Former India captain Sunil Chhetri admitted he feels “a little jealous” watching the current generation get an opportunity to face footballing giants Brazil and Uruguay, saying he never got a chance to play against teams of such stature during his long international career.
Chhetri, who was the face of Indian football for more than two decades before retiring from international football, said the prospect of India taking on top-ranked opposition was exciting but also made him envious as a spectator.
“I feel a little jealous as a spectator. In my 24-26 years as a professional and nearly 20 years with the national team, I never got an opportunity like this,” Chhetri told the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
With India set to come up against
Brazil and Uruguay in September, Chhetri hoped the players remain fit, compete with determination and make the most of the opportunity.
The former striker also backed head coach and the coaching staff when asked about team selection and the exclusion of certain players, saying the coach was best placed to assess the team’s requirements.
“The coach has to answer that. I’m just a fan now, watching like everyone else,” he said.
Chhetri, who recently returned to training, also ruled out any immediate thoughts of making a comeback with a touch of humour.
“I just trained for 20 minutes. I’m around 42 now, I can barely run properly and I’m struggling,” he joked.
Despite being away from the national team set-up, Chhetri said he had complete faith in the current crop of players and backed the young talent in the squad to seize their opportunities.
“This is their time. There are so many talented youngsters in the team. Everyone gets their opportunity; just like I got mine 20 years ago,” he said.
(With inputs from AFP)
