Last four months were the most exposure we have got in our history, believes Dalima Chhibber

The Maymol Rocky-coached Indian women’s football team is making rapid stride at the international level with their sensational performance off late. India registered eight victories out of the last 18 matches that they played on the international circuit. The team also won the SAFF Cup for the fifth time during this period. 

Among the footballers in the country, Dalima Chhibber has been a name that a lot of people have now recognised because of her consistent show for the team. She has cemented her place in the team as the right back and is happy with the exposure her team is getting off late with a lot of international tours.

“The journey was difficult but we enjoyed it. As women’s footballers in India, this is what we have always been looking forward to. The last four months were the most exposure we have got in our history. The growth was immense and the recognition that we have received is a lot, Chhibber told Scroll.

“Especially in Turkey because we played against European sides like Romania and Tajikistan. Playing against such teams helps you grow because the kind of football culture in European and other countries is way different from what we witness in South Asia. That helped us compete against higher-ranked teams like Myanmar.” 

Chhibber believes that the team has now evolved with more number of young and fit girls in the side under the watchful guidance of Rocky. The Indian women’s team now has an aim of becoming a dominating force in the continent as one of the top five countries.

“The team has evolved in a lot of aspects. There is more young blood now and everyone is fitter. We all are keen on doing the best we can. Our immediate goal in the next five years is to establish ourselves as a dominant force in Asia as one of the top five countries. If this batch receives the same kind of exposure as the men’s team does, that will help us grow immensely,” she explained.

The defender is now representing Gokulam Kerala FC in the ongoing Indian Women’s League football tournament in Ludhiana. She feels that it will take some time but it is important to have a longer and more sustainable format in domestic women’s football in the country.

“Having a longer league would be beneficial but right now doing that in India wouldn’t be possible given most of our players work side-by-side. They cannot be released from their jobs for a longer period of time and considering there is not much money in women’s football.

“It requires stakeholders to invest their money, organise everything and bring the sport up. It will take time to grow but a longer league would be much more beneficial in terms of getting women’s football up,” Chhibber concluded.