Sunil Chhetri, India’s most renowned footballer with 94 international goals, has announced his retirement from international football. The 39-year-old shared the news via a video on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that the upcoming match against Kuwait will be his final game for India.
“The recollection of the last 19 years is a combination of duty, pressure and immense joy. I never thought that these are the many games I would play for the country, good or bad but now I did but these last one and half two months I did. And this (the feeling) was very strange. I was probably going towards the decision that this game (against Kuwait) is going to be my last,” Chhetri said.
Chhetri’s remarkable career in Indian football
Chhetri, a name synonymous with Indian football, has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning over two decades. This talented forward has not only dominated domestic leagues but has also made his mark on the international stage. Chhetri had made his 150th appearance for India in March and scored on the occasion against Afghanistan in Guwahati. India, though, lost that game 1-2.
Chhetri’s journey began in 2002 with Mohun Bagan. His talent soon took him abroad, with stints at the USA’s Kansas City Wizards (2010) and Portugal’s Sporting CP reserves (2012). Back in India, he played for prestigious clubs such as East Bengal, Dempo, Mumbai City FC, and currently, Bengaluru FC. It is with Bengaluru that Chhetri truly flourished, winning trophies including the I-League (2014, 2016), ISL (2019), and Super Cup (2018). He also led Bengaluru FC to the AFC Cup final in 2016.