Sunil Chhetri Announces Retirement: Indian Captain Set To Play His Last International Game Against Kuwait
The fans are very emotional after Chhetri's announcement, as players like him only come once in a lifetime.
The captain, leader, and legend of Indian football, Sunil Chhetri, has announced that he will play his last match for the Blue Tigers against Kuwait on June 6. This announcement was coming as the star striker of the Indian national football team is pushing 40, and although he is still as clinical as ever, he thought that it was the right time to pass on the torch to the next generation.
Sunil Chhetri has been the main man of the Indian national team for more than fifteen years now, and his 94 goals in 150 games serve as the perfect reminder of his immaculate quality. His goal-scoring tally for India also makes him the third-highest active goal scorer in international football, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
I'd like to say something... pic.twitter.com/xwXbDi95WV — Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) May 16, 2024
In the video released by the Indian Skipper, he said," It was not that I was feeling tired. When the instinct came that this should be my last game, I thought about it a lot, and eventually, I came to this decision. Will I be sad after this? Of course, the kid inside me never wants to stop if given a chance to play for his country, but it’s time for our country to see the next number nine."
India will face Kuwait in a must-win game to keep their hopes of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 alive. Talking about the game, Sunil Chhetri stated," The game against Kuwait demands pressure; we need the three points to qualify for the next round. It’s hugely important for us, but in a strange way, I don’t feel the pressure because these 15-20 days with the national team and the match against Kuwait are the last."
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The fan following of Indian football has always been low when compared to the monstrous fan following of cricket, but the growth the sport has gone through in the past few years has been amazing. Sunil Chhetri has also served as the catalyst for this change, and he will always be remembered as one of the greatest sports personalities the country has ever produced.
The fans are very emotional after Chhetri's announcement, as players like him only come once in a lifetime. Sunil Chhetri was a great player and an even better person because of his extremely humble and kind attitude. All fans are hoping that he will have a wonderful retirement and that his life off the pitch will be as spectacular as it was on it.
