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BCCI Reacts to Sunil Chhetri Retirement Announcement

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Raj Chouhan Rb

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri has announced his retirement from international football. He told that he will play his last match against Kuwait on June 6, 2024. Chhetri released this information in a video on his social media account.

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Sunil Chhetri Retires

Indian football team's star player and captain Sunil Chhetri has announced his retirement from international football. After the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait, he will say goodbye to international football forever. Sunil Chhetri on Thursday (May 16) announced that he will retire from international football after the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Kuwait on June 6. 39 year old Chhetri started his career in 2005. Chhetri played his 150th match for India in March against Afghanistan in Guwahati. He also scored a goal in that match, although India lost that match 1-2.

Chhetri announced his retirement through a video message posted on social media platform X. Striker Sunil Chhetri has led India to victory in many important matches. Chhetri has so far scored 94 goals in 150 matches for India. His goal average per match is 0.63. This goal average is better than that of Cristiano Ronaldo (0.62) and Lionel Messi (0.59). Ronaldo has scored 118 goals in 206 matches. Messi had to play 180 matches to score 106 goals.

Sunil told about his decision to take retirement in a video of about 9 minutes 51 seconds. Sunil wrote in this video shared on X that I want to tell you something.

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Sunil Chhetri becomes emotional in retirement video

Chhetri looked emotional in his retirement video, during which he remembered his debut match. During this time he remembered Sukhi Sir, who was his first national team coach. Chhetri said that he had told him during the first match that now you can start.

Sunil Chhetri informed about his retirement by posting on his social media account on Thursday. He said, 'There is a day which I can never forget. I often remember the first time I played for my country. It was incredible. My first coach of the national team, Sukhi sir, came to me one morning and said – Are you going to start your career today? I can't explain how I was feeling at that time. I took my jersey and sprayed some perfume on it… I don't know why I did that.'

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BCCI responded to Sunil Chhetri's retirement video

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tweeted about Sunil Chhetri's decision to retire from international football. "Your career has been nothing short of extraordinary and you have been a phenomenal icon for Indian football and Indian sports," the board wrote.

The first match was played against Pakistan

Sunil Chhetri made his international debut on 12 June 2005. He played his first match against Pakistan. He also scored his first international goal in this match itself.

Sunil Chhetri made his international debut on 12 June 2005. He played his first match against Pakistan. He also scored his first international goal in this match itself. Chhetri won the AIFF Player of the Year Award on six occasions in his illustrious career. Apart from this, he was awarded Arjuna Award in 2011 and Padma Shri in 2019.

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Indian team has to play two important matches

Team India was recently announced for the second phase matches of preliminary joint qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 against Kuwait and Qatar. The Indian team will face Qatar in Doha on June 11 after playing its last two matches of Group A against Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6. India are second in the group table with four points from four matches. The top two teams in the group will qualify for the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and book their place at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.

Sunil Chhetri Performance History

Sunil Chhetri Performance History

Sunil Chhetri is among the top-5 footballers who have scored the most goals in international football matches. The world record for scoring the most goals is in the name of Cristiano Ronaldo, 128. Iran's Ali Daei (108) is at second place and Lionel Messi (106) is at third place. After these three is Sunil Chhetri. Malaysia's Muktar Dehari (89) is at fifth position.

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Sunil Chhetri