Could India Be Hit With A FIFA Ban? Sunil Chhetri Worries He Might Not Be Able To Pass Messi

It’s an awful feeling indeed when you’re looking forward to something special but it gets canceled at the last minute so you have no choice but to sulk and wonder about all that could’ve been. Well, India’s star athlete Sunil Chhetri is fearing that he might have to face this if India gets hit with a FIFA ban. According to national coach Igor Stimac, the turmoil that is being promulgated at India’s FA could result in a ban, and the FIFA organizers don’t seem to be shying away from doing so.

So, if you are looking to learn more about what’s going on then keep on reading because you’re about to get an inside scoop!

Tembela/Pexels | Sad news for Indian soccer fans

Meet Sunil Chhetri: India’s Soccer Star

India’s legendary striker Sunil Chhetri would have been the second after Cristiano Ronaldo if it wasn’t for the Estonian team conceding five goals to Lionel Messi. Chhetri is considered to be one of the highest active international goal scorers. In his career, he’s managed to score a total of 84 goals only shy of 2 goals to dethrone the Argentinian soccer legend. But, who is Sunil Chhetri? Sunil is an Indian professional soccer player who usually plays as a forward and captains two teams: the Indian Super League club called Bengaluru, and the National team of India. Chhetri’s commitment and efforts have led to India being recognized in the world of soccer. However, now, the athlete fears that he may not be able to participate in the tournament.

Stanley/Pexels | This could seriously damage Chhetri’s career

Chhetri Opens Up About The Potential Damage

The fear doesn’t simply stem from the fact that there’s no one to host the FIFA tournament after China. But, the worry comes after the speculation that India might be banned. Chhetri mentioned recently that he hopes that everyone will work out and there’s no ban imposed. He continued and stated that a ban will not only hurt the soccer community of India but will surely hurt his career. The 37-year-old hinted at the fact that he’’ most probably will be retired by the time the next tournament comes around. Chhetri’s opinions were further solidified after the national coach, Igor Stimac, chimed in and told the FIFA organizers to “Wake up”.  

Why Ban India from FIFA?

By now, you are probably wondering about what happened that has led to the possibility of India being banned by FIFA organizers? Well, to put it simply, FIFA has set terms and conditions that a country has to follow to participate in the tournament. These terms and conditions state that its member federations must be free from all sorts of legal and political interference with the governing body. However, the All India Football Federation has been under some pressure after Praful Patel was replaced by Priya Ranjan. This also led to the sports ministry reducing the budget of the federation by a whopping 85% for the year 2022-2023 compared to the funding received in the year 2019-2020. This is nothing new for FIFA as it has been placing bans on countries that do not fall under its set criteria.

Robert/Pexels | Up til now, a lot of countries have met with a ban from FIFA

This is shocking news for Indian soccer fans but for Chhetri, it’s beyond that.