the country.
European champions Spain will enter their final group match against DPR Korea as the firm favourites, looking to secure a Round of 16 berth in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, in Kochi, on Friday.
Drawn in Group A alongside Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan, five-time winners and holders India will kick off their campaign in the SAFF Cup with a match against Afghanistan on December 3.
The opening match will be followed by Kolkata giants East Bengal taking on Mumbai's Air India in the 27th Federation Cup.
The Indian football team will play against China for the first time in 21 years, and the first time away from home, in an international friendly in October, continuing its preparation for the prestigious Asian Cup next year.
Dempo Sports Club exploited the shaky rival defence scoring a 3-1 win over Lebanon's Al Ansar in the opening group match of the AFC Cup at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Tuesday.
Jan-Fiete Arp (8th minute), Nicolas Kuehn (62nd) and Sahverdi Cetin (90+2) netted for the winners, while Ibrahima Soumah got the lone goal for Guinea in the 26th minute in the final Group C match at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.
The delay in installation of floodlights at the Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa, has forced the state's football association to ask the All Indian Football Federation to shift Dempo's AFC Cup quarter-final to another venue. This is a big blow to India's National League champions, who are scheduled to play their AFC Cup home match against Singapore's Home United on September 16.
Former India footballer Gouramangi Singh's wife, Pushpanjali has been airlifting Indians stranded in different parts of the world and bringing them back home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bright India provided hope for a brighter future but their dream ended in a heartbreak following a 1-2 defeat to Colombia in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan beat Mohammedan Sporting 4-1, while Goa's Churchill Brothers routed HAL, Bangalore, 3-0 in the opening matches of the Federation Cup football tournament.
Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday instructed the states in the National Capital Region to take all possible measures to prevent any spike in air pollution levels during the upcoming Under-17 FIFA World Cup in Delhi to save India the blushes.
New Zealand are placed in Group B along with Turkey, Paraguay and Mali.
Guwahati became the fifth Indian city to be ratified as a venue for next year's Under-17 football World Cup after a FIFA inspection team gave its thumbs up to the venue's preparedness and facilities.
Group leaders Al Hussein of Jordan need a draw to stay on top at the end of the first leg matches in AFC Cup.
Shillong's Lajong FC defeated Dempo Sports Club of Goa 2-1 while VIVA Kerala and JCT played a goalless draw in the 31st Federation Cup football tournament in Guwahati on Thursday.
Custodian Abhra Mandal saved three successive penalty shots to help East Bengal clinch Federation Cup football title by overcoming giant-killer Lajong FC of Shillong in a keenly contested summit clash in Guwahati on Sunday.
'It was a nice experience and I felt on cloud nine when I scored the goal'
Goa on Saturday joined Kochi and Navi Mumbai as one of the venues to host next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup after it received the green signal from a high-level delegation of football's world body. A 13-member FIFA delegation alongwith the Local Organising Committee (LOC) today made an inspection to ascertain the readiness of Goa to host matches and training sessions at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. Following the visit, LOC and FIFA experts expressed their satisfaction with the work which has been put in at the venue and ratified Goa as the third venue to host the event after Kochi and Navi Mumbai.
Dempo's campaign in the AFC Cup took off on a bright note as they held on gamely to a Ranty Martin's first half strike to down Syrian club Al Maged 1-0 in the Group E league match at the Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.
The FIFA's inspection team on Wednesday sounded fairly satisfied over the progress at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, one of the venues for the Under-17 World Cup, but urged authorities to speed up work on core areas like competition and training sites.
A dominant Brazil made a strong statement of their top title contender status with a 2-1 victory over Spain in a Group D marquee clash of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, in Kochi, on Saturday.
India is placed in Group III along with Japan, Oman and Singapore, whom they play in the opener on February 18.
The world's most-talented young players gave India a memorable show of high quality football on the field as the country showcased its organizational skills in a near-flawless and record-breaking FIFA Under-17 World Cup across six cities, which culminated with England clinching the title in Kolkata on Saturday.
European powerhouse Spain bounced back from the defeat in their opening match to score a 4-0 victory over Niger in a Group D match of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Kochi on Tuesday.
Five time champions East Bengal struck twice in the second session to blank Mohun Bagan 2-0 and set up a summit clash against Lajong FC in the Federation Cup football tournament in Guwahati on Thursday.
Buoyed after the country was awarded the 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup'S hosting rights, the All India Football Federation is set to bid for the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Club World Championships.
She won the long jump gold medal at the 12th Federation Cup Athletics Championship on Friday.
Bengaluru FC lifted their maiden Federation Cup football tournament title when they edged past 10-man Dempo FC 2-1 in the summit clash.
With exactly 10 days to go for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Local Organising Committee chairman Praful Patel, on Tuesday, declared that India is "100 per cent ready" to host the event.
Ending speculation around the merger of Indian Super League with I-League, the All India Football Federation on Tuesday virtually recognised ISL as the country's premier league as per a new roadmap, which will have three more seven-month leagues in a hierarchical system from 2017 onwards.
Having won all their three group matches with ease, South American giants Brazil will start clear favourites when they take on the unfancied Honduras in a pre-quarterfinal match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, in Honduras.
Both the teams have won their respective opening matches with Germany getting past Costa Rica 2-1 and Iran beating Guinea 3-1 last Saturday.
