GUWAHATI: Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri has announced his retirement from international football.
Sunil Chhetri will retire from international football following India’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on June 06.
The Indian national football team captain made this emotional announcement through a heartfelt video shared on his social media platforms.
Chhetri (39) began his international journey with a debut match against Pakistan on June 12, 2005, scoring his first international goal in that match.
Throughout his illustrious career, he has accumulated an impressive record, currently ranking third globally among active players for most international goals, with 94 strikes in 150 matches.
He stands behind Argentine superstar Lionel Messi (106 goals in 180 matches) and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo (128 goals in 205 matches).
Not only is Chhetri the most capped player in Indian football history, but he has also been the recipient of numerous accolades.
He has been honoured with the AIFF Player of the Year award six times and was bestowed with the Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Padma Shri in 2019.
Reflecting on his career, Chhetri shared, “The feeling that I recollect in the last 19 years is a very nice combination of duty, pressure, and immense joy.”
He added, “I never thought individually these are the games I’ve played for the country, this is what I’ve done good, I’ve done bad. But, now I did it, this last one-and-a-half two months. It felt very strange. I did it because I was going towards the decision that the next game was going to be my last.”
Ahead of his final appearance in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Chhetri emphasized the importance of the upcoming match against Kuwait, stating, “Every training that I do with the national team, I just want to enjoy. The game against Kuwait demands pressure; we need the three points to qualify for the next round. It’s hugely important for us.”
As India prepares for Chhetri’s farewell game in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month, the team currently holds the second position in Group A, trailing behind Qatar.
Kuwait occupies the fourth position in the standings with 3 points.