Sunil Chhetri back from retirement as India takes on Maldives in Shillong today
Coach Manolo Marquez sees the match as vital preparation, with the team playing in the football-loving hill town for the first time
Sunil Chhetri (Photo: @AamAadmiParty / X)
Shillong, March 19: Indian football fans are in for a historic moment as Sunil Chhetri returns to action when the national team faces Maldives in an international friendly at Shillong on Wednesday. This match serves as a crucial preparatory fixture for India ahead of their AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, scheduled for March 25 at the same venue.
The 40-year-old Chhetri, India's all-time top goal scorer, had announced his retirement from international football in June 2024 but made a stunning comeback earlier this month to guide India through the qualification process for the continent's premier tournament.
His return to the field is set to be the biggest attraction in the upcoming friendly.
This will also be the first time that the Indian men’s football team plays in Shillong, a city known for its passionate football culture. Indian head coach Manolo Marquez expressed his excitement about the venue, recalling his admiration for the football atmosphere in the hill town.
At a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Marquez focused the importance of the friendly in finalising India's preparations for the Asian Cup qualifier.
"It’s a friendly game to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifier. Obviously, we want to win, but the main goal is to get ready for the crucial match against Bangladesh," Marquez stated.
The Spanish coach, who took over the Indian team in July 2024, will be managing his first competitive match next week. He acknowledged that while not all players featuring against Maldives will start against Bangladesh, some will retain their spots.
“We have 17 players who can play in this match since we can make six substitutions. Sunil will certainly be on the field for some minutes, whether as a starter or from the bench,” he confirmed.
Despite his brief retirement, Chhetri has been in exceptional form in the ongoing 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL), emerging as the highest-scoring Indian player with 12 goals in 24 matches. His performance has been instrumental in convincing the management to bring him back to the national squad.
“It doesn’t matter if a player is 20, 40, or even my grandfather at 87. If they are in good shape, they will be here. The national team’s main goal is to win, and we will field the best players to achieve that,” Marquez remarked.
Indian defender Mehtab Singh echoed the enthusiasm of playing in Shillong, noting the region's deep-rooted love for football.
"We feel great to be here. The northeast is known for its football fan following. Taking football to different parts of the country is a great initiative," he said.
Mehtab, a crucial part of India’s defense, has helped the team keep six clean sheets in 10 matches. He reaffirmed that the squad is fully focused on both the friendly against Maldives and the decisive qualifier against Bangladesh.
Ranked 162nd in the world, 36 places below India, Maldives will also use this match as a preparatory test ahead of their own Asian Cup qualifier against the Philippines on March 25.
Maldives head coach Ali Suzain expressed his team’s readiness, stating, "This is an important game for us. Both India and Maldives are strong teams in the region, and we expect a tough contest."
(The much-anticipated clash between India and Maldives kicks off at 7 PM IST and will be broadcast live on Star Sports and streamed on JioCinema.)