Sunil Chhetri Announces Retirement: Indian Football Legend Bows Out After 19 Glorious Years

Indian Football National Team Captain, Sunil Chhetri, Announced his Retirement

Indian football icon and captain of the national team, Sunil Chhetri, has announced his retirement from international football on 6 June. In a video posted on X, Chhetri stated that India’s World Cup qualification match against Kuwait would be his last game. He has played for the country for 19 years, scoring his first goal during his debut match in 2005. Chhetri is among the country’s most celebrated players, credited with shining a spotlight on Indian football nationally and internationally, amidst a cricket-centric culture. At the moment, he holds the record of being the third-highest scorer of international goals among active footballers, after Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sunil Chhetri’s Illustrious Career and Awards

In a nine-minute-51-second-long video post on X, Chhetri reminisced about the high and low points in his long career and expressed grief over his decision. He said that the kid inside will probably keep fighting to play football, but the sensible, mature player and person knows that this is it.” Tributes have been pouring in on X, with many fans expressing their gratitude for his contribution to Indian football. Fans and experts say that his longevity in international football, along with his work ethic, are the key factors behind Chhetri’s success. In India, he has won several football awards, including the Arjuna Award – the country’s second-highest sporting award – and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.

Global Achievements and Fan Reactions

On the global stage, he has led the team to victory in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup, the South Asian Football Federation Championship, the Intercontinental Cup, and more. “‘End of an era’ is sometimes used loosely in sport, but for Indian Football, doesn’t get truer than this. Sunil Chhetri – captain, leader, legend – announces retirement,” one fan said. Chhetri, known to follow a strict diet and workout regimen, told the BBC in a previous interview about the “small sacrifices” he makes. Now that Chhetri has hung up his boots, a question that’s sure to plague fans and players alike will be “After Chhetri, who?” He said that it’s all about what he eats and how much he sleeps.

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#HappyRetirementLegend

For the kind of good life that I have got by God’s grace, it’s not a big deal to go for the broccolis rather than the biryani – as I know there will be enough time for such indulgences once I am done with the game.” The announcement of Chhetri’s retirement has caused an outpouring of emotion on social media. Fans have flooded platforms with expressions of gratitude, thanking him for his contributions to the country. “#HappyRetirementLegend” captures the collective sentiment of a country proud of its football legend. He was also conferred upon the Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.

Sunil Chhetri’s Remarkable Career Statistics

He is the first footballer to win the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest award for sporting achievement. It was under his leadership India entered the top 100 rankings for the first time in 2023 since 2018. Chhetri played his landmark 150th game for India on March 26, 2024 in India’s 2-1 loss to Afghanistan in the FIFA World Cup qualifier. Ahead of his final match, Chhetri has scored 94 goals in 150 international matches for India, putting him fourth in the all-time list of goalscorers among FIFA members. Among the active players, he is only behind Lionel Messi (106 goals in 180 matches) and Cristiano Ronaldo (128 goals in 205 matches).