During her career, Aditi Chauhan’s motto was to continue to compete for the number one place, which most keepers fight.
On Wednesday, the 32-year-old thought it was the perfect time to hang her gloves and announce retirement of professional football.
«There have been several factors that have influenced the decision. It was a challenge to play while I tried to protect my future without the right infrastructure and ecosystem around me. At some point you ask yourself:» How long can I do this? » And «Do I have to do this?» Sports starA day after calling time on her 17-year career.
After earning 57 caps with the Indian national team, Aditi’s last performance with the Blue Tigresses in February 2023 came in a friendly against Nepal, shortly thereafter she was sidelined by her second ACL (front cruciate ligament) injury. She suffered her first ACL injury in 2017 during her time with English Side West Ham Ladies (now West Ham United Women’s Team).
In the Indian Women’s League season 2024-25, Aditi helped the newly promoted Sribhumi FC to close the campaign with a deserving third place while retaining three clean sheets. It was during the season that the seasoned custodian realized that it was time for the young guns to take it from here.
In the Indian Women’s League season 2024-25, Aditi (second from the right) helped to end the newly promoted Sribhumi FC the campaign with a deserving third place. | Photocredit: Aditi Chauhan@Instagram
In the Indian Women’s League season 2024-25, Aditi (second from the right) helped to end the newly promoted Sribhumi FC the campaign with a deserving third place. | Photocredit: Aditi Chauhan@Instagram
Lessons from England
During her B.com -Honours -Days at Delhi University (DU), Aditi was part of the Girls football team Du, which was brought to Nieuw -Zeeland for an exposure tour. That is when she discovered the sports world that is outside the field.
«I wanted to stay involved in sports, even after I stopped playing football,» she remembered. It was not long before she left the trade world to obtain a post -university diploma in sports management at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
«The whole experience to live only abroad, try to find out different things, study and then end up at West Ham; that was all because of my efforts, curiosity and passion,» Aditi added. In 2015 she became the first Indian woman to play League Football in England after she joined West Ham, then a side of the third division.
In 2015, Aditi (extreme right) became the first Indian woman to play League Football in England after she joined West Ham, a third division side. | Photocredit: Aditi Chauhan@Instagram
In 2015, Aditi (extreme right) became the first Indian woman to play League Football in England after she joined West Ham, a third division side. | Photocredit: Aditi Chauhan@Instagram
The few years spent in London, juggling with football and a part -time job to keep visa problems at bay, gave her a unique perspective on what a professional system looked like and the type of ecosystem that a player around them needed to excellence.
Future of Indian women’s football
Aditi also acknowledged how opportunities to play abroad have become more accessible. «The talent was always there. Now more attention is being paid to women’s football. They realize the talent that can play in Europe and professional clubs. It’s great to see these players step out of their comfort zone and test themselves.»
Some of these players, such as Manisha Kalyan and Somya Guguloth, to name just a few, were part of the Indian team that qualified for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Aditi, who was part of the Asian Cup team of 2022 who had to withdraw from the tournament because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the team, emphasized the importance of senior players in the group.
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“Young Player’s Are Important, But You Can’t Discount What Seniors Bring. There Were Six Or Seven Players In That Team Which Beat Thailand, Who Were With Us Dury The 2022 Asian Cup. This The Result of the Effort That Was Put Put Put. Time Came, It was the likes of Sangita (BasFore), Manisha, Soumya, Sanju, Panhoi (Chanu) WHO.
Aditi also hoped that the plan of the All India Football Federation would be perfectly implemented to help the national team and to prepare for the competition that «certainly becomes more difficult» in Australia.
Pension plans
Much of Aditi’s time after retirement will be dedicated to running the She Kicks Football Academy, an initiative that she founded in 2018 to strengthen women’s football in the country from the Grassroots level.
«We want to set up a system, have the right ecosystem and bring people together to support the player. We also want to emphasize and introduce technology and science. I think these are important things that will play a major role in our greater goal,» she explained.
Broadcasts also remain a road in which she would like to do, but coaching seems to be something that is not yet on her cards. «I did my coaching permits – AFC C diploma and goalkeeper on the goal weather. I also keep that option open. But let’s see if it might be too early to get back on the field. That can take some time,» concluded Aditi.
