NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali has made an emotional appeal to fans, urging them to rally behind their teams and play an active role in strengthening Indian football.
Speaking ahead of NorthEast United’s Indian Super League 2025-26 season opener against East Bengal FC, Benali stressed that true support goes beyond online commentary.
“It’s easy to criticise on social media. Buy the tickets to watch your team, be it NorthEast United FC, East Bengal FC or Kerala Blasters FC, and make people feel that football is important. Rather than sitting at home and criticising, not watching the games, come to the stadium,” he said.
Benali acknowledged the financial and logistical challenges supporters may face but insisted that attending matches represents a meaningful commitment.
“We know it is a difficult moment, but support your team. Just for that Rs. 100, Rs. 200 or Rs. 50 (match ticket price), it’s money. The sacrifice that you make by travelling to watch the game, be it 10, 20, 50, or 80 km, is a sacrifice. But when you make that sacrifice, you earn the right to criticise, and you can say, I helped my club,” Benali said.
The Spaniard’s remarks come at a crucial juncture as clubs prepare for another demanding ISL campaign. With expectations high and scrutiny inevitable, Benali called for unity within the football community, regardless of results.
“It is not a moment to say NorthEast will not do well or go to the second division. No, it is a moment to be with everyone, regardless of the results. Be with your team, your players,” he said.
Framing the situation as a defining period for the sport in the country, Benali highlighted the collective strength of Indian football’s fanbase.
“This is the real moment to be a family. This is the real moment to be an Indian football family, all together. The clubs, the players, the fans. This is the moment to show the world that even if 10 per cent of the Indian population loves football, that’s 150 million people. But let’s be together,” Benali concluded.
As the new season approaches, the message from Guwahati is clear: support in the stands could be as vital as performance on the pitch.
