Sunil Chhetri Retires from International Football: Emotional Farewell Video Shared
Indian football star Sunil Chhetri has announced his retirement from international football effective May 16. He made this decision public by posting a video on social media. He stated that he would bid farewell to the football field after the FIFA World Cup qualification match against Kuwait on June 6. The 39-year-old Indian footballer made his international debut against Pakistan on June 12, 2005, and scored his first goal for India in the same match. Sunil Chhetri has played 145 matches for India in his 20-year career, scoring 93 goals.
Sunil Chhetri to bid adieu as India’s all-time top scorer
Sunil Chhetri, India’s all-time top scorer and most capped player in international football, will bid farewell to international football. Among active players, he ranks third in terms of scoring the most goals, behind legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Reflecting on his career
While announcing his retirement, Chhetri reminisced about his entire career. He became quite emotional during this time. The Indian captain posted a 9-minute video stating, “I ask you something… watch the video.”
Achievements
In his illustrious career, Sunil Chhetri won the AIFF Player of the Year award six times. Apart from this, he was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Padma Shri Award in 2019. On the international stage, Chhetri has been a part of the Indian team that won titles in various tournaments such as the 2008 Challenge Cup, 2011 and 2015 SAFF Championships, 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, and the 2017 and 2018 Intercontinental Cup.
Current standing and future prospects
India, currently placed second in Group A, is gearing up for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers with four points, sitting at the top. Kuwait, with three points, holds the fourth position.
