Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri announced his decision to retire from international football following the FIFA World Cup qualification match against Kuwait on June 6. He made the announcement in a heartfelt video message shared on his social media accounts. With a career spanning two decades, Chhetri has been an important figure in Indian football, having played 145 matches for the national team and scoring an impressive 93 goals.
Reflecting on his journey, Chhetri reminisced about the key moments that shaped his career, including his debut match for the national team. "There is one day that I never forget and remember it quite often is the first time I played for my countryman; it was unbelievable," Chhetri shared in his emotional post.
Describing the mixed emotions he experienced throughout his career, Chhetri expressed gratitude for the opportunities and memories he cherished over the years. "You know, the feeling that I recollect in the last 19 years is a very nice combination between duty pressure and immense joy. I never thought individually, these are the many games that I’ve played for the country, this is what I’ve done, good or bad, but now I did it. This last one and a half, two months, I did it and it was very strange. I did it because probably I was going towards the decision that this game, this next game is going to be my last." he said.
The decision to retire was not taken lightly, as Chhetri revealed the introspective process he underwent before reaching this milestone. "And the moment I told myself first that yes, this is the game that is going to be my last, is when I started recollecting everything," he explained.
"I told my mom, my dad and my wife, my family first, my dad was, my dad was my dad, he was normal, he was relieved, happy, everything, but my mom and my wife straightly started crying and I told them, you always used to bug me that there are too many games, there is too much of pressure when you watch me and now that I’m telling you that, you know, I’m not going to play for my country anymore after this game."
Although Chhetri's record at clubs is noteworthy, his international achievements are what really make him special. India's triumphs in the SAFF Championship (2011, 2015, 2021) and the Nehru Cup (2007, 2009, 2012) have been greatly aided by him. Most notably, he helped India win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which allowed them to qualify for their first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.