Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri on 16 May announced that he would retire from international football after FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait.
He announced his decision to retire from international football over a video on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
The 39-year-old striker’s 151st and final appearance for India on 6 June will be at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.
“The feel that I recollect in the last 19 years is a very nice combination of duty, pressure and immense joy,” Chhetri said in the video.
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In the video, the celebrated striker – who became India’s top goal-scorer with 94 strikes – said, “Every training that I do with the national team, I just want to enjoy. 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 is the last.”
“The retirement decision was not because of physical aspect, I am still fit, running, chasing, defending, the hard work is not difficult, the reason is to do with mental aspect,” said Chhetri during a virtual interaction, adding, “I was fighting with myself, trying to think holistically, it came instinctively. One year I will be in Bengaluru FC, I don’t know how long I will be playing (domestic football), after that I want to take a sabbatical.”
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On being asked, if he would consider coaching after the end of playing career, Chhetri said, “I will not say never, I will think during my sabbatical but it’s not very high on my agenda as of now.”
His contract with the Indian Super League side is till next year.
Chhetri began his career as a senior Indian player, making his debut in a friendly against Pakistan in 2005 at Quetta. In 2010, he was named India captain.
Under his captaincy, India won the 2012 Nehru Cup and four SAFF Championships in 2011, 2015, 2021, and 2023.
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Looking at his stats, Chhetri is the fourth football player with the most goals in international football, scoring 94 goals in 150 appearances. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo leads the chart with 128 goals, former Iranian player Ali Daei, with 108 goals, is second, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi is third with 106 goals.
With agency inputs.
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Published: 17 May 2024, 02:53 PM IST