Sunil Chhetri Calls for Unity Amid Indian Football Struggles

Former India captain Sunil Chhetri has urged players, coaches, the All India Football Federation and the media to share responsibility for Indian football’s difficulties rather than blame one another. Speaking on the sidelines of the Football Players’ Association of India’s Indian Football Awards 2026, Chhetri said a collective approach is essential if the game is to move forward.

His comments come during a challenging period for Indian football. The men’s national team has slipped to 138th in the FIFA rankings, while the domestic calendar faces uncertainty after the Indian Super League stalled following the end of its previous commercial management contract. Clubs have also faced financial strain, leaving players with uncertain futures.

Chhetri calls for shared responsibility

Chhetri said difficult phases have been a recurring part of his time in the game, but maintained that there is reason to remain hopeful. “The Indian football graph, for as many years as I’ve played, has always been like this. We’re probably in a phase where things are not going very well, because of what we’ve done with the national team, what we’ve done in the league, etcetera. But we all have to be hopeful,” he said.

The former captain said improvement may take time, while insisting that the current situation can change. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be fine. It takes time. Looking at all your faces, we all want things to be fine as soon as possible. It will be. I’m always hopeful. Things might be a little bit ‘kharab’ (bad), but things are going to be fine,” Chhetri added.

He did not place responsibility solely on administrators or the domestic structure. Chhetri said the players must also own the national side’s decline, pointing to results in matches India should have won. “I was also a part of the national team. And why has the ranking gone down? It’s because of the way we have played, the games that we should have won but lost. That is the reason why we are where we are. As players, we take responsibility. I took it when I was there,” he said.

Chhetri, 42, retired from international football last year and said current players should likewise accept their responsibility. But he stressed that progress cannot depend on one group alone. “I’m pretty sure the players who are playing right now will take responsibility. But if this country is going to a good place, it has to be all of us. Every one of us has to be equally responsible,” he said.

Debate and action needed as fixtures approach

The AIFF has faced criticism over instability around the domestic calendar and concerns about the lack of a clear long-term roadmap. Its decision to withdraw the men’s national team from the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in order to prioritise high-profile friendlies against World Cup teams has also prompted debate.

Chhetri said criticism and questions are valid, but argued that constant finger-pointing will not produce a solution. “We shouldn’t blame each other, saying that this player is bad, the coach is bad, the AIFF is bad,” he said. “We have a choice. We can keep blaming each other, and we know where we’re going to reach. Or we can all come together and do our work.”

He included the media among the stakeholders with a role in the sport’s future, while also calling for the right questions to be asked. “Be a little bit hopeful. We have to ask the right questions, of course. There are a lot of things that we need to improve,” Chhetri said.

India are scheduled to play Panama in Bengaluru on September 26, followed by home matches against Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay three days later at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. The team will then tour New Zealand for two further matches. Asked about the national side and the Brazil fixture, Chhetri said he was no longer part of the current setup and did not have an idea about it.