Sunil Chhetri: The Legend
I'd like to say something… pic.twitter.com/xwXbDi95WV
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) May 16, 2024On 18th May 2024, Indian football received catastrophic news that Sunil Chhetri, the star player of Indian football, had just announced his retirement from football. The 39-year-old Forward of the Indian team and Bangalore FC has just made this confirmation on his X account (@chetrisunil11) by posting a 9-minute video. His 9-minute video highlighted his journey playing for Team India and how it combined duty, joy and pressure before announcing his retirement. He stated that the match against Kuwait on 6th June as a part of a qualification match for the Indian football team for the 2026 World Cup would be his last one.
Who is he?
Sunil Chettri, a prominent Indian football player, was born in 1984 in Secundrabad to K.B Chhetri and Sushila Chhetri, and one of the interesting facts is that football seems to run in his family. His father, K.B Chhetri, has represented the Army Red Team (A football club made by the Indian army and regularly participated in various regional tournaments of Indian football), and his mother, Sushila Chhetri, has represented the Nepal national women’s football team.
As a result, a prominent football culture in the family made the young Sunil Chhetri pick up football at a very young age. He made his debut for the Indian football team in 2005; he also played for various prominent Indian football clubs like Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, JCT, Mumbai City, and currently, Bengaluru FC.
Achievements of the Legend
There are various records and achievements that Sunil Chhetri holds in his name that have made Indian football gain pride. One of them is that he scored 94 goals in his 150 matches, which made him the third highest goal scorer among international football players, behind the likes of only legendary football players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
He is also the second top goal scorer in the Indian Super League, a league started by the Indian Football Association, with 61 goals in his name, and he is only behind Bartholomew Ogbeche, the Nigerian forward player. Sunil Chhetri also holds the name for being the critical asset for India’s victory in the 2007, 2009 and 2012 Nehru Cup and the 2011, 2015, and 2021 Saaf championships. He is also the first Indian player to receive the Khel Ratna award and the first Indian football player to play major league soccer in the USA.
The day India Witness the Retirement of the Legend
Retiring as a legend. ❤️
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 16, 2024Social media, meanwhile, has shown their reaction to this particular news in a heartfelt way regarding the announcement of Sunil Chhetri’s retirement. One of them is Virat Kohli, the prominent Indian cricketer who responded by posting a comment on Chhetri’s Instagram, writing, “My Brother, Proud.”
Never wanted to see this happen , i wish I could do something to change your mind but i also understand why it is happening bhai. The whole country needs to celebrate your International career on the 6th of June the way you deserve. My Captain https://t.co/L3Fd5buXk1
— Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) May 16, 2024Gurpreet Singh Sadhu, a promising goalkeeper of the Indian football team, also reacted to this on his social media account, expressing his desire to change Chettri’s mind. Still, he stated that he also understood his decision. The X ID of the Indian football team and Indian Cricketer has reposted his video with an emotional note.
𝓢𝓾𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓷 in every sense of the word. 🙌🏻 🦸🏻♂️@chetrisunil11 #FIFAWorldCup 🏆 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽️ #ThankYouSC11 pic.twitter.com/iK8f03Sibv
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 18, 2024
