Dharmsala, May 27 (ANI): The eighteenth edition of the Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup soccer tournament, a Tibetan soccer even named after the mother of the Dalai Lama, was inaugurated here by former captain of the Indian soccer team, Baichung Bhutia.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event on Saturday, Bhutia admitted the game's condition in country was at rock bottom.
"We are not at the European standards in terms of infrastructure, the system, professionalism, so we can only grow. Whereas, for cricket, it cannot grow, it is in the highest (level). The good thing is, we can only grow, we cannot go below this," Bhutia said.
Bhutia rued the fact that soccer was only popular in a few pockets of the country, however adding that there was a wealth of talent that needed to be tapped into.
He expressed hope that a soccer team representing Tibet would visit his home state of Sikkim and play against his own team, the United Sikkim Football Club.
"We want to be the first team to play against the Tibet XI, when the team has been formed. I have already spoken to the organisers, that they should come to Sikkim and play two matches with United Sikkim, because I think it is an opportunity for Tibet XI as well as United Sikkim to compete, and see talented players on both sides," Bhutia said. (ANI)