Following Sunil Chhetri play his farewell international match on Thursday will be heartbreaking for Indian football fans. The 39-year-old will be ending a career that spanned 20 years and was full of memorable events, placing him among the top goal scorers in history.
With 94 goals for his nation, the Indian football hero trails behind Lionel Messi, former Iran player Ali Daei, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Having played in 150 games, he holds the record for most caps for India. In a FIFA World Cup qualifier at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Chhetri will play his final game for the Blue Tigers against Kuwait. Igor Stimac, the head coach of India, had a unique gift in store for his star player ahead of the match. He unveiled a video in which Real Madrid star Luka Modric expressed his best wishes.
"Hello Sunil, I just want to say hello and wish you all the best in your last game for the national team," the midfield veteran exclaimed, praising the Bengaluru FC striker. "To your teammates, I hope you make his final game memorable and unique. Congratulations on your career. You are a legend in this game. I hope you succeed and your captain wins. From Croatia, all the very best and best respects," he continued.
Additionally, Stimac praised his compatriot, stating, "Luka, thank you. We'll exert every effort to uphold the honor of our nation and our leader." Among his many accolades are the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, which he won in 2019, as well as the Arjuna Award in 2011. He became the first football player to get the nation's top athletic distinction, the Khel Ratna Award, in 2021.
At the moment, India is ranked second in Group A during the second qualifying round. They have four points from four games, which puts them above of Afghanistan in third place on goal differential. Qatar leads with twelve points, while Kuwait is in fourth place with three.
