The Indian senior males’s soccer group shall be making an attempt to recover from the disappointments of 2024 when it resumes its worldwide calendar by taking on Maldives in a friendly on the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium right here on Wednesday.
This may even mark the return of iconic striker Sunil Chhetri who determined to come back out of worldwide retirement on the request of recent National
coach Manolo Marquez.
The Spaniard has rested his hopes on Chhetri to finish the aim drought that has been plaguing India’s progress in worldwide tournaments. This was evident in the best way the Blue Tigers carried out in 2024, the place they may not produce a single win in the 11 matches they performed (six losses and 5 attracts).
“It is a friendly game to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers. Obviously, we want to win and our target will be to arrive in the best possible condition for the first match against Bangladesh next Tuesday,” Marquez mentioned whereas referring to his group’s AFC Asian Cup remaining spherical qualifier scheduled on the similar venue on March 25.
The coach, who took over after India did not qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final June, shall be hoping that Chhetri’s return will encourage his aspect to regain its profitable kind that’s vital in its quest to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup.
India’s final win got here up towards Kuwait on November 16, 2023.
Published – March 18, 2025 09:15 pm IST
