Asiad 2023: India football squad announced, Sunil Chhetri named captain

Amid all the controversy overshadowing Indian football, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday named a 17-member men's squad for the 2023 Asian Games, Hangzhou, which will begin on September 19.

The Indian football governing body thanked clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL) and the FSDL for coordinating with the national body to release players in the Asian Games.

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AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said, as quoted from AIFF, "It has been a hectic time for Indian football season this time. We have a tight schedule within a short period that was not easy to manage."

India men's football players list for Asian Games 2023: Gurmeet Singh, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, Sumit Rathi, Narender Gahlot, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Samuel James, Rahul KP, Abdul Rabeeh Anjukandan, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Bryce Miranda, Azfar Noorani, Rahim Ali, Vincy Bareto, Sunil Chhetri, Rohit Danu, Gurkirat Singh, Aniket Jadhav.

"There have been too many things happening, both at the domestic and the international level, involving India's National Teams and the ISL clubs. While the Senior National Men's Team completed a series of matches, they are also awaiting to play the Asian Games, followed by Merdeka Cup, World Cup Qualifiers, and the AFC Asian Cup," he added.

The AIFF President also reflected on how things are on the domestic front. The clubs are busy, not only in the top domestic league with an increased number of matches, but a few clubs are also committed to playing in Asian competitions, like Mumbai City FC.

 

"We must remember that general elections are coming, and to avoid the adverse weather conditions in certain parts of the country, we had to adjust the schedule and shorten the domestic calendar to an extent so that these things don't hamper the quality of the games and put unnecessary pressure on the players," Chaubey said.

"There were situations which were unavoidable and demanded a great balancing act. It was never easy, but at the same time, I must reach out to FSDL and the clubs, thanking them for making it possible. The Indian National Team are going to the Asian Games after a nine-year gap, and it has become possible because of the active support the Indian Football received from the Government of India, especially the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports," added the AIFF President.