By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 11: Football icon Bhaichung Bhutia has called for an end to the ‘VIP culture’ stifling Indian sports, warning that Meghalaya’s mushrooming futsal grounds will fail to produce talent if they remain locked behind commercial paywalls and gate-kept by officials.
Citing Spain as an example, he noted that the country’s footballing success was built by developing thousands of futsal grounds across communities and leaving them open for free use.
“That system produced technically gifted players like Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta,” Bhutia said, while expressing concern that in India, many grounds are either locked or heavily commercialised, restricting access for young players.
Bhutia made the statement during an interaction with Padma Shri Patricia Mukhim on the inaugural day of the Pratidhwani Rotary District Conference at the Lariti International Centre for Performing Arts and Culture on Friday.
Bhutia also underlined that while India aspires to become a global sporting powerhouse—with plans to bid for the 2036 Olympics and past experience of hosting events like the Commonwealth Games—the responsibility of promoting sports does not lie with the government alone.
“Even if one does not play, watching and encouraging sports at home creates the right environment for children. Sports are essential not only for producing professionals but also for health and for teaching life lessons such as discipline, teamwork, resilience, and how to win and lose,” he said, adding that the nation’s growing obsession with entertainment and reality shows needs to change.
Drawing from his experience as a former advisor to sports bodies under the Government of India, Bhutia said he had consistently advocated prioritising the construction of open playgrounds over spending thousands of crores on VIP-centric stadiums. “India does not need more grand stadiums meant for a few. It needs accessible grounds where children can play freely,” he stressed.
Bhutia’s remarks come at a time when the Meghalaya government is pouring crores into massive stadiums like the J.N. Stadium or the P.A. Sangma Complex.
He further observed that global icon Lionel Messi’s recent visit to India exposed the deeply entrenched VIP culture in Indian sports. Bhutia pointed out that stadiums are often designed around VIP seating, parking and protocol, while basic facilities for ordinary spectators—such as clean toilets and fan-friendly infrastructure—are neglected.
“This culture must change. Sports should revolve around players and fans, not speeches, ceremonies and VIP movements that delay matches,” he said, adding that leaders and officials should attend games as spectators rather than centre-stage attractions.
Sharing personal reflections, Bhutia spoke about his childhood in a remote village in Sikkim during the early 1980s, when there were no proper roads or electricity. He recalled walking several kilometres to catch a bus to boarding school and growing up close to nature and farming life—experiences that shaped both his character and sporting journey.
Reflecting on today’s generation, Bhutia said the rise of social media has drastically changed childhood. “Earlier, parents pushed children to study. Today, parents struggle to push children outdoors to play,” he observed, noting that excessive mobile phone use has made promoting sports increasingly challenging.
Bhutia also highlighted grassroots football development efforts, saying that community initiatives over the past 15 years have helped nurture young talent, with several players going on to represent India at various age levels. Bhutia often speaks of a childhood shaped not by screens but by unspoken toughness in an open playground that no academy could teach.
That nature-bred resilience, forged in isolation and discipline, stands in sharp contrast to today’s social media-driven youth, raised on highlight reels rather than hard ground. It raises an uncomfortable question for Meghalaya: can a child from a remote block in South Garo Hills still dream their way into Indian football’s elite, or has the digital divide—coupled with shrinking open spaces and fading play culture—quietly ended that possibility?
‘R9 is the GOAT’
On a lighter note, Bhutia said that former Brazilian superstar Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima — also famously called ‘R9’ — is, in his view, the greatest footballer of all time.
Bhutia responded humorously when asked whether Lionel Messi was better than him. He quipped that if he were anywhere close to Messi’s level, he would be playing in top international leagues.
Calling Messi a once-in-a-lifetime player, Bhutia said he had been fortunate to witness the era of Diego Maradona and maintained that Brazilian Ronaldo, rather than Cristiano Ronaldo, stands out as the greatest footballer in history.
“Players like Messi and Ronaldo come only once in a generation,” he remarked.
