Mohun Bagan Qualifies For Super Cup Quarterfinals
Churchill Brothers’ withdrawal from the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 clash against Mohun Bagan Super Giant is a blow to sporting integrity. This opinion piece calls out the decision as cowardly and damaging to Indian football’s competitive spirit.
As a sportsman, as someone who has lived and breathed competition, one thing I can’t stand is when a team pulls out of a fight—not due to injury, not due to force majeure, but because they simply chose to. Churchill Brothers’ decision to withdraw from the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 clash against Mohun Bagan Super Giant reeks of cowardice and undermines everything the sport stands for.
Let’s not sugarcoat this—this is not just a “bye” or a “technical walkover.” This is a slap in the face to competitive integrity. It’s a complete abdication of responsibility from a club that’s supposed to represent grit, ambition, and professionalism. To back out of a Round of 16 clash in a national-level tournament, especially against a heavyweight like Mohun Bagan, is disgraceful.
Churchill Brothers are no minnows. They’re I-League front-runners, a side with history, legacy, and a decent fan base. Yet they chose to walk away—not because they couldn’t field a team, not because of injury woes or logistical impossibilities, but because of a pending decision at the AIFF Appeals Committee. That’s like refusing to step into the ring because you’re still arguing about who should’ve got the last point in the previous bout. It’s weak. And it’s unacceptable.
If you have ambition, if you have the guts to call yourself contenders, you step up and play. Period.
Mohun Bagan, fresh off a historic domestic double—winning both the ISL Shield and Cup—were ready. They were hungry. They’ve been steamrolling opponents all season, and what better chance for Churchill to test their mettle than a shot at the big boys? But instead of seizing the moment, they tucked their tails between their legs and backed out.
The irony? They could have made a statement. A win over Mohun Bagan would’ve sent shockwaves across Indian football. But instead, they gave up the battle before it began. How do you expect fans to take you seriously? How do you inspire youngsters watching from Goa, dreaming of donning the red shirt, when you’re teaching them that it’s okay to duck when the stakes are high?
This isn’t just about a single match. This is about accountability. This is about what it means to be a sports team in India today. There are hundreds of smaller clubs that would kill for a chance to be on that stage—to face a top-tier side, to make a name for themselves, to go down fighting if they must. Churchill Brothers were given that golden ticket, and they threw it in the bin.
The AIFF must take a long, hard look at this. Because while Churchill’s concerns about the I-League verdict are understandable in a bureaucratic sense, they hold no water when it comes to the sport itself. What precedent does this set? That teams can cherry-pick tournaments based on off-field developments? Does that administrative uncertainty justify walking away from the pitch?
This is football, not courtroom drama.
And what about the fans? The ones who bought tickets, the ones who planned trips, the ones who cleared their calendars to support their teams? They were robbed of a marquee clash. Mohun Bagan fans deserved to see their champions in action. Neutral fans deserved to witness what could’ve been a classic. Instead, we get a default progression and a rearranged schedule. This isn’t how tournaments should unfold.
Contrast this with the attitude of Mohun Bagan. They didn’t whine. They didn’t complain. They showed up, ready to compete. That’s the mindset of winners. That’s the mindset of a team that earns respect—not just trophies. They were prepared for a battle, only to be handed a walkover. And frankly, it’s a disservice to them too. Champions grow by being tested. Now they sit idle while others scrap it out. Unfair.
If Churchill Brothers had any pride left, they’d issue a public apology—not to Mohun Bagan, but to Indian football.
Sport is about courage. About stepping onto the pitch no matter what shadows loom in the background. If you can’t handle that pressure, you shouldn’t be in the arena.
So here’s a wake-up call to Churchill Brothers: either grow a spine or stay out of the conversation.
India’s footballing future doesn’t need paper tigers. It needs warriors.
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