Indebted to the sport, my team: Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri prepares for final international match with gratitude and determination, eyeing historic World Cup qualification for India.

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 a blessing that I’ve never taken for granted. So I’ve decided to count my sessions, but with a deep sense of gratitude. There’s no apprehension. Instead, there’s a feeling of being indebted to the sport, to my team, that I get to do this.