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Sunil Chhetri is worshipped for his contributions towards Indian Football. Rightfully so, he has done plenty of homework with pure hard work, perseverance, and passion to get up there by shattering plenty of records over the last decade.
Despite an early exit in the AFC Asian Cup 2019, his subsidy to his national team cannot be brought into the question.
After managing to secure qualification to the tournament after eight years, the Blue Tigers kick-started in a dramatic fashion by thumping Thailand 4-1, but consecutive defeats to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain ended the campaign for India.
The Indian International has been one of the few gifted players in Asia who has the capability to compete in some of Europe's top leagues. Despite playing for more than two clubs in India, he is loved everywhere across his nation.
He has made that kind of an impact to everybody associated with the national team and the fans who have sung his name on numerous occasions.
When nation needed one player to rise to the occasion, Sunil Chhetri did exactly that to turn the attention towards the Indian football. Here is his interview asking for maximum support.
"Encourage us, watch us, abuse us, criticise us, talk about the game, go back home and have discussions, make banners but please get involved. This is a very important time and juncture in Indian football and football in India needs you guys. So here am requesting you - come and support us."
People like Sunil Chhetri will not come often. In this article, we shall look at three reasons why he could go down as India's greatest footballer ever.
#3 Most Number of Appearances for India
Upon his appearance against Bahrain in the AFC Asian Cup, Chhetri was on level with Bhaichung Bhutia with the number of appearances with 107.
Having played for India in different age groups, Sunil Chhetri's debut for the senior team did not come too far. The striker made his debut against Pakistan and scored in the game to get a name for himself in the starting eleven.
He has featured for India in Nehru Cup twice, AFC Asian Cup twice and the SAFF Champions once during his extraordinary fun-filled career till date.
#2 Most Number of Goals for India
There are very few players who have scored as much as Sunil Chhetri has scored for India throughout the world.
Currently, the striker is the second highest active scorer in the world with 67 goals for his nation.
Thirteen years ago, he opened his scoring for India by finding the back of the net against Pakistan in a friendly. During his debut appearance in the Nehru Cup, he scored twice against Cambodia to win the game comprehensively as the scoreline read 6-0.
He scored in the SAFF Champions League semi-finals against Bhutan but fell short to the Maldives in the final game to end up as runners-up.
With a hattrick in the finals in the AFC Challengers Cup and lifting the accolade, it enabled India to take part in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
To go down as the top scorer for one's nation would have been a child's dream. His hard work and perseverance have taken him to this level.
#1 Demanding fans to come to the stadium
"Football without fans is nothing"
There were plenty of empty seats when Sunil Chhetri scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Chinese Taipei in the Intercontinental Cup at Mumbai.
Seeing that agony, India's Skipper demanded every Indian fan to come to the stadium and back the Blue Tigers via social media.
In the video he said, Today I am not making a video for you guys. I am gonna speak and appeal to all of you who did not come.
To everyone who is not a football fan, please come and watch us for two reasons. No. 1 – it’s the best game in the world and No. 2 – we play for our country. We will make sure that once you come to watch us, you will not return the same person back home.
“To all of you who are fans of big European clubs and support European clubs with so much passion, thinking that the level is not the same. Agreed, the level is not the same, it is not even close. But with our desire and determination, we will make sure to make your time worth. To all of you who have lost hope, I request you to come and watch us in the stadiums."
“To all of you fans that could not come or did not come due to delay, work and school, please come and watch us in the stadiums. You guys have no idea how important you are and your support is. So today I am requesting all of you to come to support us on 4th, 7th and hopefully 10th June when we are playing in Mumbai. Encourage us, watch us, abuse us, criticise us, talk about the game, go back home and have discussions, make banners but please get involved.”
“This is a very important time and juncture in Indian football and football in India needs you guys. So here am requesting you - come and support us, in Mumbai and wherever we play. Jai Hind.”
The very next day he requested the fans in and around the city to come and support the national team through social media.
Succeedingly, the result paid off as India beat the opponents Kenya 3-0 at the same venue. After the game, there was a rendition of the Viking Clap as Sunil Chhetri and every other member of the team went around the ground to acknowledge the spectators.
That sentence certainly did not go for a toss.
For regular football watchers and the people who follow Indian football keenly, that day would have been one of the best in their history as the Blues booked their ticket to the AFC Asian Cup to UAE.
This has prompted plenty of fans to follow the nation's football with severe interest, and eventually, some fans even made their way to the United Arab Emirates to watch the team play live. It was a disappointment, but this day will not be forgotten easily.
