Sunil Chhetri may be second most prolific international goalscorer among active players behind only Cristiano Ronaldo but the India captain has more modest aspirations for his country, reports Reuters.
“I don’t think I will ever be content. I am somebody who is always hungry,” Chhetri told Reuters in an interview. “One thing that I really, really want is that India believes, and we all at least aspire, to be in the first 10.” India are ranked 103rd in the FIFA rankings, 18th among Asian nations.
The path to where many believe India should be in the world rankings is long and hard but Chhetri believes the first step would be regular meetings with the likes of Japan, South Korea, Iran and Australia.
“If we are in the first 10, you are giving yourself a realistic chance to play against the best in Asia and then you always have the answer to how much you have to achieve more,” said Chhetri. “It is really paramount for us to work hard, for all of us together ... and try and achieve that target as soon as possible.”The usual sign of progress for a developing football nation is a place at the World Cup finals, something that India has never come close to achieving.
