End of an era: Indian legend Sunil Chhetri announces retirement

Credits: Sunil Chhetri

A sad day in Indian football history as legendary forward Sunil Chhetri announced his retirement from international football. The 39-year-old said that he will represent his country for the last time in the upcoming AFC World Cup qualifiers. It is hard news to digest for Indian fans.

Sunil Chhetri is probably the biggest name in Indian football. The legendary forward has netted 94 goals for the national team and is the third-highest international goal scorer among all active footballers. Chhetri is fourth on the overall list. This is the most remarkable highlight of his career.

The Indian football team captain has achieved plenty of success during his playing years. He has received many individual honors and achieved honors with teams. Let’s take a look at Sunil’s career in brief.

International Success

Sunil Chhetri already has 150 appearances for the national side and has scored 94 times. He made a bright start to his national career by scoring on his debut against Pakistan. His first tournament was the Nehru Cup in 2007. Since then, he has played in numerous tournaments and won several major honors.

During his time with the national team, Chhetri has won four SAFF Championships, three Nehru Cups, two International Cups, and one AFC Challenge Cup.

Sunil holds the record for most international appearances for India. He is the only footballer to receive the Khel Ratna Award. In addition to this, the AIFF has named him the Player of the Year a record seven times.

Club Career

The veteran forward is the only Indian player who has played on three different continents. After starting his career at Mohun Bagan, Chhetri moved to JCT. He then moved to East Bengal and Dempo for one season each.

In 2010, Chhetri was on trial with Major League Soccer team Kansas City Wizards. After a brief spell and no league appearances, Chhetri joined Chirag United. Mohun Bagan re-signed him before his famous spell at Sporting CP. He represented the ‘B’ team and played in the Portuguese second division.

Sunil Chhetri decided to continue his playing days in India. ISL also came into the mix, and Chhetri got a chance to show his skills to the fans. To date, the forward has represented only two ISL clubs, Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC.

In the Indian league format, Sunil has won four I-Leagues and one Indian Super League. Sunil has over 150 appearances in the ISL. He has the most goals in the top tier of Indian football.

Since making his debut, Chhetri has seen tremendous growth in his career. He has been an inspiration to many. The player is set to play his last game for the national team against Kuwait on June 6. He has a chance to add a few more goals to his massive tally. The 19 years of service have produced a lot of moments to cherish. Sunil is and will be regarded as one of the best to ever wear the Indian jersey.