Sunil Chhetri, India’s captain, leader, and legend, has announced his retirement from international football. The 39-year-old will play his final match for India in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on June 6 in Kolkata.
Sunil Chhetri, born August 3, 1984, is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Bengaluru and the Indian national team. He is recognised for his link-up play, goal-scoring abilities, and leadership. He is the third-highest international goal scorer among active players (fourth overall), after only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as well as the most-capped player and all-time leading goal scorer for the India national team.
He is largely recognised as one of the best Indian football players of all time. He had endured hardships since he was a child. Because his father was in the army, he had to change schools frequently, but he had always enjoyed football.
He has won the highest accolades, including the moniker of goal scoring machine, for his contributions to India’s wins in the Nehru Cup (2007, 2009, 2012) and the SAFF Championship (2011, 2015, 2021). The Government of India awarded him the 2011 Arjuna Award in appreciation of his excellent achievements in sports. He also received the Padma Shri in 2019, India’s fourth highest civilian award, and the Khel Ratna Award in 2021, India’s highest sporting distinction.
On September 27, 2022, FIFA aired a documentary on FIFA+, of three episodes named ‘Captain Fantastic’, which depicts his pre-teen suffering, his debut for India at the age of twenty. Sunil Chhetri’s captaincy has revitalised most significant games in crucial minutes. Many matches have seen the goat Sunil Chhetri make a last-minute comeback and salvage the day. On March 28, Chhetri scored his 85th goal against Kyrgyzstan in a tri-nation friendly, passing Ferenc Puskás to become the fifth-highest international goal scorer. On June 18, Chhetri scored the opening goal in India’s 2-0 victory over Lebanon in the 2023 Hero Intercontinental Cup final, helping the country win the tournament. Chhetri and teammate Lallianzuala Chhangte were the tournament’s joint-top scorers, each with two goals.
On June 21, Chhetri scored his fourth hat-trick for India in a 4-0 win over Pakistan in the 2023 SAFF Championship group stage. His third goal of the night marked his 90th international goal, surpassing Mokhtar Dahari’s tally of 89 goals. He is now the second-highest Asian goal scorer in international football, trailing only Ali Daei of Iran, and third among active players after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
-Shaan Mondal