The End Of An Era In Indian Football: A Look Back At Some Of The Top Bhaichung Bhutia Moments
Indeed for long, Bhaichung Bhutia has been a lone warrior in the midst of a crumbling and declining footballing structure in India. A true hero who fought his way against all the ills and odds for the cause of his nation!
So much so, that after two decades of tireless service, 'Bhaichung Bhutia' is THE name that is synonymous to Indian football. A "one man army", in the truest sense o
f the term.
In the midst of the 'Ronaldo'-s, 'Rivaldo'-s and the 'Messi'-s, the Sikkimese Sniper has been the man who stood out in the heart of this billion-people nation. As the sun finally descends upon Bhutia's international career, we at Goal.com look back at some of the best moments of his illustrious career. A "two-decade show" that has highlighted India's existence in the footballing world.
International Debut Against Uzbekistan In The 1995 Nehru Cup
Having had already impressed the footballing fraternity with his exceptional skills in the domestic circuit, a young Bhaichung Bhutia was now talked about to be the next big thing in Indian football. And thus the International call-up soon came his way as he was tipped against a stubborn Uzbek side in his first match, at the 1995 Nehru Cup.
Lone Flag Bearer For Indian Football
While one may have expected first-game nerves to hinder his performance, Bhaichung emerged above the shadow of doubts as he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, scoring on his debut and thus becoming India's youngest ever goalscorer at 19. As things stood, the goal proved to be the only goal of the match and India went on to beat Uzbekistan 1-0.
The tournament, however, wasn't quite fruitful for the Indians as they failed to qualify for the next stage but by then the birth of the legend had already taken place!
2002 LG Cup Final:
Bhutia Inspires A Mighty Fightback Against Host Nation Vietnam
Bhutia, was by now the captain of the Indian national team. A place in the final was booked and the Indians were on the verge of their first major International title since their bronze medal win at the 1970 Asian Games.
However, on their way, stood a rather tricky Vietnamese side, cheered and backed by a hostile home crowd at the Thong Nhat stadium.
Charged up by the home support, Vietnam began in whirlwind fashion as their speedy forwards soon took control of the play as the Indian succumbed to an early 2-0 deficit.
With things looking bleak, Bhaichung inspired a miraculous come-back as he scored on either side of the half to bring India on level terms. A late goal by Abhishek Yadav ensured a historic win for the Indians.
Twin Nehru Cup Triumphs in 2007 and 2009
Yet again, some inspirational displays by the captain meant India lifted their second major International tournament in 5 years, with Bhaichung scoring crucial goals against Cambodia, Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan on route to the final of the Nehru Cup 2007.
Taking The Victory Lap Around The Fortress
The consistency was maintained as the Indians defended the title two years later with Bhaichung again playing a significant role. India lost the opening game to Lebanon and the pressure mounted given the amount of money spent on their training in Barcelona. It was the skipper who inspired the team when the chips were down. On the way to the finale, Bhutia earned his 100th cap for India in a 2–1 win over Kyrgyzstan, becoming the first Indian player to reach this milestone. Like on his debut, Bhaichung went on to score on his 100th match too.
His stellar performances through out the tournament earned him the 'Player of the tournament' award.
2008 Challenge Cup Triumph
This was arguably the biggest success of his career as he lead India to a historic Asian Cup qualification following their triumph in the Challenge Cup.
His cute little volley goal along with Sunil Chhetri's hattrick in the final against Tajikistan meant that the Indians earned an automatic qualification for the 2011 Asian Cup after a span of 27 years.
He was once again adjudged as the 'Most Valuable Player' of the tournament as he finished with a tally of 3 goals.
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup Appearance
On what was supposed to be THE biggest tournament of Bhutia's footballing career, a recurrent injury problem meant that Bhaichung's dream of participating in the continental tournament was confined to only a 15 minute cameo against South Korea in the final group league match.
Bhutia's Last Appearance For India
However, his will and desire to help the team's cause was undisputable. Despite counted out by many, he decided to stay on with the squad. And although his on-field contributions were negligible, his moral support to the team went a long way as India registered some spirited displays against much tougher opponents like Australia and Bahrain.
Incidentally, the match against South Korea, would also go on to be his last appearance in the International stage. Twist of the fate as you may call it, one can't help but feel that the legend that Bhutia is, he certainly deserved a much better farewell.
What is YOUR favourite Bhiachung Bhutia moment? Do Share It With Us In The Comments Section!
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