Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia said talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri should not have reversed his decision to retire to help India in the 2027 Asia Cup qualification campaign, calling it a mistake. Chhetri last scored for the Blue Tigers in March this year against the Maldives but has drawn since then.
Bhutia was reacting to India’s exit from the Asian Cup qualifiers after losing 1-2 to Singapore in the third round in Goa. The former India captain also urged wicketkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to consider stepping aside and give a chance to the next generation.
“The time has come for Sunil. He had a great career and a wonderful farewell but his comeback was a big mistake, for him and for Indian football. I have also mentioned this earlier. It is also time for senior players like Sunil and Gurpreet to call it a day. They have served Indian football well but now the next generation has to take over,” Bhutia told PTI.
Bhutia called on India to move away from glamorous European football models and instead emulate Asian nations such as Uzbekistan and Jordan who have achieved consistent success with modest resources.
India’s 1-2 loss to Singapore came after a 1-1 draw in the away game, resulting in the Blue Tigers missing out on the continental tournament for the first time since 2019, when they expanded to 24 teams.
“It’s very disappointing because the Asia Cup is something we should at least qualify for on a regular basis. When 24 teams qualify for the Asia Cup and you still can’t make it, then it’s very, very disappointing,” the 48-year-old Indian football icon added.
“We keep talking about the World Cup and other big things, but if we can’t even qualify for the Asian Cup, then we are very far from our goal.”
Uzbekistan and Jordan, who recently secured their first FIFA World Cup berths along with Australia, Iran, Japan and South Korea, have shown what focused planning and domestic structure can achieve, Bhutia said.
“Right now we’re looking too much at the business valuation models, the money and the structures of European football – the Premier League, La Liga – and trying to improve the sport,” he said.
“But football has to be about football. Where are the priorities of this sport?” he asked.
“Indian football should not just copy European models or chase glamour. We should look at Asian countries like Uzbekistan and Jordan – how they have developed and qualified regularly. Even with modest leagues, they have structure, produce players and qualify for major tournaments. India needs to study these models and not just corporatize or commercialize football.”
Citing the financial crunch facing century-old clubs, Bhutia pointed to Mohammedan Sporting’s ongoing crisis as a symbol of misplaced priorities.
“A historic club like Mohammedan Sporting, which is over 100 years old, is on the verge of closure. Clubs like Mohammedan, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have millions of passionate fans across India and abroad. Yet these clubs struggle to play in the league at all because they cannot afford it.”
“What happens to those millions of fans? What happens to a club that has been around for 100 years? Are we just looking at the awards and want to sell it? Look at Real Madrid and Barcelona. They are membership-driven. It’s not like the English Premier League clubs, many of which have been bought by foreign owners and become completely commercial.”
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
October 16, 2025
