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. 

“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.” 

“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.

“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.