By his personal admission, Indian soccer talisman Sunil Chhetri is in the “bonus period” of his illustrious profession however he has not set any retirement date.
One factor is, nonetheless, sure that the 39-12 months-previous Chhetri won’t be taking part in in 2026 when the soccer World Cup occurs.
“I’m just happy that I’m here. This is the bonus period, I’m just enjoying it, I don’t know when it’s going to end. I just want to enjoy it,” Chhetri stated forward of India’s 2026 World Cup second spherical qualifiers matches later this month.
“Because I’m 39, I don’t have long-term targets as far as me being on the pitch is concerned. I think about the next three months, and then the next three months, and then we see how it goes,” he was quoted as saying by FIFA.
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India have been drawn in Group A together with Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan. They play Kuwait in an away match on November 16 earlier than taking on Qatar on Bhubaneswar on November 21.
The group winners and runners-up from every of the 9 teams advance to the third spherical of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The 18 groups might be divided into three teams of six groups in the third spherical.
The high two groups of every group qualify straight for the 2026 World Cup, whereas the third and fourth-positioned groups advance to the fourth spherical, which is able to resolve two extra Asian qualifiers for the showpiece.
Chhetri might be lower than two months in need of his forty second birthday when the subsequent FIFA World Cup occurs in June 2026, and he’s life like sufficient to settle for that taking part in on the international showpiece could also be past him.
“When I dream, I dream more as an Indian, more as a fan. Me being there in any capacity, it doesn’t matter, because I know I’ll be a fan. I’ll be watching every game that India plays and rooting for my country.
“Right now, I feel really good physically. I can see that I do contribute to the team, both for my country and my club. As long as I’m enjoying it, I will be here.
“I don’t know how many days, how many months, how many years that will be. The day I stop enjoying, and the day I can’t contribute, I will be done.”
Chhetri has performed for India 143 occasions since making his debut in 2005 and has scored 93 targets, probably the most by an Indian. He is at the moment the third most prolific scorer in worldwide soccer amongst energetic gamers, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
He stated the nationwide group has grown beneath head coach Igor Stimac, who took cost in 2019.
“If you see our performances, four years back and now, anyone will tell you there is a good jump. And that is something that has happened because of Igor Stimac and the entire team. Everyone has chipped in together, and everyone has pulled each other up.
“He (Stimac) is more than a coach, he is more like a father figure or an elder brother for people like me who are fossils to everyone. He understands and takes that part of his coaching job very seriously.
“He knows the psyche, he understands what a player is going through, what he needs. That is why you will see all the players are very happy with him,” stated Chhetri about Stimac who helped Croatia end third in the 1998 World Cup.
Away from the soccer discipline, Chhetri and his spouse Sonam Bhattacharya had been blessed with their son Dhruv in August. Chhetri stated that has modified his perspective on life.
“For the first five days, I didn’t sleep because of excitement. I was awake the whole night just looking at him and talking to him. On the sixth day, my wife told me I had to sleep in a different room as she was worried I was too tired and was going to get injured.
“It’s such an experience which can only be felt. Once you hold your baby, it is unbelievable. When I held my son for the first time, everything about you changes, the way you think about life changes.
“I just want to go back home wherever I am. Whenever I am going for an away trip, I just want to finish the games and go back home.”
India is unlikely to qualify for the 2026 World Cup regardless of 48 groups competing with Asia getting eight direct slots, however Chhetri stated will probably be a humongous achievement if it occurs.
“When that happens, the country will go mad. As an Indian, it’s going to be one of the best days of my life. I have so many dreams about that day. It is going to be humongous.
“The anticipation, the hope that it will bring to the complete nation is something that I know I will never forget in my life. There are so many people like me who can’t wait to see that day, and I just hope it comes soon for us.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)
