I didn’t know there was a national football team: Aditi Chauhan

India’s goalkeeping icon Aditi Chauhan, who recently hung up her boots after a 17-year-long career, admitted in an interview with PTI that she didn’t even know the Indian women’s football team existed when she first started playing the sport.

“Playing football, I didn’t know there was a national team, first of all,” Aditi said in a candid chat with PTI Videos. “So I started because of the fun of the game.”

That humble beginning eventually turned into a historic journey, one that saw her become the first Indian woman to play professional football in Europe, representing West Ham United in England’s Women’s Super League in 2015.

Coaching beckons

Now 32, Aditi has officially retired from the game but is not ready to leave football behind. “I would love to help the next generation,” she said. “These last few years, I’ve been mentoring other goalkeepers. I enjoy that role.”

Having already completed her Goalkeeping Level 1 coaching license, she is keen on pursuing more courses but isn’t fully committing to a coaching career just yet. “I don’t want to commit that I want to get into coaching. But yes, I would definitely like to help out,” she emphasized.

Aditi earned 57 caps for India, winning SAFF Women’s Championship titles in 2012, 2016, and 2019, along with South Asian Games gold medals. Domestically, she lifted the Indian Women’s League (IWL) title with Gokulam Kerala FC in 2019-20 and 2021-22, and helped the club to the semi-finals of the AFC Women’s Club Championship.

Her career wasn’t without challenges. She overcame two serious ACL injuries, the second of which nearly ended her playing days. But she fought her way back in 2023 to make a final appearance in the IWL  - a personal mission.

“My whole reason for coming back… was to find that joy again,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave football on a sour note with an injury.”

Not only did she return, but she reclaimed her position. “There were other goalkeepers playing. So, I had to again earn that spot… and I did.”

Making room for youngsters

Reflecting on the decision to retire, Aditi said it wasn’t just physical. “I felt as long as I’m playing, I’ll always compete for the number one spot. And that means no one else will be able to. So, stepping aside was also about giving the younger generation their space.”

On the Indian team’s recent qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, she said: “I truly believe we can make it to the World Cup if we have the right planning and on-ground execution.”

Aditi now wants to focus on her grassroots initiative ‘SheKicks’, which aims to create a sustainable and professional ecosystem for young girls taking up football. Her motivation is deeply personal.

“If I had the right professional setup around me, I wouldn’t have to retire. I don’t want a youngster to feel that way - that they didn’t have the right resources and that’s why they couldn’t achieve their full potential,” she concluded.