'I just want to enjoy it, man': Sunil Chhetri on his last weeks with National Team before retirement

After a storied career characterised by exceptional leadership, goal-scoring ability, and unwavering dedication, veteran Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri is bidding the game farewell. Chhetri, the Indian national team's all-time leading goal scorer, creates a legacy that will last for many years. He has had a huge impact on Indian football, transforming the game's environment and inspiring the next generation. With his retirement, a chapter in Indian football history came to an end.

Sunil Chhetri will make the most out of his last 15-20 days with the Indian National Team after announcing retirement after India vs Kuwait 

Sunil Chhetri announced Thursday that he will retire from international football after June. Sunil Chhetri will never be seen in India's squad following India's FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait on June 6. The national team's captain revealed his decision in a video on his social media pages. India is presently ranked second in Group A with four points, one point behind leaders Qatar. Kuwait currently ranks fourth with three points. In a video released on his official X account, Sunil Chhetri announced that he will enjoy the camp and make the most out of his last few days with the National team:

And eventually I came to this decision, so, you know, will I be sad after this? Of course. Do I feel sad sometimes every day because of this? Yes. Do I feel like the train, I’ll miss the train and I’ll have to run and there’s just 20 days of training and it’ll all be gone? Yes.

It took time because the kid inside me, he never wants to stop if given a chance to play for his country, man. Never. There hasn’t been, I’ve got, I’m really fortunate in my life, there has been so many amazing things that have happened to me. I practically live a dream, but nothing comes close to, to playing for a country. So the kid kept fighting and probably even in future will keep fighting inside. I think the sensible, the matured player, a person inside knows it, knew it, that this is it. But it wasn’t easy. Every training that I do with the national team now, and I can say it because my name has come in the camp. Every training that I do with the national team, I just want to enjoy it, man. I can feel that, I don’t feel the pressure, wherein this game demands pressure against Kuwait.

We need the three points to qualify for the next round, third round. It’s hugely important for us, but in a very strange and nice way, I don’t feel the pressure because I know these 15, 20 days of training with the national team and the match against Kuwait is the last.

So I’m quite certain that I’m just going to go there and enjoy and give whatever that I’ve got. I’ll say something controversial. I don’t think I know any player who has got more love, affection, adulation from the fans in a holistic manner in my country than me.

Sunil Chhetri scored 93 goals in 145 games for the Indian national team, capping off an incredible career that made him the top goal scorer in Indian history. His outstanding impact and steadfastness have permanently altered Indian football, cementing his place in the annals of the sport's history as a legendary character. With his retirement, Chhetri brings an era characterised by record-breaking goal-scoring feats and unwavering devotion to the Indian national team to an end.