Captain Fantastic!
It’s time to salute and thank Sunil Chhetri for all the joy he has brought us over the years and wish him well for the future.
India’s long-serving football star Sunil Chhetri has decided to end his outstanding stint with the Indian national football team.
Sunil is possibly India’s greatest football player and has for long been the sole star of Indian football. He has made 150 appearances for the national team and scored the most number of goals for India (94).
While football success for the national team has been limited to the regional level, over the last few years, India has been making steady progress in qualifying for the Asian Cup and trying to break into Asia’s elite, but the team is still far away as was seen at this year’s Asian Cup.
But India’s Captain Fantastic has been the shining light for India, with his goals and outstanding leadership skills, sometimes single-handedly winning games for India, guiding his teammates, and leading from the front.
His lion-hearted performances for the national team have put him only behind the legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the goal-scoring charts for currently active players. This is a stupendous achievement for someone from a low-ranked footballing nation.
Image source: Facebook
Sunil started off his long and illustrious journey with Mohun Bagan, followed by JCT Mills and East Bengal in the old National Football League, winning many laurels with the three most successful teams of the earlier era.
He then decided to try his hand abroad, just like India’s previous top footballer Bhaichung Bhutia. He went to Sporting Kansas City in America’s Major League Soccer, but a change in the coaching set-up meant he was not in their plans, and he came back to India. He once again tried his luck in Europe with Sporting Lisbon, but the level seemed too high.
‘To leave the world better than I found it’: Sunil Chhetri on football, life and more
Eventually, Sunil decided to sign up for India’s foremost professional club Bengaluru FC. At Bengaluru, he found his home and led the club to I-League and ISL (Indian Super League) success, thus gaining legendary status at the club. Sunil has been a proven goal scorer in ISL, holding his own among the many top international players who have graced the stage over the years.
His departure from the national team will no doubt be a colossal loss to the team. Now it’s up to the young guns Vijay Pratap Singh, Liston Colaco, and Manvir Singh to step up and take on the daunting challenge of replacing Sunil and get the goals for India.
Sunil's journey in Indian football has won him many awards and trophies in his playing career but he still has a lot to offer to Indian football. His great footballing acumen will be invaluable for India’s development in the future, and hopefully he will be well utilised by the powers that be in Indian football.
(The author is a football intermediary, a certified coach, a talent scout, and a keen follower of the beautiful game.)
Edited by Swetha Kannan
