Overview

• India exited the qualifiers after a 1-2 defeat in Margao that followed a 1-1 draw in Singapore, missing the expanded 24-team tournament for the first time since 2019.
• Bhutia called Sunil Chhetri’s reversal of retirement a mistake and said senior players including Chhetri and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu should make way for the next generation.
• Pointing to a chronic lack of goals, recent tournaments saw Indian attackers struggle to score, a shortfall repeatedly cited as the campaign’s decisive weakness.
• Bhutia urged a structural overhaul in governance and development and criticized current priorities, saying Indian football needs leaders with intent and a long-term plan.
• He recommended studying Asian models like Uzbekistan and Jordan, flagged financial distress at legacy clubs such as Mohammedan Sporting, and questioned selection choices under coach Khalid Jamil despite a recent CAFA podium finish.