Sunil Chhetri: Farewell to Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri.. Last match on June 6
Sunil Chhetri (39), who has become synonymous with football in India, announced his farewell to international football on Thursday. He stated that the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 will be his last. Chhetri, who has served as India’s longest-serving captain in a career spanning two decades, revealed his decision through a video post on social media. India are second in Group-A of the qualifiers with four points, while Qatar are at the top.
Chhetri recalls that the memories of this 19-year career are a mix of duty, stress and immense joy. He never thought that he would play so many matches for the country. He explained that he never played for good or bad, he played to win the country. Chhetri said that he enjoyed every match he played for the country. The match against Kuwait was very stressful and they needed three points to qualify for the next round. He said that the decision to retire was painful but the decision had to be taken.
Chhetri’s 150th match against Afghanistan in March. In this match held in Guwahati, India lost 1-2. Chhetri, who made his international debut in 2005, scored 94 goals and became India’s all-time top scorer. Moreover, among the current players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the third highest goalscorers.
I'd like to say something… pic.twitter.com/xwXbDi95WV
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) May 16, 2024
In a heartfelt statement, 39-year-old Chhetri reflected on his 19-year journey, emphasizing the mix of duty, stress and deep joy. “I never thought individually about the significance of each game I played for the country, or whether I performed well or poorly. But now, as I approach my final game,
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these thoughts have come to the fore, which has made the last few months quite surreal,” Sunil chhetri said. shared Elaborating on his mindset, Chhetri said, “Every training session with the national team is about enjoying the moment. Although the upcoming game against Kuwait carries the weight of needing three points to advance to the next round, oddly enough, I don’t. Feeling normal pressure because it The end of my national team journey.”
Sunil Chhetri celebrated his 150th appearance for India in March, marking the occasion with a goal against Afghanistan in Guwahati. Despite his contribution, India lost that match 1–2.
Making his debut in 2005, Sunil chhetri has amassed an impressive tally of 94 goals for his country. His remarkable achievements ranked him as India’s leading goal scorer and most capped player, cementing his legacy in the national team. Additionally, he ranks third in goalscoring among active players, behind soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
