Mumbai. Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri has described the Indian Super League (ISL) as one of the most important tournaments he has played in ahead of the start of the 2024-25 season. Chhetri admitted that in 2014 he did not anticipate that the ISL would grow so much and produce so many young talents and the tournament is getting bigger with the arrival of new clubs.
Chhetri said, “It has been fantastic. If I was asked 10 years ago where the ISL would reach or what place it would have in Indian football, I would probably not have guessed where we would be. It has grown tremendously from a two-month-long league of eight clubs to now a year-round league in which many talents have emerged. “He said, “It has become one of the most important competitions of my life. I am an Indian football fan so I hope it will grow rapidly in the future and I hope the coming 10 years will be much better than the last 10 years. “
The ISL 2024-25 season will begin on September 13 with a match between Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Chhetri-led Bengaluru FC will begin their campaign against East Bengal FC at the Sree Kanteerva Stadium in Bengaluru on September 14.
Chhetri, who retired from international football after playing for India for 19 years, recalled the domestic and international players who inspired him to become a better footballer. He said, “Baichung (Bhutia) bhai has had a huge influence on my life. In my generation, at the domestic level, Baichung bhai, IM Vijayan, Renedy Singh, they have all been big names. At the international level, we could not watch much television in the beginning but Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy, they had a big influence on me.
