‘All that a footballer wants to do is play football’: Sandesh Jhingan

A new year often brings with it new hope and the expectation that things, however bad, will eventually work out for the better.

Unfortunately, that is not something one can say about the immediate future of Indian football.

2025 was disappointing in many ways for the men’s game in the country. After the All India Football Federation (AIFF) failed to secure any commercial backing for the top-tier men’s league, the Indian Super League (ISL), there is now talk of a new format being introduced as a last-minute fix.

On the pitch, the men’s national team’s hopes of reaching the AFC Asian Cup were ended after a 1–2 defeat against Singapore in October.

All of this has left football fans wondering: what's next?

That sentiment resonates with the captain of the men’s national team, Sandesh Jhingan, as well.

Speaking exclusively to The Bridge, the team India Captain addressed the uncertainty surrounding the organisation of the ISL.

Future of ISL up in the air

“A player only wants to play football. Everyone involved in the process knew that at a certain point in 2025, this situation was going to arise. Why was a solution not discussed before that point?” he asks.

The 15-year contract for the commercial rights of the ISL between the AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited expired on December 8, 2025, causing significant financial uncertainty and halting football operations at multiple clubs.

Furthermore, the AIFF’s tender for the commercial rights failed to attract a single bidder before the November 7 deadline, just a month before the previous agreement was set to expire.

“Why were options not brought to the table at an earlier date? If this was any other major sport in the country, do you think this would happen?” Jhingan asks.

In the midst of the uncertainty, the AIFF has announced that the Indian Super League will begin on February 14 as a truncated season, even as questions over its long-term structure remain unresolved.

Accountability from players

Despite the ongoing unrest at the board level, the national team captain acknowledges that the men’s national team has underperformed in its bid to qualify for a third successive AFC Asian Cup.

“You can put the blame on us. I take full responsibility,” he says. “But at the end of the day, footballers are also human beings. All this chaos around us does affect us. It is easier when a player can focus only on football, but in the last 18 months, football is the last thing we have been able to focus on.”

The central defender, who turned out for FC Goa in the previous ISL season, also points out that India has made rapid strides over the last decade in terms of FIFA rankings.

“Yes, we are ranked 142. But many years ago, back in 2015, we were ranked 173. Every country goes through a bad phase, like we are right now. We fought hard to go up to the 90s in the rankings, and we reached consecutive AFC Asian Cups as well. Have we not seen the good times then?”

Club owners not wrong to protect their interests

With no commercial entities seemingly backing the league, several clubs have halted first-team operations, leading to an imminent loss of livelihood for players. However, the Indian veteran is understanding of the factors at play.

“I know players who haven’t been paid in months. But if I put myself in the team owners’ shoes, I can’t blame them entirely. It’s their hard-earned money, and they are investing in Indian football. Without clarity on the future, it’s tough for anyone sane to keep pumping in money.”

Lionel Messi in India, at a time when Indian footballers are suffering

Like many others, Jhingan is appreciative of the impact Argentine legend Lionel Messi has had on people around the world.

Nevertheless, he feels the timing was ironic in the most unfortunate way.

“I’m not against the Messi tour by any means. We all love and adore him, and I’m happy for the fans who got to see him live. Having said that, what made me introspective about the situation was that all this was happening at the same time as clubs shutting down operations, and when every day started with anxiety and fear for the players.”

With Jhingan joining hands with Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and others to urge FIFA to take notice of the situation and mediate a breakthrough, it feels like the ISL fiasco has reached boiling point.

For now, however, all the players can do is hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Any organisation, any team, any individual succeeds when there is a proper structure supporting them. Football is the most loved, most watched sport in the world. What are we doing for the sport in our country?” the 32-year-old signs off.