Who’ll play longer? Cristiano Ronaldo or Sunil Chhetri?
Why 41? Why not till 44? I’m going to keep on playing till I know I’m capable of giving [my best] to the team. SUNIL CHHETRI
FOOTBALLER
For a nation the size of India, footballing heroes have strangely been few and far between. But we have one now in Sunil Chhetri, captain of the Indian football team, who urged his country — through a video — to come forward and support the Indian team at the Intercontinental Cup final, held earlier this month in Mumbai. India beat Kenya 3-0 to lift the trophy, and Chhetri is elated. “I hope this doesn’t end here and they continue to support us in future,” he says.
On a personal front, he wishes to go past Cristiano Ronaldo, the ace Portuguese forward and Real Madrid star, who has already scored four goals in FIFA World Cup 2018. (Chhetri, incidentally, is a TV panellist for the World Cup.) In an interview, Ronaldo said that he wanted to play till he was 41. Talking about his own passion to play for India, the 33-year-old captain says, “Why 41? Why not till 44? I’m going to keep on playing till I know I’m capable of giving [my best] to the team.”
Buoyed as he is right now, it’s unlikely that Chhetri would run out of steam anytime soon. His December 2017 marriage to his long-time girlfriend, Sonam Bhattacharya, has made him a “happier” man. “It hasn’t affected me as a player,” says Chhetri. “But yes, I’m much happier now. I’ve started to enjoy life more,” he laughs.
What has really got him perked up is the response to his video — Chhetri thinks it has stirred up something not just for one match, but for longer. “It was great to see people turn up for the games. I never knew that the video would have such an impact. I’m grateful to every one of [the spectators] for turning up and supporting us. I hope they saw what might happen if they continue to support us,” he says, in Delhi for the FIFA OMBC (official match ball carrier) campaign.
Expressing hope that the fan support continues, Chhetri says, “We might not be able to give them a win every time, but I promise them desire, commitment, and passion.”