Page 2 - Sunil Chhetri

You are legend of football, Croatia's Luka Modric hails Sunil Chhetri

Croatia captain and Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric hailed India skipper Sunil Chhetri, who is set to bring curtains to his stellar career with a match against Kuwait here on Thursday, as a legend of the game' while urging his teammates to make his final game unforgettable'. Chhetri will make his final appearance for India on the international stage when he takes the field in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying clash against Kuwait to be played here at the Salt Lake Stadium. In a video message shared by Indian team's coach Igor Stimac, Modric said, Hi Sunil, I just want to say hello and wish you all the best in your last game for the national team. Congratulations on your career, you are a legend of this game and to your teammates, I hope you make his last game special and unforgettable, said Modric, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. Good luck and win for your captain. All the best and best regards from Croatia, said Modric who finished runner-up in the 2018 World Cup and grabbed the bronze

City Club to club football's Citadel: Making of the legend Sunil Chhetri

Playing for the City Club in Delhi at 18, Chhetri scored in one of the four games in the Durand Cup 2001-02 and made it to the top five promising players of the tournament

Here's how legend Sunil Chhetri shaped Indian football for the future

The tidal shift in the football fandom of the national team can be credited to one man in particular and that is Sunil Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri's dedication, ability to evolve set him apart: Rahim Nabi

Former India midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi on Thursday heaped praise on Sunil Chhetri, who is retiring from the international game after Thursday's World Cup qualifying round match against Kuwait, saying the records set by the iconic footballer will be difficult to surpass. He, however, hoped that someone in future will fill the boots of Chhetri. "The records that he (Chhetri) has set, surpassing that will be very difficult," Nabi told PTI at the East Bengal club ground a few hours before the all important match at Salt Lake Stadium. "Bhaichung (Bhutia) filled the boots of the great IM Vijayan, Sunil filled Bhaichung's boots, someone will fill his (Chhetri's) boots but what he has done," said Nabi, who had played many matches together with Chhetri in the national team. He complimented Chhetri for his longevity and said that the ace striker was always able to adapt and evolve. Nabi, who played in more than 60 matches for India between 2004 and 2013, said it was a matter of pride that

IND vs KUW: Chhangte 'ready' to step up as next No. 9 in post Chhetri era

Talented winger Lallianzuala Chhangte "would not mind" stepping up as the next number 9 of the Indian football team, after talismanic forward Sunil Chhetri's illustrious career comes to an end here on June 6. Chhetri, who has been a pivotal figure of Indian football for 19 years, is set to make his final appearance in the World Cup qualifier against Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium here on June 6. "Of course, I won't mind if the team wishes for me to play in the center," the 27-year-old Chhangte, who plays for Indian Super League final winning side Mumbai FC, said during a media interaction hereon Thursday . "My height and attributes are suited for a proper number 9. Ultimately, it's God's decision, but I would not mind if the country needs me in that role. "Everyone is sad. But looking at all his achievements, we are happy for him as well. We will miss him a lot in the dressing room and what he has done for the country. I hope someone will take responsibility," added Chhangte, who

Indebted to the sport, my team: Sunil Chhetri emotional ahead of farewell

Approaching his international retirement, Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri on Wednesday said he remains indebted to his teammates, and the sport, for helping him become one of the country's greatest players. The Indian team arrived in the city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait on June 6, which will be the 39-year-old Chhetri's final outing in the blue jersey. All eyes were on the goal-machine as the players exited the airport. "These last few days, I've been caught in a bit of a dilemma. Now that there's a number to my days with the national team, what's the right route to take - do I count every day, every training session? Or do I simply turn up without the thought of how this is coming to an end?," said Chhetri. Chhetri, who has scored 94 goals from 150 international appearances, said he is counting his blessings every day. "Over time, I seemed to have found middle ground. They say, count your blessings. And every single day I get to be on the pitch is

FIFA WC qualifier: Impt for all of us, especially Sunil bhai, says Thapa

Central midfielder Anirudh Thapa knows that a win for India in their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait will be massive for the country's football landscape and he is confident of putting the best foot forward. The game, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, will also mark the legendary Sunil Chhetri's farewell from international football after a glorious 19-year career. "It is an important match for all of us, and especially for Sunil bhai. We need to make sure that we qualify for the third round because that would be huge for Indian football and the fans," Thapa told the All India Football Federation's website. "We're playing at the Salt Lake and the stadium will be fully packed. We all know how crazy the fans are and how much they love football there. We will give our best for the nation. We need to be at our best to get those three points," he added. India, who need to win their last two matches in the qualifiers against Kuwait (home) on June 6 and Qatar (away) on

Sunil Chhetri farewell game: How to book tickets for IND vs KUW match?

Even with a seating capacity of nearly 85,000, it is getting difficult for people to get hold of their tickets. Here's a stepwise guide on how to book them on BookMyShow

'The match against Kuwait is my last': Sunil Chhetri announces retirement

Sunil Chhetri ranks third among active players in the list of international goal scorers, trailing behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

Sunil Chhetri, Indian football's brightest spot, to hang up his boots

The icon has announced his retirement; game against Kuwait on June 6 will be his last

All about Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri

On May 16, Sunil Chhetri announced his decision to retire from international football on June 6. In a video posted on X, Chhetri said India’s World Cup qualification match against Kuwait next month w

AFC Asian Cup: Sunil Chhetri targets Uzbekistan tie to get important points

Talismanic Indian forward Sunil Chhetri has urged his teammates to look forward and focus on the match against Uzbekistan after the 0-2 loss to heavyweights Australia in their AFC Asian Cup opener. The Blue Tigers put up a gritty show to hold the Asian giants for a goalless stalemate in the first-half. But Australia, who were the World Cup 2022 pre-quarterfinalists, demonstrated their superiority with goals from Craig Irwine (50') and substitute Jordan Bos (73'). "There are pros and cons to this game. It's not easy to play the best team in Asia," Chhetri said in AIFF website. "We are not used to playing sides like these, as we don't play against them very often, so you never know what to expect." The Indian skipper, who began his career in 2005, failed to add to his tally of 93 goals but he said the focus is now on their match against Uzbekistan on January 18. It's a mixed bag of feelings right now. Once we watch the videos, perhaps we will gain more confidence and work on the th

Asian Cup Football 2024: Australia, Uzbekistan miles ahead admits Chhetri

Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri has no qualms in admitting that India's group opponents Australia and Uzbekistan are notches above his side in quality but playing against them in the upcoming Asian Cup will be a marker to test the country's level of the game. Drawn in Group B in the continental showpiece, India face Australia on January 13, before taking on Uzbekistan (January 18) and Syria (January 23). The top two teams from each group along with four best third-place sides from across six groups progress to the knockout stage. It's a massive tournament for us, purely because we get to rub shoulders with the best in Asia. Teams like Australia and Uzbekistan are probably of the World Cup level, so you can test yourself against them, Chhetri said. What is sure is that we have improved in the last seven-eight years. But then you play them and you see how far you are, and how the tempo of the game is. It's just important to play your best, and generally it's a good marker for the ...

Asian Cup football 2023: India announce 26-member squad, Chhetri to lead

India will start their campaign on Saturday, January 13 against Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan

We are at right stage: Chhetri ahead of India's FIFA WC qualifier match

The 39-year-old footballer also accepted that they are in a strong group in the World Cup qualifiers

We need to play as cohesive unit against Saudi Arabia, says Sunil Chhetri

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri feels they will have to play as a "cohesive unit" if they are to challenge the mighty Saudi Arabia in their round of 16 match at the Asian Games here on Thursday. Chhetri is aware of the problems India is facing during their current campaign in Hangzhou. He is also conscious of India's dismal track record against Saudi Arabia and the strength of the West Asian side. He believes that if India can stick to the right strategies and his young teammates continue to play as a cohesive unit as they did in the three earlier outings, then the pre-quarter-final battle could be a tantalising one. "We were shown a lot of clips from the Saudi games by our coach, not only the ones that they played here but also a few of their matches from the recent past. He spoke about different ways in which we go out and apply ourselves. "On the face value, they are a very good side with a lot of good, decent players, who are good with the ball...a lot of quality in

Asian Games 2023: Football coach Stimac lauds Sunil Chhetri and Jhingan

Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac has lauded senior players Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan for "brilliantly" guiding the younger team-mates after the side qualified for the round of 16 in Asian Games despite a controversial build-up. A rag-tag team with just Chhetri and Jhingan as notable names was assembled in the eleventh hour after the Indian Super League clubs refused to release their players named in the original squad. The team reached Hangzhou just hours before the first group match was to be played. The team lost 1-5 to China after playing the match without a single training session. The strategy sessions were held in flight and on transit. A 1-0 win over Bangladesh and a 1-1 draw against Myanmar took the team to knockouts as group runners-up, and they will face mighty Saudi Arabia in their round of 16 match on Thursday. "We qualified for the knockouts round despite all the problems. I am very proud of the boys especially for Sunil and Sandesh. They led these .

King's Cup: Indian football team face tough Iraq test sans Sunil Chhetri

India will sorely miss their talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri as they return to action after two months against higher-ranked Iraq in the four-team King's Cup, here on Thursday. Chhetri, who played a key role in India's title triumph in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship, has taken a break to spend time with his wife following the birth of their son. The Igor Stimac-coached side returns to action on the back of winning a hat-trick of titles that also include the Tri-Nation tournament in Imphal in March. Ranked 29 places above India in the FIFA rankings, Iraq, who recently won the Arabian Gulf Cup, will start as firm favourites in the four-nation tournament where the winners of the two round robin matches play the final. In the other match, hosts Thailand will take on Lebanon later in the day. The two losing teams will fight for the bronze medal before Sunday's final. That India are yet to defeat Iraq in six matches (four losses, two draws) make this all the more diffic

Chhetri wants to face Iran, Japan; backs Stimac's 4-week Asian Cup camp

Indian captain Sunil Chhetri on Sunday backed head coach Igor Stimac's demand for a four-week camp before the Asian Cup early next year, saying the team needs to have enough preparation time to face the best sides in the continent. The 38-year-old Chhetri, who will be playing his last Asian Cup in Doha (January 12 to February 10), also pitched for at least one international friendly match against a top-seven ranked country in Asia such as Iran, Japan or Saudi Arabia before the continental showpiece. "We are going to face Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria in the Asian Cup (group matches), that is why Stimac (as well as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu) have spoken about long camps. We need it, and I really hope we get it," Chhetri said in a virtual media interaction. "When you go to the national camp, there are injuries to players and they come with different mental levels from their respective clubs. You need to take care of all these, and to do that, you need more time," he said, ...

This team fights, no matter where and against which team: Sunil Chhetri

Inspirational Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Thursday attributed the country's SAFF Championships triumph to the fighting spirit of the team while also lauding the support of the home fans. India fought hard against two strong West Asian countries in Lebanon and Kuwait to beat them in penalty shootouts in the semifinal and final respectively and lift the title for the ninth time at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The two teams were invited for the south Asian regional tournament to make it more competitive. "One thing I can tell you about this team is (that) we fight," Chhetri, who was named the most valuable player of the tournament, said in a video uploaded on his Twitter handle. "No matter what, we fight. No matter where we are playing, we fight. And no matter who we are playing with, we fight. We always do that," said Chhetri, who turns 39 next month. Chhetri played all the 120 minutes in both the semifinal and the final. He scored in the penalty