PANAJI
The Indian football team, have landed in Kolkata, the heart of Indian football, with their sights firmly set on a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait. The game, scheduled for June 6 at the Salt Lake Stadium, is no ordinary match. A win would significantly boost India’s chances of advancing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers and edge them closer to automatic qualification for the AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in 2027.
Ahead of the team’s journey from Bhubaneswar, where they had been training for over two weeks, to Kolkata, Chhetri shared his thoughts on social media. He expressed mixed emotions about his upcoming retirement, writing, “These last few days, I’ve been caught in a bit of a dilemma. Now that there’s a number to my days with the National Team, what’s the right route to take – do I count every day, every training session? Or do I simply turn up without the thought of how this is coming to an end?”
Chhetri, who has scored 94 goals in 150 international appearances, ultimately decided to approach his remaining time with gratitude. “So I’ve decided to count my sessions, but with a deep sense of gratitude. There’s no apprehension. Instead, there’s a feeling of being indebted to the sport, to my team, that I get to do this,” he wrote. “If I could, I would capture this feeling in a box. Or instead, I’ll take it to my next training session.”
The team, along with Chhetri, will continue their training camp in Kolkata, with their first on-field session held on Thursday evening. Head coach Igor Stimac anticipates a vibrant atmosphere for the match against Kuwait. He emphasized the significance of the game, not just for the team's World Cup ambitions but also as a fitting farewell for Chhetri.
“Having in mind the importance of the game - with us being perhaps only a win away from qualifying for the third round for the first time, and it being Sunil Chhetri's farewell game - we expect the Salt Lake Stadium to be packed,” Stimac said in a recent interview. “I am sure that our supporters will reach Kolkata from all parts of India to help our boys win the game and say thanks and goodbye to Sunil. I am very confident it’s going to be emotional and hopefully, we will find a way to celebrate together after the final whistle.”
Following the match against Kuwait, India will face Qatar on June 11 in Doha, another pivotal game in their qualifying campaign. Currently, India is second in their qualifying group, sharing the same points tally with Afghanistan, who are in third place. A victory against Kuwait is crucial as it could greatly enhance India’s chances of advancing to the third round for the first time in history.
The Indian team started their training earlier this month in Bhubaneswar after the end of a busy Indian Super League (ISL) season. Stimac named a provisional squad of 32 players, which has been trimmed to 27 for the game in Kolkata. He expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress, stating, “The boys are doing well. It has been proven more than once that a long camp always helps us. We are working on various aspects of the game, both offensive and defensive. Our fitness levels are getting better each day, and now we enter the phase of working on our tactics.”
