Chopra will need Indian passport for international dream

Last updated : 31 January 2011 By Michael Morris
"As far as India is concerned, he can't be a dual passport holder. He can play for the country only if he surrenders his British passport and becomes an Indian passport holder," said AIFF general secretary Kushal Das.

"His (Chopra's) agent has been told that he will have to have an Indian passport," Das added.

Nominated as one of the contenders for the British Asian Sports Personality of the year, Chopra said, "I'm still following my football dream at Cardiff and hope to step up to the international stage by representing India.

The Indian side lost all three games at the Asian Cup, won last Saturday by Japan, but Chopra thinks he could make a difference and now the tournament is over he hopes to sort out the paperwork side of things with the AIFF.

Chopra believes his game will benefit if he's playing at international level, albeit in a struggling side at the moment, and that it will open up Indian interest in Chopra, Cardiff City and the top levels of the English game.