Olympics Begin In
:
Days
:
Hours
:
Mins
 
Secs
Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Featured

Why Sunil Chhetri is not the La Liga ambassador instead of Rohit Sharma?

Why Sunil Chhetri is not the La Liga ambassador instead of Rohit Sharma?
X
By

Sarah Waris

Published: 13 Dec 2019 4:18 AM GMT

In a giant step, Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma was announced as Spanish football league La Liga's brand ambassador on Thursday morning. While it is a huge move, it also throws open a number of questions, primarily revolving around why a cricketer was needed to promote the sport in the first place.

The nation has taken rapid strides in football in the recent past, with a number of foreign organizations accepting the growing football market in India. Recently, Manchester City tied up with Indian Super League (ISL) side Mumbai FC, even as reports suggest that Manchester United are keen to tour India next year. All this, and more, would not have been possible without the efforts and the performances of the actual footballers, who have been fighting poverty and challenging circumstances to bring Indian football on the world map.

It has been Sunil Chhetri who has matched the Bhaichung Bhutia in promoting the national team after the former's retirement.
It has been Sunil Chhetri who has matched the Bhaichung Bhutia in promoting the national team after the former's retirement.

While Bhaichung Bhutia popularised the Indian Football Team and ensured crowds flocked the grounds to see the players in action, it has been Sunil Chhetri who has matched the former skipper in promoting the national team after the former's retirement. Be it through his heartfelt pleas to the citizens to 'Back the Blues' in every home game, or through his showings on the field, Chhetri has time and again stood up to ensure that Indian football remains a talking point.

Among the top-ten goal scorers in the world with 72 goals thus far, even more than Argentinian and six-time Ballon D'or winner Lionel Messi, Chhetri has not only tackled formidable opponents with ease, but has allowed the Indian fans to dream about a possible presence in the FIFA World Cup within the next decade.

Also read: On World Football Day, PUMA signs Sunil Chhetri as brand ambassador

Former I-League champion Minerva Punjab FC’s owner Ranjit Bajaj on Thursday took to Twitter to highlight the point why Chhetri did not find a place as the La Liga ambassador.

https://twitter.com/THE_RanjitBajaj/status/1205032311806251008?s=20

It, thus, comes as a surprise that a cricketer was preferred for the role of the Indian ambassador of the La Liga over someone who has well and truly been the biggest pioneer of Indian football. In the ceremony where Sharma was unveiled as the face of the Spanish league, the Managing Director of La Liga India Antonio Cachaza called the him "the most renowned face in Indian cricket right now, and an ardent football and La Liga fan."

Why Indian football needs to catapult towards fame after backing from cricketers is still unanswered, but what remains certain is that Chhetri and the Indian football squad, who give it their all in every game, will always be the flag-bearers of the sport in the nation.

Next Story