India head coach Igor Stimac feels this may be the final season of talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri's career.
From doing double training sessions and reading books, to watching renowned broadcaster and historian Sir David Attenborough's documentary 'A Life On Our Planet', the 36-year-old has been one busy man through the last three weeks of the team's quarantine in Goa.
The national football team is currently ranked 18th in Asia and the sports ministry's rule states that in team sport, only those in top-eight will get the nod.
Hyderabad now have 29 points from 16 games, four more than second-placed Jamshedpur FC who have played two matches less. Bengaluru remain third with 23 in their kitty from 16 outings.
Head coach Igor Stimac believes it could be a game-changer for Indian football as India take on Kuwait in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
Indian club football appeared to be in complete crisis as Chennaiyin FC on Wednesday suspended their operations in view of the uncertainty surrounding the Indian Super League (ISL), days after Bengaluru FC and Odisha FC decided to stop paying salaries to their first-team players and staff.
'Yes, this is an away game against a good team, but we have to prepare accordingly and think only of one thing -- a positive result.'
Sunil Chhetri, who will complete 15 years in international football on June 12, is India's highest goal-scorer with 72 strikes from 115 matches. He is the second highest goal-scorer in international football in the world among active players behind Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine maestro Lionel Messi.
Indian football head coach Igor Stimac hailed Sunil Chhetri, saying the talismanic captain was one of those who "glorified" Indian football with his dedication in the 15 years of his illustrious career. The 35-year-old Chhetri on Friday became only the second Indian after legendary Bhaichung Bhutia to complete 15 years in Indian jersey.
'...there's a feeling of being indebted to the sport, to my team, that I get to do this.'
Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri scored a hattrick as India handed Pakistan a 4-0 loss in their SAFF Championship match in Bengaluru.
Chhetri rested as Stimac names 23-member squad for King's Cup
RCB are currently placed sixth in the IPL standings with 12 points from 13 games and will take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings in a must-win match in Bengaluru on Saturday.
India go down 0-1 to Hong Kong in crucial 2027 Asian Cup Qualifier match
Sunil Chhetri said said if more people are made aware and educated about the issue, the incidents of abuse will also go down.
Sunil Chhetri was once again the man of the moment as he struck a brace to inspire India to a 2-0 win over Cambodia in the third round of qualifying for next year's Asian Cup.
Chhetri also added that India will rely more on teamwork than individual flair to give a tough fight to their rivals.
India captain Sunil Chhetri added another feather to his illustrious cap as he overtook Argentina star Lionel Messi to become the second-highest goalscorer among the current players in international football.
Chhetri is a star striker for both India and Bengaluru FC.
Sunil Chhetri's late goal earned India the 1-0 victory over Nepal in the SAFF Championship, at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Sunday. The victory took India to third in the group standings with five points, just a behind Maldives and Nepal, both of whom have six points each.
Bengaluru FC will head into the second leg of the ISL semifinal with a narrow advantage after registering a 1-0 lead over Mumbai City FC in the first leg in Mumbai.
After the big fat super wedding of tennis ace Serena Williams to billionaire Alexis Ohanian last week, India football captain Sunil Chhetri will take the plunge on December 4.
The national federation, which was able to stitch together the team just three days before its departure for China, still thanked the Indian Super League clubs and the FSDL "for coordinating with it for the release of players".
Bengaluru FC pulled off the biggest win in ISL play-offs history, thrashing Mumbai City FC 5-0 to progress to the semi-finals.
East Bengal finished the season in the bottom-place on the points table, with only one win in 20 matches
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri is all set to join the national team that is preparing for next year's Asian Cup after getting the go-ahead from his Major League Soccer club Kansas City Wizards.
Till the time I play sport, I'll train like a maniac, the Indian cricket captain tells national football skipper Sunil Chhetri in an Instagram Live chat, credits trainer Shanker Basu for his physical transformation.
AIFF President Praful Patel congratulated Chhetri on being conferred with the Khel Ratna.
Rathore, Tendulkar lead accolades for Chhetri
Blue Tigers rise to third spot.
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Monday tied the knot with long-time girlfriend Sonam Bhattacharya, daughter of Mohun Bagan legend Subrata Bhattacharya, at a grand wedding ceremony in Kolkata on Monday.
Sunil Chhetri signed for Kansas City Wizards last month. He is the first Indian footballer to play in Major League Soccer.
Sunil Chhetri on Friday became the first Indian footballer to join the United States Major League Soccer after he signed a formal contract with MLS side Kansas City Wizards at the club headquarters.
India football captain Sunil Chhetri believes that the country's budding soccer players should get a chance to train in European academies in order to improve their skills. The man with 72 international goals described his stint with Sporting Lisbon as a 'great experience'.
The All India Football Federation is set to recommend Sunil Chhetri for the country's fourth highest civilian award -- the Padma Shri -- a huge recognition for the nation's all-time leading goal-scorer should he get the honour.
Chhetri's record against the neighbours is quite impressive, scoring four goals in eight matches including a spectacular strike from a free kick in Kolkata in 2022.
With Chhetri and Stimac at helm, AIFF hoping for strong show in Asian Games
The India football captain admitted there has been a "steady growth" in Indian football since that first day he wore the national shirt.
On Saturday, Chhetri posted a hilarious tweet and revealed that a fan asked him for his Netflix ID and password to pass the time during this lockdown phase. The 35-year-old footballer in a witty manner said he was really thinking to consider the demand since the user had his priorities sorted.
Hurt by the absence of an injured Sunil Chhetri in the ongoing I-League, Mohun Bagan, on Monday, shot off a letter to the AIFF seeking an investigation to the striker's participation in the SAFF Championship final which, the club claimed, aggravated his ankle injury.
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