Sunil Chhetri, Who Announced Retirement Last Year, Back In National Team

Legendary striker Sunil Chhetri will make a surprising return to the national team, confirmed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday. Sources close to the development to NDTV that he will feature as a player during March’s international window. Last year, Chhetri announced his retirement from the Indian national team. His last game for the country was against Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on June 6.

India are scheduled to play Maldives in a friendly on March 19, before squaring off against Bangladesh in an AFC Asian Cup third round fixture on March 25. The Blue Tigers will play both the matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, Meghalaya.

“Sunil Chhetri is back! The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March,” AIFF confirmed on X on Thursday.

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The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March.#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/vzSQo0Ctez

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 6, 2025

Chhetri, who is the third in the all-time list of international goalscorers after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, is considered one of the best footballers India has ever produced. The stalwart Indian footballer made his international debut and scored his first goal for the Indian National Team in 2005 against the arch-rivals Pakistan in Quetta.

Chhetri kicked off his professional football journey at Mohun Bagan in 2002. Chhetri helped India win the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, as well as the 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023 SAFF Championship. He also led India to victory in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which helped India qualify for its first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.

Chhetri received the Arjuna Award in 2011, and the Padma Shri in 2019. In 2021, he became the first footballer to get the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour.

In a career that spanned over 19 years, the Arjuna Award winner has 94 goals in 150 matches on the international stage. Interestingly, Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri is fourth overall in the all-time international goal scorers’ list. Chhetri played a major role in India’s footballing fortunes in the last decade, earning legendary status in the nation’s sporting history.

(With ANI Inputs)