Sunil Chhetri Retirement
With Indian captain Sunil Chhetri saying goodbye to football, a big chapter has come to an end. An emotional message of Sunil Chhetri came on social media for about 10 minutes in which he said, ‘Goodbye.” 39-year- old Sunil Chhetri had difficulties in taking this decision, for a time he kept assessing the moment when he would have to play one last match for the country.
Sachin Tendulkar, Sania Mirza, Leander peas, Rohan Bopanna and Sunil Chhetri are some of the names who have kept the Indian flag flying high in their respective sports across the world for more than two decades. 39 years of age is too much for any football player. But in the current era, imagining the Indian football team without Sunil Chhetri creates a fear in the minds of Indian fans. like the monologue of Nobel prize winning football Albert Camus’ book The Fall, Sunil Chhetri’s farewell statement also creates fear along with respect. This question comes up again and again that who will be able to replace Sunil Chhetri.
Sunil Chhetri received all the honors in Indian football. Chhetri won the Alff player of the Year award six times in his brilliant career. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Padam Shri in 2019 in the year 2021, he received the Khel Ratna Award and Sunil Chhetri was the first footballer to receive this honor.
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Sunil Chhetri is the goal machine of Indian football. 94 goals, 150 matches. Chhetri, who made his debut against Pakistan in 2005, is the fourth highest scorer of international goals 94. He is the third highest scorer among active players after Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei and Lionel Messi.
Indian Football Association president and former team goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey tells NDTV, ”Like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Chhetri’s departure form football will be missed by the game. He remained India’s star for two decades, inspired hundreds of children. Every sport needs a star to reach the heights and that sport has to be very good. Sunil Chhetri maintained his fitness till this age, he inspires the youth, and his departure is a loss not only for Indian football but for world of sports.” When asked who will replace him, he says, this is the philosophy of lift, that the show will go on, if one player leaves, another will come back with a lot of competition, and this is also a very good thing for sports.