Indian captain Sunil Chhetri has retired from football. 39-year-old Chhetri played the last international match of his career against Kuwait, which ended in a goalless draw. Chhetri came out of Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium crying with folded hands. Here the players of both the teams stood up and honored him. This draw has dealt a blow to India's hopes of reaching the third round of the FIFA qualifiers. Team India has to play its next match against Qatar.
Chhetri is third in the list of active footballers in the world who have scored the most goals in international football. He has scored 94 goals in a career spanning 19 years. The Indian captain could not score in his last match. After this, the stadium echoed with the slogans of Chhetri-Chhetri. During the initial farewell after the match, the Indian and Kuwaiti players stood up and applauded.
Chhetri has scored 94 goals for the Indian team. He is the active player with the highest number of international goals after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. In the last 19 years, Sunil Chhetri started his professional football career with Mohan Bagan in the year 2002. Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata is the home ground of Mohan Bagan.
The footballing hopes of a country once called the 'sleeping giant' of world football have risen. With 94 goals in 150 matches and a dozen trophies, the Indian captain has been the GOAT of Indian football.