XtraTime Web Desk: Indian football team captain and legend Sunil Chettri come up with a special plea for all the football fans across the country to back the blue.
Sunil, on Saturday made an impassioned plea to all the fans of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo – “abuse us, criticise us but please come to watch the Indian national team play.”
With less than two weeks left for World Cup football to begin and broadcasters urging fans of the ‘beautiful game’ to profess their love for their ” doosri country” via hashtags, country’s all-time highest goal-getter demanded some love and affection for their ‘first country’.
India, who have improved their rankings to 97 in the current Fifa chart, routed Taiwan 5-0 on Friday in the opening game of the four-nation tournament with less than 2000 fans watching from the stands.
The captain, who scored his third international hat-trick in-front a near empty Mumbai Football Arena
“To all of you who are fans of big European clubs and support European clubs with so much passion and sometimes you guys think that the level is not the same, so why do you waste your time?
“Agreed, the level is not the same, not even close but with our desire and determination, we will try our best to make your time worth,” Chetri’s plea was not only about accepting where they stand but also what little they want from the fans.
“To all of you, who have lost hope or don’t have any hope in Indian football, we request you to come and watch us at the stadium,” the captain uploaded a video on his Twitter handle.
Chhetri had a request for all the arm-chair critics of Indian football too. “Please abuse but make us feel relevant. I mean it’s not fun to criticise and abuse on the Internet. Come to the stadium, do it on our face, scream at us, shout at us, abuse us, who knows one day we might change you guys, you might start cheering for us. You guys have no idea how important you guys are and how important your support is…” the skipper appealed.
India will face Kenya on Monday, which will incidentally be Chetri’s 100th international match. “I request you all to please come…
“Talk about the game, go back home, have discussions, make banners. Please get involved, this is an important time and juncture in Indian football and football in India needs you guys.”