All posts tagged: sunil chhetri

Sania Mirza on teaching her son how to tackle defeat: ‘I have to tone it down and tell him, ‘It’s okay if you lose” | Feelings News

Sania Mirza on teaching her son how to tackle defeat: ‘I have to tone it down and tell him, ‘It’s okay if you lose” | Feelings News

Published by Parlour News

Sania Mirza doesn’t do easy wins, even if it’s against her son! In conversation with football legend Sunil Chhetri on her podcast Serving It Up With Sania, the tennis ace revealed how she is extremely competitive with her child when playing sports. “I don’t let him win,” she shared, adding: “He legit beats me at football because he is that good. I have two left feet, if that’s possible as a tennis player, But I do.” Mirza further mentioned that she plays a variety of sports with her son, from padel to tennis, and praised his hand-eye coordination. In fact, she also pointed out that her kid is so smart, he likes to team up with her in order to win. When Chhetri asked if he gets angry when Mirza beats him at a game, she replied, “Very. He gets very upset. I have to tone it down and tell him, ‘It’s okay if you lose’.” Learning to handle loss is a crucial part of a child’s emotional development, and a psychologist weighed in on …

“Staring at permanent paralysis” – Footballers call for FIFA intervention amid ISL crisis

“Staring at permanent paralysis” – Footballers call for FIFA intervention amid ISL crisis

Published by Webster

The top Indian Super League (ISL) footballers, including Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sandesh Jhingan made a desperate plea for FIFA intervention as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) continues to struggle to restart the country’s premier footballing league on Friday. In a 1 minute 28 seconds video posted on social media, as many as 11 players chipped in as they highlighted the plight of the footballing ecosystem in India. “Its January and we should be on your screens as a part of a competitive football game in the Indian Super League. Instead here we are driven by fear and desperation to say out loud something, which we all know,” Sandhu and Jhingan said. “But more importantly, we are here to make a plea. Indian football government is no longer able to fulfill its responsibilities. “We are now staring at a permanent paralysis. This is the last-ditch effort to save what we can. “So we are calling the FIFA to step in and do what it takes to save Indian football. We hope this …

Opinion: Cricket, Bollywood prevail while Sunil Chhetri took backseat at Messi’s GOAT Tour

Opinion: Cricket, Bollywood prevail while Sunil Chhetri took backseat at Messi’s GOAT Tour

Published by Webster

Messi came, saw two different sides of Indian hospitality, Messi conquered… Well maybe just about! Even as domestic football in India is going through its bleakest period in decades, Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi offered a glimpse of the fandom that the sport, and some of its biggest stars still enjoy in the country. Messi visits Kolkata, again The global football icon, hailed by many as the greatest player of all time, landed at the Netaji Subhash International Airport in Kolkata in the early hours of 13th November. It was his second trip to the City of Joy, having played an international match against Venezuela way back in 2010, which was also his first for his country as captain. And Kolkata didn’t disappoint, at least not at first. He unveiled a 70-ft statue of himself, something that has since found mention in global football pages for resembling the World Cup winner quite accurately. It that doesn’t happen very often with footballers (just ask Cristiano Ronaldo or David Beckham). But it …

Sunil Chhetri says injury nearly prevented him from meeting Lionel Messi: ‘Almost didn’t make the trip to Mumbai’ | Football News

Sunil Chhetri says injury nearly prevented him from meeting Lionel Messi: ‘Almost didn’t make the trip to Mumbai’ | Football News

Published by Webster

Former India captain Sunil Chhetri said that whenever he feels down, Lionel Messi’s art on a football field acts as an antidote. Chhetri met and Messi on Sunday in the Mumbai leg of the recently concluded GOAL Tour, which wrapped up in New Delhi on Monday. The Indian footballer also shared that he almost didn’t make it to the event die to an injury but ultimately the fan in him won over and he took part in the memorable evening where the Argentine star also shared the stage with Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar. “The build-up to Saturday was filled with little fights, and in a rare win, Sunil Chhetri the fan beat Sunil Chhetri the pro, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve been nursing an injury that’s restricted me to a hobble and needless to say, I don’t like being around even myself when I’m spending more time on the physios table than the pitch,” he wrote on Instagram. “I almost didn’t make the trip to Mumbai, till the fan in me rebelled …

Messi in Mumbai – 5:37 pm, enters Wankhede stadium; 6:40 pm, football with Tendulkar and Chhetri | Football News

Messi in Mumbai – 5:37 pm, enters Wankhede stadium; 6:40 pm, football with Tendulkar and Chhetri | Football News

Published by Webster

Inter Miami forward and global football superstar Lionel Messi will be in Mumbai on Sunday for Day 2 of the “GOAT India Tour” 2025, following his appearances in Kolkata and Hyderabad on Saturday. The 38-year-old is expected to arrive at the Wankhede Stadium shortly after 5.35 pm, with a full house set to get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the global icon live. The gates are expected to open at around 1:15 pm and organisers have planned a long build-up aimed at keeping fans engaged through music and on-field entertainment. A local DJ will lead the early programming, followed by a performance from DJ Chetas on the field of play stage, as the stadium gradually fills up ahead of Messi’s arrival. The on-field programme will gather momentum in the evening with an All Stars 7v7 football match, played across two pitches between 5.01 pm and 5.34 pm. Soon after the winners are announced, Messi is expected to enter the stadium at around 5.37 pm. Following his arrival, Messi is scheduled to take part in a …

Ryan Williams joins the National team camp ahead of the Asian Cup Qualifiers

Ryan Williams joins the National team camp ahead of the Asian Cup Qualifiers

Published by Webster

Forward Ryan Williams, who has relinquished his Australian passport to obtain Indian citizenship, has officially joined the senior national football team camp in Bengaluru ahead of India’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying match against Bangladesh. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed the development on Sunday, calling it a landmark moment for Indian football. Born in Perth, the 32-year-old Williams entered the camp alongside defender Jay Gupta. “Forward Ryan Williams and defender Jay Gupta have joined the senior men’s national team camp in Bengaluru,” the AIFF announced on X. Williams’ mother was born in Mumbai, while his father hails from Kent, England. The forward previously represented Australia at the U-20 and U-23 levels and made a senior appearance in a friendly against South Korea in 2019. Having played for English clubs Fulham and Portsmouth, Williams joined Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC in 2023. “Honoured to make official what’s long felt true. Grateful for the love, the opportunity, and the sense of belonging this country has given me. As you can see, the last round …

Sunil Chhetri confirms the end of his India career after Asian Cup Qualifiers exit

Sunil Chhetri confirms the end of his India career after Asian Cup Qualifiers exit

Published by Webster

Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri has confirmed that his international career has come to an end following India’s exit from the AFC Asian Cup 2027 final round qualifiers. The 41-year-old striker, who briefly came out of retirement earlier this year, said he has now drawn the curtain on his long and storied national team journey. Chhetri, India’s all-time top scorer, had initially retired from international football in June 2024 after a memorable farewell match at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. However, he was persuaded to return a year later by then-head coach Manolo Marquez to bolster India’s campaign in the Asian Cup qualifiers. With India now out of contention for the continental tournament, Chhetri said it felt like the right moment to step away for good. “It was easy telling Khalid Jamil, sir, about my decision,” Chhetri told Times of India. “When I joined the national team, I had only one idea in my head: to be as helpful as possible for the qualifiers. If there were no qualifiers, I probably wouldn’t have come back. Once …

‘You’ll get time to live normal life… (right now) just go mad’

‘You’ll get time to live normal life… (right now) just go mad’

Published by Webster

The Indian women’s football team, currently preparing for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, had a special visitor in the form of Sunil Chhetri to boost their morale. Currently playing for the Indian men’s football team after reversing his decision to retire from international football, Sunil Chhetri gave a rousing speech to the Blue Tigresses. In the sattar-minute-esque speech, Chhetri urged the players to “go crazy” in their pursuit to keep playing football at the top level. “Kal main athra saal ka tha (Yesterday, I was 18 years old!) Today, I’m 41! Your coach (Crispin Chhetri) and I were in same team once. The reason I am saying this is to tell you that time flies. Fast! If you really want it bad, take all the margins. There will be no difference between sleeping at 10 pm and sleeping at 10.45 pm in one night. But do this for a year, and you see the difference. If you eat a samosa one day, won’t make too much of a difference. But don’t eat it …

Two years filled with Indian sporting retirements

Two years filled with Indian sporting retirements

Published by Webster

A remarkable year of sporting transitions marks the Indian sporting landscape as legendary players hang up their national jerseys, closing pivotal chapters in their extraordinary careers. The period between 2024 and 2025 witnessed an unprecedented exodus of sporting icons across multiple disciplines, with veterans from hockey, tennis, badminton, football, and wrestling announcing their retirements. Each athlete brought a unique narrative of triumph, resilience, and unparalleled national pride to their farewell, leaving an indelible mark on Indian sports history. Hockey Hockey emerged as the most represented sport in this retirement wave. PR Sreejesh, widely regarded as one of India’s finest goalkeepers, concluded his illustrious 18-year international career after securing a historic back-to-back Olympic medal finish. His final match on August 8, 2024, during the Paris Olympics bronze medal game, was a fitting tribute to a career defined by extraordinary reflexes and leadership. Sreejesh’s journey from being a junior goalkeeper to becoming a national sporting icon symbolizes perseverance and dedication. Alongside Sreejesh, Vandana Katariya retired as the most celebrated women’s hockey player, boasting an extraordinary record of …

Sunil Chhetri In Coach Manolo Marquez’s 28-Member Probables List For Kolkata Camp

Sunil Chhetri In Coach Manolo Marquez’s 28-Member Probables List For Kolkata Camp

Published by Webster

Indian football head coach Manolo Marquez has reposed faith in the abilities of veteran forward Sunil Chhetri, including him in the 28-member probables squad for next month’s AFC Asian Cup 2027 Final Round qualifiers. Chhetri, 40, was forced to come out of retirement in March to lead a struggling India, reversing his decision to hang up the boots last year after more than two decades of wizardry upfront. He has since led the national side in a friendly against Maldives and also played in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh. “The probables will assemble in Kolkata on May 18, to train for the FIFA International window in June,” said an All India Football Federation (AIFF) statement on Wednesday. India are placed in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Final Round qualifiers along with Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, and Singapore, with the matches being played in a home-and-away round-robin format. India will open their campaign against Hong Kong on June 10 at the Kai Tak Sports Park, in Kowloon City. …