Sunil Chhetri Calls Time on his International Football Career

India's Football Legend Bids Adieu

Legendary Indian football player Sunil Chhetri revealed on Thursday that he will be retiring from international football following the June 6 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kolkata against Kuwait, capping off an incredible two-decade career.

The veteran captain of the national team made his announcement in a video that he shared on social media. India is presently trailing leaders Qatar by four points in Group A.

"The feel that I recollect in the last 19 years is a very nice combination of duty, pressure and immense joy," the 39-year-old Chhetri said while announcing his decision to retire.

Sunil Chhetri remarked:

"I never considered that these are the games I've played for my country, and these are the things I've done well and poorly." However, throughout the past two and a half months, I have done so. It felt so weird," he remarked. "I did it because I was getting closer to the realization that this would be my final game."

"I just want to enjoy every training session I have with the national team. We must win the match against Kuwait in order to advance to the next round, so pressure is on us. It's quite significant to us," the captain remarked.

“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 is the last,” he added.

In March, Chhetri made his 150th appearance for India, scoring in a game against Afghanistan at Guwahati. However, India lost that match 1-2.

Since making his debut in 2005, Chhetri has netted 94 goals for his nation. As the all-time leading scorer and most-capped player in Indian history, he will depart the game. In terms of goals scored among active players, he is ranked third, after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.