Just over five years ago, when India was competing in the four-nation Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai, Sunil Chhetri made an impassioned plea urging fans to come and watch national team matches at the stadium. A paltry 2000-odd people had turned up for India’s victory over Chinese Taipei, and it required prayers from Chhetri, and fellow India sporting greats in Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sania Mirza, to goad supporters to fill up the Mumbai Football Arena.
On July 4, 2023, more than 26,000 fans witnessed India lift its ninth SAFF Championship trophy at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. Chhetri, nearly 39, stood grinning ear-to-ear and basked in the limelight. Through the fortnight, aficionados had thronged the venue, undeterred by the rains and the cold blustery winds. There were no social media appeals, no amplification techniques. Everything felt pure and organic.
To many, it was a definitive sign that the new-age Indian football fan was in it for the long haul. The SAFF Championship success, close on the heels of the triumph in the Intercontinental Cup in June, may not have come against higher-ranked opponents. The players, Chhetri included, are still a far cry from their illustrious European and South American peers. Even now, India is 100th in the FIFA rankings and is only the 18th-best nation in the Asian confederation.
