look news india
Kolkata, June 7 (HS). An emotional Sunil Chhetri, India's brightest star, was not seen in the post-game press conference after their last match against Kuwait on Thursday night. The Indian captain managed to bid farewell for the last time in a style that only he could do, which was full of class.
Sunil Chhetri gave his last message to the media through a letter.
In his letter to the media, he wrote, “Over the past 19 years, I have had the opportunity to interact with many of you on many occasions. There have been times when I have had to speak much less than I would have liked and there have been times when I have answered your questions with long monologues.”
“There were some frustrating answers, some that were non-committal much to your annoyance and then the press conference that ended in a hurry. But despite all this, I want to believe that I have always been honest with you. And I have always chosen to interact with you, even if it meant I had to risk being in the headlines for reasons I didn’t like,” Chhetri wrote in his letter.
Despite the disappointment of a goalless draw between India and Kuwait, Chhetri got the send-off he deserved, with the Salt Lake crowd applauding and paying tribute to the man who changed Indian football. He received a guard of honour from his teammates amid thunderous applause from fans in the stadium, following which the No. 11 was left in tears before he exited the pitch.
He said, “I want to thank you through this letter and this opportunity – thank you for the role you have played in telling my story. Thank you for the love and appreciation you have shown me through your prose and photographs. But most importantly, thank you for the times when you have honestly assessed the way I play or present myself.”
The match against Kuwait was the 151st and final match of the 39-year-old's illustrious national career and will always be remembered fondly.
Concluding his letter, he wrote, “You had and always will have the best seats in the house. I just hope that over these 19 years, I have made that experience a little more special. Maybe I will join you in your dugout for a game or two. Leaving with gratitude, Sunil Chhetri.”
