Sunil Chhetri Announces Retirement From International Football

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri announced his decision to retire from international football. The 39-year-old football legend announced this shocking decision through a video he posted on his social media handles. Sunil Chhetri said that he will retire after India’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match against Kuwait on June 6 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. With Sunil Chhetri's retirement, an era in Indian football has come to an end. 

Sunil Chhetri, the all-time leading goal scorer for the Indian national team, made his debut in 2005. He has scored an impressive 94 goals in 150 international appearances for the national team during his glittering career spanning over two decades. Suni Chhetri was considered the driving force behind the growth of football in India. The national team captain ranks third to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the most international goals among active footballers.

For his significant contribution, Sunil Chhetri has been honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2011, the Padma Shri Award in 2019, and the Khel Ratna Award in 2021. Sunil Chhetri is the first footballer to win the Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting award. The centre-forward has also represented popular Indian clubs, including East Bengal (2008–2009), Dempo (2009–2010), Mumbai City FC (2015–2016), and Bengaluru FC.