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India are set to face a crucial test in their quest to qualify for the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 on Tuesday. However, there is an extra layer of significance added to the game against Afghanistan, as Sunil Chhetri is set to make his 150th appearance for the Blues.
Chhetri, who made his debut in 2005, needs no introduction in terms of his achievements for the Blue Tigers. There have been many changes in Indian football over the past two decades, but one man has remained through it all, serving as the cornerstone in every project.
On his milestone day, Chhetri sat down with the AIFF Media to talk about his journey. As humble and polite as he always is, the 39-year-old opened up about his path to the top and how he never imagined playing for the country, let alone featuring 150 times.
"It never occurred to me that I could play for the country one day. In fact, even a few days back, I was not aware that I was on the verge of such a record. When you pause and think about it, it’s an unbelievable feat. I feel very fortunate and highly privileged," Chhetri said.
"When I was playing the Subroto Cup in Delhi, I didn’t even think or dream that I would play for the country," he continued. "For example, a kid now playing the Subroto Cup will probably have much better ideas as to what he or she has to do to reach the national team. In my days, the path wasn’t clear, and hence I never dreamed of playing for the country, leave aside playing 150 games. "
Sunil Chhetri has scored in every subsequent 25th appearance for his country, and with his sixth one now on the horizon, there are high hopes that he will continue that record and end India’s five-game goalless drought.
When quizzed about this statistic, Chhetri revealed that he is unaware of it and believes that his focus will be fully on helping India win. He said:
"I wasn’t aware of this stat, and probably that’s why I scored in all those games. If you ask any player, they will not be thinking about such stats when playing a game. Even if they know these stats, the moment the kick-off whistle goes, they will forget about it."
Chhetri has experienced both highs and lows over the past 20 years, and after some reflection, he managed to recall his most challenging game with the Blue Tigers. He cited India’s encounter against Myanmar in 2013 during the Asian Cup 2015 qualifiers, where they suffered an unexpected 1-0 defeat, which, to this day, stands as their only loss to Myanmar.
"I think the Myanmar game back in 2013, in particular, where we lost 1-0, we didn’t turn up at all and everyone missed a lot of chances. With what was at stake is probably why I think it was one of the most difficult games. It’s not because of the opponents, not for any other reason, but we later realized what an opportunity we missed. If we had carried on, we could have played the Asian Cup in 2015," he added.
“I hope they have enjoyed the ride” - Sunil Chhetri’s message to supporters
Sunil Chhetri has flourished under the guidance of numerous coaches throughout his career, but he reserves special praise for Sukhwinder Singh, the coach who handed him with his debut for India.
The Bengaluru FC forward believes that the former Indian head coach played an instrumental role in his growth, effectively transitioning him to the person and the player he currently is.
“I wasn’t exactly the thing that a lot of people associate with me today. They call me ‘Captain Cool’, but I wasn’t always so cool and calm. I was quite mischievous and was quite haywire. I tried a lot of things on and off the pitch."
"I learned a lot as to what not to do as a player on the pitch, and Sukhi Sir has had a massive role in teaching me things. He allowed me to do the things that came naturally to me. He helped me understand what serious football is, and with the help of others who came later, he had a massive role in turning that little boy in me into a man."
The Indian skipper also conveyed a heartfelt message to supporters, reflecting on the significance of their support throughout his journey. Additionally, he had a special message to the younger generation, who have drawn inspiration from Sunil Chhetri’s memorable moments and aspire to carry on his legacy.
"I just hope that I can inspire young players to give their best and keep going. It‘s probably evident that if you keep working hard and try to do the right things, you can achieve a lot. For the ones who have supported me, have encouraged me, I want to convey my immense gratitude.
"You may think that how a person sitting in Uttar Pradesh or Andaman could make a difference for me, but every bit of support I receive counts. I hope they have enjoyed the ride. And the common thing between us all is that we all want to see Indian football do well," he concluded.
India are set to take on Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi Atheltic Stadium in Guwahati. The match will be broadcast on the Sports18 channel and live-streamed on JioCinema starting at 7:00 PM IST.
