HYDERABAD, INDIA: India striker Jyoti Chouhan made history earlier this week by signing a contract with Bnot Netanya FC. This made her the first-ever Indian to play professional football in Israel. Quite naturally, given the tensions in West Asia, her move divided opinions amongst Indian football supporters, even as the 2026 FIFA World Cup goes on unabated.
This is not the first time that Chouhan will play abroad. She has represented Dinamo Zagreb in the past, scoring 18 goals in 25 appearances. Following her stint in Croatia, the Madhya Pradesh-born attacker moved to East Bengal and then to Gokulam Kerala, where she remained till earlier this year.
Sensing a mood of unease amongst Indian football supporters over this purported move, the Tribune decided to explore the matter further. At just the right time, the Tribune managed to get the opportunity to speak to fans from three of the most football-mad cities in the country – Margao, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Kozhikode (Calicut) – and get an idea of their mood.
One of the understandings that the Tribune came to early on in these forays was that there were three groups of supporters – one who denounced the move, citing geopolitical tensions; one who commended Chouhan for getting this opportunity; and one who remained indifferent to her move, claiming that it did not help Indian football in the long term.
“We must not have anything to do with a country accused of the most heinous crimes against humanity!” – Indian football supporters on Jyoti Chouhan’s move
Biswabrata Das, 20, a humanities student from Kolkata, minced no words.
“I am happy that she got an opportunity to play abroad, but going to Israel makes no sense whatsoever. Israel is a terrorist nation which has killed more than 70,000 innocent Palestinians in the ongoing war, and for Jyoti Chouhan to go and play there reflects India’s complicity. We must not have anything to do with a country accused of the most heinous crimes against humanity!” said Das.
Anthony Easo Varghese, 31, a tech professional from Kozhikode, supported Das’ claims.
“To sign a deal and play in Israel is akin to supporting the terror regime helmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I wonder who guided Jyoti Chouhan. To play professional football as an Indian in Israel at this time sends the wrong signal, especially as innocent lives have been lost,” he mentioned.
CK Bijoy Kurian, 45, a teacher from Kozhikode, however, had other views.
“The war in West Asia has nothing to do with football. Jyoti Chouhan is free to do what she wants and free to sign wherever she wants. We must encourage her because not many Indian footballers, especially women, get the chance of playing abroad,” he said.
“More of our girls can do with the experience of playing outside India” – Indian football fans
Meanwhile, Elgin D’Souza, 26, a marketer from Margao, felt that this move did not really help Indian football.
“The reality is that no matter where Jyoti Chouhan signs, it will not change Indian football. For our players to become more accustomed to playing on global stages, we need to have more of them plying their trade overseas. Jyoti Chouhan has signed for Bnot Netanya, yes, but when did she last play for India? 2024. She is not even in head coach Crispin Chettri’s plans currently,” he added.
Alfred Fernandes, 62, who has watched football in Margao for over five decades now, felt the same.
“It is a big positive that Jyoti Chouhan has signed a contract in Israel. But the question the AIFF needs to ask is: will this make our players better? If so, why do we not take steps to ensure more footballers get chances to play abroad? It may be true that Jyoti Chouhan has a good agent, but it is equally true that she is not part of the Indian team currently. I went to watch most of the SAFF Women’s Championship matches at the Fatorda Stadium, and can attest that despite our victory, more of our girls can do with the experience of playing outside India,” came his measured response, no doubt wisened by the years.
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