Kolkata: Sunil Chhetri has agreed to Manolo Marquez’s request and determined to return out of worldwide retirement. The previous India captain might be accessible for the pleasant towards Maldives and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier towards Bangladesh later this month.
Sunil Chhetri will play the pleasant towards Maldives and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier towards Bangladesh later this month. (Getty Pictures)
“The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March,” the nationwide group posted on social media late on Thursday.
“Maybe all goodbyes are just an, “’I’ll see you soon in disguise’,” Chettri’s membership Bengaluru FC posted in X. It was reposted by the nationwide group’s deal with.
No additional particulars had been supplied. Chhetri didn’t return calls looking for a response or reply to textual content messages from HT.
Quickly after the announcement on social media, All India Soccer Federation (AIFF) mentioned head coach Marquez has included Chhetri within the 26-player squad for the matches later this month. India play Maldives on February 19 and Bangladesh on March 25. Each matches might be in Shillong.
“The qualification for the Asian Cup is very crucial for us. Given the importance of the tournament and the matches ahead, I discussed with Sunil Chhetri about making a comeback to strengthen the National Team. He agreed, and so we have included him in the squad,” Marquez was quoted as saying in AIFF’s media launch.
Within the on-going Indian Tremendous League (ISL), Chhetri has scored 12 targets and made two assists. ISL11 has been his most efficient season since 2017-18 when he had 14 targets and two assists.
Chhetri, 40, had retired from taking part in for India after the 2027 Asian Cup and 2026 World Cup qualifier towards Kuwait right here on June 6. India completed the match at a packed Salt Lake stadium 0-0. It meant Chhetri had ended with 94 targets in 151 internationals following a profession that started towards Pakistan in 2005.
It put him third amongst lively gamers on the worldwide goalscorers’ record behind Cristiano Ronaldo (135 targets) and Lionel Messi (112). And fourth total with Ali Daei (108).
Chhetri’s final purpose was from a penalty towards Afghanistan which India misplaced 1-2 at house in March 2024. With that strike he had achieved the distinctive distinction of scoring in his first, twenty fifth, fiftieth, seventy fifth, one hundredth, a hundred and twenty fifth and one hundred and fiftieth worldwide matches.
“The mind tells me, “you did the right thing” however the child in me says “one more game, one more camp.” That could be a combat I’ve at the very least as soon as a day,” Chhetri had advised HT in an interview on Might 16, 2024, the day he had introduced his retirement.
Chhetri has been India’s go-to participant for targets for lengthy, the issue turning into extra acute after Jeje Lalpekhlua’s profession was derailed by damage in 2019. India performed 5 matches after Chettri’s retirement and scored three targets. They ended 2024 and not using a win in 11 matches, a primary in 10 years.