'Just 20 days & it will be gone': Sunil Chhetri announces retirement, announces date of last match

The seasoned Indian football player Sunil Chhetri is saying goodbye to the game after a legendary career defined by outstanding leadership, goal-scoring ability, and unflinching commitment. Being the Indian national team's all-time top goal scorer, Chhetri leaves a legacy that lasts for many generations. He has had a significant influence on Indian football, changing the game's landscape and encouraging a great number of new players. With his retirement, a chapter in Indian football history has come to a close.

 Sunil Chhetri declared on Thursday that he will be retiring from international football. The announcement would be official after India's June 6 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait. Through a video that was uploaded to his social media accounts, the captain of the national team announced his choice. India is currently in second position in Group A with four points, one point behind leaders Qatar. Kuwait, with three points, is in fourth position.  In a video posted on his official X account, Sunil Chhetri announced:

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.

Sunil Chhetri's remarkable career as the highest goal scorer in India's history culminates with 93 goals in 145 matches for the Indian national team. His exceptional contribution and unwavering consistency have left an indelible mark on Indian football, solidifying his status as a legendary figure in the nation's sporting history. Chhetri's retirement marks the conclusion of an era defined by unparalleled goal-scoring exploits and enduring commitment to the Indian national team.