India must have regular competition against the continent`s top sides if they are to have any hope of taking their game to another level, captain Sunil Chhetri has said ahead of next month's Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Since their last appearance at the finals in Qatar in 2011, India have played twice against a top-six Asian side when they were grouped with Iran for the Russia World Cup qualifiers.

Chhetri, who will lead India in just their fourth appearance at the finals, said they had to be given the chance to stretch themselves more.&nbsp;

"It's very, very important for us to keep playing against the big giants – the UAEs, the Australias, the Korea Republics," Chhetri told FIFA.com.

"It`s one thing to do well against your neighbours, and without demeaning any one of them, it`s a different thing when you go out and play the giants of Asia."

Cricket-loving India has a population of 1.3 billion but it is a massive underachiever as far as football is concerned. The national side is 97th in the FIFA rankings and yet to make an appearance at the World Cup finals.

The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to increase the number of finalists at the Asian Cup to 24 teams from 16 has helped the country return to the tournament.

"I was really dejected when we missed out on the last edition," Chhetri said of the 2015 tournament in Australia.&nbsp;

"I think it's very, very important for a country like us to keep qualifying for this big tournament, because that tells you where you are and if you're doing well.

"It also gives you a chance to rub shoulders with the biggest teams in Asia. If you do well, other teams take notice of you."

India, managed by English coach Stephen Constantine, are in Group A alongside hosts United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Thailand for the Jan. 5-Feb. 1 tournament and Chhetri is under no illusions about the task facing them.

"Without putting ourselves down, when you're India and you qualify for the Asian Cup any team that you face are going to be difficult," said Chhetri, India's record scorer with 65 goals and their most experienced player with 103 caps.

"In UAE and Thailand we have two teams who are very, very technically gifted. I think even Bahrain are going to be very physical.

"I'm just looking at it as one game at a time. I don`t think we will be thinking about the mathematics of the group from the moment go."

India must have regular competition against the continent`s top sides if they are to have any hope of taking their game to another level, captain Sunil Chhetri has said ahead of next month's Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

India must have regular competition against the continent`s top sides if they are to have any hope of taking their game to another level, captain Sunil Chhetri has said ahead of next month's Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Since their last appearance at the finals in Qatar in 2011, India have played twice against a top-six Asian side when they were grouped with Iran for the Russia World Cup qualifiers. Chhetri, who will lead India in just their fourth appearance at the finals, said they had to be given the chance to stretch themselves more. "It's very, very important for us to keep playing against the big giants – the UAEs, the Australias, the Korea Republics," Chhetri told FIFA.com. "It`s one thing to do well against your neighbours, and without demeaning any one of them, it`s a different thing when you go out and play the giants of Asia." Cricket-loving India has a population of 1.3 billion but it is a massive underachiever as far as football is concerned. The national side is 97th in the FIFA rankings and yet to make an appearance at the World Cup finals. The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to increase the number of finalists at the Asian Cup to 24 teams from 16 has helped the country return to the tournament. "I was really dejected when we missed out on the last edition," Chhetri said of the 2015 tournament in Australia. "I think it's very, very important for a country like us to keep qualifying for this big tournament, because that tells you where you are and if you're doing well. "It also gives you a chance to rub shoulders with the biggest teams in Asia. If you do well, other teams take notice of you." India, managed by English coach Stephen Constantine, are in Group A alongside hosts United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Thailand for the Jan. 5-Feb. 1 tournament and Chhetri is under no illusions about the task facing them. "Without putting ourselves down, when you're India and you qualify for the Asian Cup any team that you face are going to be difficult," said Chhetri, India's record scorer with 65 goals and their most experienced player with 103 caps. "In UAE and Thailand we have two teams who are very, very technically gifted. I think even Bahrain are going to be very physical. "I'm just looking at it as one game at a time. I don`t think we will be thinking about the mathematics of the group from the moment go."

Playing top Asian sides key for India, says captain Sunil Chhetri

Russian women should avoid sex with non-white foreign men during the soccer World Cup because they could become single mothers to mixed race children, a senior lawmaker in Moscow said on Wednesday.

Even when Russian women marry foreigners the relationships often end badly, said Tamara Pletnyova, head of parliament's committee for families, women and children. Women are often stranded abroad or in Russia but unable to get their children back, she said.

She spoke in response to a question from a radio station about the so-called "Children of the Olympics" after the Moscow Games in 1980, a time when contraception was not widely available in the country.

The term was used during the Soviet era to describe non-white children conceived at international events after relationships between Russian women and men from Africa, Latin America, or Asia. Many of the children faced discrimination.

"We must give birth to our children. These (mixed race) kids suffer and have suffered since Soviet times," Pletnyova told Govorit Moskva radio station.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics:-celebrating-88-years-of-fifa-world-cup-legacy-144108#photo-144095">88 years of the Football World Cup</a>

"It's one thing if they're of the same race but quite another if they're of a different race. I'm not a nationalist, but nevertheless I know that children suffer. They are abandoned, and that's it, they stay here with mum," she said.

Pletnyova said she that she would like Russian citizens to get married "out of love regardless of their ethnicity".

Another lawmaker said foreign fans could bring viruses to the World Cup and infect Russians.

In comments to Govorit Moskva radio station, Alexander Sherin also said Russians should be careful in their interactions with foreigners as they might try to circulate banned substances at the tournament.

Thousands of soccer fans from 31 countries are travelling to the World Cup in Russia that kicks off on Thursday with an opening ceremony in the capital followed by a match between the host team and Saudi Arabia.

FIFA and the Russia 2018 organising committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Pletynova's remarks.

Pletnyova is a lawmaker for the KPRF Communist Party, a nominally opposition party that backs President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin on most key issues.

Russians make up the majority ethnicity in the country but there are dozens of minority groups, as well as a large labour migrant force predominantly from Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

The comment was made by Tamara Pletnyova, head of parliament's committee for families, women and children. The Football World Cup kicks off in Russia today

Russian women should avoid sex with non-white foreign men during the soccer World Cup because they could become single mothers to mixed race children, a senior lawmaker in Moscow said on Wednesday. Even when Russian women marry foreigners the relationships often end badly, said Tamara Pletnyova, head of parliament's committee for families, women and children. Women are often stranded abroad or in Russia but unable to get their children back, she said. She spoke in response to a question from a radio station about the so-called "Children of the Olympics" after the Moscow Games in 1980, a time when contraception was not widely available in the country. The term was used during the Soviet era to describe non-white children conceived at international events after relationships between Russian women and men from Africa, Latin America, or Asia. Many of the children faced discrimination. "We must give birth to our children. These (mixed race) kids suffer and have suffered since Soviet times," Pletnyova told Govorit Moskva radio station. Also read: 88 years of the Football World Cup "It's one thing if they're of the same race but quite another if they're of a different race. I'm not a nationalist, but nevertheless I know that children suffer. They are abandoned, and that's it, they stay here with mum," she said. Pletnyova said she that she would like Russian citizens to get married "out of love regardless of their ethnicity". Another lawmaker said foreign fans could bring viruses to the World Cup and infect Russians. In comments to Govorit Moskva radio station, Alexander Sherin also said Russians should be careful in their interactions with foreigners as they might try to circulate banned substances at the tournament. Thousands of soccer fans from 31 countries are travelling to the World Cup in Russia that kicks off on Thursday with an opening ceremony in the capital followed by a match between the host team and Saudi Arabia. FIFA and the Russia 2018 organising committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Pletynova's remarks. Pletnyova is a lawmaker for the KPRF Communist Party, a nominally opposition party that backs President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin on most key issues. Russians make up the majority ethnicity in the country but there are dozens of minority groups, as well as a large labour migrant force predominantly from Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Russian women should avoid sex with foreign men during World Cup: Lawmaker

A pro-Islamic State(IS) organisation which earlier targeted football star Lionel Messi, has now threatened to kill and be head, Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.&nbsp

A mocked-up image was also released where both Messi and Ronaldo pinned down on the pitch in a packed stadium with knife-wielding terrorists hacking at their necks.

The second poster released shows a militant carrying what appears to be an explosive device into a stadium. It comes with the message: 'Fifa World Cup Russia 2018 - victory will be ours'.

It is the latest in a series of online threats made against this summer's football tournament and Barcelona star Messi has been the target of similar warnings earlier also.&nbsp

Last year, the organization released a chilling image of Messi behind bars with blood-soaked eyes, threatening to unleash violence in this year's football World Cup.&nbsp

The poster released by the Wafa media foundation said: “You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary,” ending with the message "just terrorism", which is the famous American shoe company Nike's tagline "just do it".

The Messi poster was tweeted by SITE intelligence group, a company which tracks terror activities online.

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'The ground will be filled with your blood': <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISIS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISIS</a> fanatics threaten to BEHEAD <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ronaldo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ronaldo</a> in posters warning of attacks at the World Cup <a href="https://t.co/sQLYVo0XTb">pic.twitter.com/sQLYVo0XTb</a>
— Syria Scope En (@Syria_scope_En) <a href="https://twitter.com/Syria_scope_En/status/997043485374021633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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ISIS fanatics threaten to BEHEAD Messi and Ronaldo in posters warning of attacks at WORLD CUP <a href="https://t.co/dLJN0iNGbP">pic.twitter.com/dLJN0iNGbP</a>
— LOVE lies (@Shyne_Davids) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shyne_Davids/status/997050415207284736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played across 11 cities in Russia from June 14 to July 15, when the final will be played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Tens of thousands of England fans are expected to base themselves in St. Petersburg for the month-long finals.

St Petersburg, Russia's second largest city, was the scene of a horrific ISIS attack when a briefcase bomb detonated on the underground in April last year, killing 14 people.

The blast was in retaliation to Russia's airstrikes in Syria that have helped bring the regime to its knees.&nbsp

Thousands of Russians from mainly central Asia have travelled to the Middle East to fight for ISIS. 
&nbsp

2018 FIFA World Cup will be played across 11 cities in Russia from June 14 to July 15

A pro-Islamic State(IS) organisation which earlier targeted football star Lionel Messi, has now threatened to kill and be head, Cristiano Ronaldo, ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A mocked-up image was also released where both Messi and Ronaldo pinned down on the pitch in a packed stadium with knife-wielding terrorists hacking at their necks. The second poster released shows a militant carrying what appears to be an explosive device into a stadium. It comes with the message: 'Fifa World Cup Russia 2018 - victory will be ours'. It is the latest in a series of online threats made against this summer's football tournament and Barcelona star Messi has been the target of similar warnings earlier also. Last year, the organization released a chilling image of Messi behind bars with blood-soaked eyes, threatening to unleash violence in this year's football World Cup. The poster released by the Wafa media foundation said: “You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary,” ending with the message "just terrorism", which is the famous American shoe company Nike's tagline "just do it". The Messi poster was tweeted by SITE intelligence group, a company which tracks terror activities online. 'The ground will be filled with your blood': #ISIS fanatics threaten to BEHEAD #Messi and #Ronaldo in posters warning of attacks at the World Cup pic.twitter.com/sQLYVo0XTb — Syria Scope En (@Syria_scope_En) May 17, 2018 × ISIS fanatics threaten to BEHEAD Messi and Ronaldo in posters warning of attacks at WORLD CUP pic.twitter.com/dLJN0iNGbP — LOVE lies (@Shyne_Davids) May 17, 2018 × The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played across 11 cities in Russia from June 14 to July 15, when the final will be played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Tens of thousands of England fans are expected to base themselves in St. Petersburg for the month-long finals. St Petersburg, Russia's second largest city, was the scene of a horrific ISIS attack when a briefcase bomb detonated on the underground in April last year, killing 14 people. The blast was in retaliation to Russia's airstrikes in Syria that have helped bring the regime to its knees. Thousands of Russians from mainly central Asia have travelled to the Middle East to fight for ISIS.

After Messi, ISIS threatens to 'behead' Ronaldo ahead of Russia World Cup

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Playing top Asian sides key for India, says captain Sunil Chhetri

Russian women should avoid sex with foreign men during World Cup: Lawmaker

After Messi, ISIS threatens to 'behead' Ronaldo ahead of Russia World Cup