Indian men’s football team captain, Sunil Chhetri, along with his wife, Sonam Bhattacharya, have welcomed a baby boy addition to their family according to reports.
The announcement of this joyous occasion was made by Chhetri a few months ago, during a celebration dedicated to his wife. The skipper scored his 86th goal for the country when India took the lead against Lebanon in the dying moments of the game during an Intercontinental Cup tie.
After scoring, the player tucked the ball under his shirt and headed towards the stands where his wife was seated to celebrate alongside her.
Earlier, Chhetri’s absence from the 23-man squad for the upcoming King’s Cup in Thailand was confirmed by coach Igor Stimac in anticipation of the birth of his child.
Although he will miss the tournament, there is widespread anticipation that he will be back on the pitch for the Asian Games scheduled for September 19.
The Blue Tigers will face a tough test in the King’s Cup, as they are set to lock horns with Iraq, who are 70th in the FIFA rankings. Iraq has showcased strong performances this year despite recent defeats to Colombia and Russia.
Notably, the country emerged victorious in the 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup, winning against formidable opponents like Oman, Yemen, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to secure the coveted trophy.
The King’s Cup features four teams, each playing two matches. The winning teams from the semifinals will clash in the final match on September 10, while the teams that fall short will contend for third place.
For quite some time now, there has been a lingering question about Chhetri’s long-term replacement. He has scored 92 goals for India, while the second-highest contributor in the current squad is Lallianzuala Chhangte, who has netted seven goals.
Stimac has picked three forwards – Rahul KP, Manvir Singh, and Rahim Ali to replace the skipper. The prevailing expectation is that Manvir Singh will start upfront, as the Croatian coach has previously played the Mohun Bagan forward centrally.
The upcoming two matches are poised to shed light on India’s future without Chhetri, who turned 39 in August. There is also a possibility that Stimac also utilizes a false 9 system, a tactic he employed during the Intercontinental Cup, with Ashique Kuruniyan assuming that role.
