The torchbearer of Indian football, Sunil Chhetri, announced his retirement in 2024, bidding farewell to a career that spanned over two decades. From a humble boy with dreams of representing India to becoming the country’s all-time highest scorer and one of its most revered football icons, Chhetri’s all-inclusive success is truly remarkable. Chhetri made his professional debut for Mohun Bagan in 2002, where he played until 2005, scoring eight goals in 18 matches. Though the early years were challenging, his talent quickly caught the attention of larger clubs across India. Over the years, Chhetri played for JCT (2005-08), East Bengal (2008-09), Dempo FC (2009-10), Chirag United (2011), Mohun Bagan (2011-12), Churchill Brothers (2013 on loan), Bengaluru FC (2013-15, 2016-present), and became a household name in Indian club football.

In total, Chhetri has scored 158 goals in 365 club appearances throughout his career. His international journey began in 2005, when he made his debut for India and scored his first goal. Chhetri’s career reached a high point in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, where his hat-trick against Tajikistan secured India’s qualification for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and propelled his rise to fame.

Chhetri also had stints abroad, playing for the USA’s Major League Soccer club Kansas City Wizards in 2010 and Portuguese club Sporting CP in 2012-13. These experiences helped refine his game and made him a more versatile striker.

As the captain of the Indian national team, Chhetri’s leadership skills shone brightly. Under his captaincy, India experienced what is now regarded as the golden era of modern football in the country, winning multiple SAFF Championships and Intercontinental Cups. One of his defining moments came during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup, where he used social media to appeal for greater fan support, successfully bringing thousands to the stadium and boosting interest in Indian football.

Chhetri has scored 94 goals in 150 international matches, making him the fourth-highest scorer in international football. He is only behind legends like Lionel Messi (106 goals in 180 matches) and Cristiano Ronaldo (128 goals in 205 matches).In his club career, Chhetri won numerous accolades, including the I-League (2009-10 with Dempo and 2012-13 with Churchill Brothers), as well as multiple titles with Bengaluru FC, including the I-League (2013-14, 2015-16), Indian Super League (2018-19), Federation Cup (2014-15, 2016-17), Super Cup (2018), and Durand Cup (2022).

Chhetri has also been honoured with the prestigious All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year title seven times (2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018-19, 2021-22) and the FPAI Indian Player of the Year award three times (2009, 2018, 2019). He has received the Arjuna Award (2011) and the Khel Ratna Award (2021), India’s highest sporting honor. Under his leadership, India reached the top 100 in the FIFA rankings for the first time in 2023 since 2018, and Chhetri’s dream of seeing India compete in the FIFA World Cup inspired millions of fans.

Chhetri’s journey is not just that of a football star but also an inspiration for the next generation, proving what can be achieved with relentless dedication and hard work.

Eleven matches. Six defeats and five draws. Four goals scored and 15 conceded. As far as results are concerned, 2024 was arguably the worst year ever for the Indian men’s football team. It was a year that started with hopes of a strong campaign at the AFC Asian Cup. However, with some disastrous results and the controversial departure of head coach Igor Stimac, it was anything but an easy journey. Manolo Marquez taking over the reins midway but he had a tough task with the team missing their talisman Sunil Chhetri who bid farewell to the game after an illustrious career. The final half of the year saw some new faces make their presence felt for the side but sadly, the team still ended the year without a single victory.

The AFC Asian Cup campaign saw India facing tough opponents in Australia, Syria and Uzbekistan. India were unable to score even a single goal in the entire competition with just five shots on target in the three group stage matches. They were out of the group stages after conceding six goals.

It was the beginning of India’s misery as they slumped to a shocking 1-2 loss against Afghanistan at home in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match. Chhetri did find the back of the net but they were made to suffer for their missed chances as both experts and fans were left stunned by the result.

A draw against Kuwait gave some hope for qualification to the third round of World Cup qualifiers but the dreams were shattered following a controversial 1-2 loss against Qatar. The game saw India produce some good football but a horrible error by the referee spelt the end of their chances of advancing.

Following the loss against Qatar, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) decided to terminate Igor Stimac’s contract as the head coach. However, controversy ensued once again as Stimac was left fuming by the decision and he launched a scathing attack on AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey. There were allegations made on both side and it ended with a $400,000 (approximately Rs 3.36 crore) compensation for Stimac as his contract was ended early by the AIFF due to the disappointing results.

Manolo Marquez was appointed the head coach of the side and he had the tough job of reconstructing a side low on confidence and missing their star striker. Chhetri announced that he will play his final game against Kuwait and his emotional farewell left a huge gap in the Indian attack. The national side has been struggling to find a proper replacement for Chhetri and his departure left Marquez in a spot of bother.

The four matches under Marquez saw in-form players making the cut and the team leaning a lot on making use of the wingers in attack. Marquez’s first assignment was the Intercontinental Cup where they drew their first match against Maldives but were defeated 0-3 by Syria in the following match.

While the football on display was quite attractive due to the focus on midfield and more sharpness in set-pieces, the lack of goals was quite evident. The last two matches of the year saw India playing out draws against Vietnam and Malaysia with the team scoring just twice in the two matches. There were as many as four strikers used in those two matches but they did not come close to replicating Chhetri’s prowess.

While India have not won a single game under Marquez’s coaching yet, they have been successful in drawing three of the four matches. The fast-paced attacking football has already found a few admirers among the fans but it is still a long road ahead for the side. The first challenge of 2025 for the side will be to register their first win in over a year and finally attempt to solve the striker conundrum. However, it is a new era under Manolo Marquez and for the time being, it does come with new hope for the national side.

Former India footballer Sunil Chhetri showered praise on talisman cricketer Virat Kohli and said that he’s genuinely a nice guy and can crack anyone up. Chhetri and Kohli have a special and endearing relationship. Being two of the most prominent athletes in India, they have bonded by their extraordinary levels of fitness and love for both their nation and their respective sports. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chhetri lauded Kohli and said that it’s very rare nowadays to find someone like the Indian batter.

“Yeah, these are similarities. And I like him. He’s genuinely somebody who’s a nice guy. It’s very rare nowadays to find someone who’s genuinely nice. He’s utterly funny. He can crack anyone up,” Chhetri said.

The 40-year-old added that Kohli has a distinctly different personality when he is on the pitch. Chhetri also praised Kohli’s longevity and the batter’s run in between the wickets.

“When you see him on the pitch, on the ground, you see a distinctly different personality as compared to others. Look at his longevity. Look at the way he runs between the wickets. Look at the way he applies himself. Talent is one thing, but if he doesn’t take care of himself, which he does tremendously well, he will not be able to do what he’s doing. I mean, when did you see him last not giving his best or not being fit? Making runs and not making runs is a different part,” he added.

The former India footballer added that he and Kohli bonded well because of the other things they talk about apart from sports.

“We are always respectful with each other. Him and me, we bonded more because of the reasons that we talked about. But whenever I meet different sports personalities, the common bond is always there that we play sports, we play for the country. But it’s not very often that we keep in touch. But me and Virat do because of other things that we talked about,” he further added.

Earlier in 2024, Chhetri announced his retirement from the Indian National Team. His last game for the country was against Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on June 6.

Sunil Chhetri kicked off his professional football journey at Mohun Bagan in 2002. Chhetri helped India win the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, as well as the 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023 SAFF Championship. He also led India to victory in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which helped India qualify for its first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.

Chhetri received the Arjuna Award in 2011, and the Padma Shri in 2019. In 2021, he became the first footballer to get the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour.

In a career that spanned over 19 years, the Arjuna Award winner has 94 goals in 150 matches on the international stage. Interestingly, Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri is fourth overall in the all-time international goal scorers’ list. Chhetri played a major role in India’s footballing fortunes in the last decade, earning legendary status in the nation’s sporting history.

The legendary Chhetri etched his name in the Indian Super League (ISL) record books on Saturday, becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the league’s history as he powered Bengaluru FC to a commanding 4-2 victory over Kerala Blasters. At 40 years and 126 days, Chhetri became the oldest hat-trick scorer in the ISL history, surpassing Bartholomew Ogbeche who did it for Hyderabad FC against FC Goa at 38 years and 96 days old in January 2023. The former India captain, who retired from international football earlier this year, struck in the 8th, 73rd and 90 8 minutes, while Ryan Williams scored the other goal for the Blues in the 38th minute.

Jesus Jimenez (56th) and Freddy Lallawmawma (67th) were the goal scorers for Kerala Blasters.

Bengaluru FC were clinical in converting the limited opportunities that they created, as four of their five shots on target resulted in goals.

The duo of Chhetri and Williams were critical in helping the Blues take a 2-0 advantage in the first-half of the game.

The home side were pressing forward from the onset, exploring a host of opportunities to find the back of the net.

Williams was central in that endeavour, driving to the flank with the ball before lobbing in a precise cross for Chhetri in the eighth minute. The striker timed his run to perfection and thundered in the assist to break the deadlock.

From provider, Williams turned the scorer in the 38th minute. Operating in the final third, Williams received a pass from Edgar Mendez at the edge of the box on the right side. Instead of playing a short pass forward, Williams curled in an excellent shot into the top left corner to add another goal to his side’s tally.

Kerala Blasters entered the second half of the match with arguably greater intensity, taking the game to the opposition.

Noah Sadaoui played a key role in that, setting up an assist for Jesus Jimenez in the 56th minute. Jimenez’s left footed effort found its way into the centre of the goal to cut the deficit.

With momentum swaying in their favour, Kerala Blasters equalised in the 67th minute. Freddy Lallawmawma’s exceptional aerial abilities came to the fore as he scored from a Adrian Luna’s cross following a corner.

Bengaluru FC immediately got together and their seasoned frontline took the lead in that. Six minutes later, Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Chhetri interlinked in the attacking half, as the Argentine orchestrated the goal with his accurate pass from a fast break, picking the latter on the centre of the box. Chhetri deposited the ball into the bottom left corner.

To his credit, Chhetri kept finding himself in goal-scoring opportunities and that was consistent right until the end of the game.

In the added time of the second half, Chinglensana Singh turned to Chhetri following a set piece scenario and the striker was perfectly positioned in the middle of the 18-yard area. His finishing finesse was visible again, as he slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to complete a treble of goals.

Bengaluru FC left it late to edge past Mohammedan SC 2-1 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Wednesday. The Blues now have registered a win against all three Kolkata clubs this season. It was Cesar Manzoki who handed the hosts an early lead, but Sunil Chhetri came on as a substitute and scored two goals to see the visitors return home with a famous win. He became the first player to score against all 15 ISL teams and now also leads the league in scoring the most spot-kicks (20) in the competition’s history, as per a press release from ISL.

Mohammedan SC had spring in their steps from the start of the match as they pressed Bengaluru FC as a whole unit. They were even winning the second ball, and Manzoki, pairing up with Mirjalol Kasimov and Carlos Franca, caused many problems for the Blues, who started the game with an all-Indian backline.

The positive start bore fruit for the home team as they opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Manzoki rose highest to head the ball home from Kasimov’s beautiful corner. It was a goal straight out of the training ground as the marksman repaid Andrey Chernyshov’s faith in him by netting his first goal of the season.

In the first 20 minutes, Bengaluru FC failed to make penetrative runs with nothing to show for their lion’s share of possession. However, the Blues finished the first half strongly, with Ryan Williams causing some problems for the Mohammedan SC defence. However, the Florent Ogier-led backline of Mohammedan SC held their fort brilliantly to enter the break with a slender lead.

The second half started with a golden opportunity for the hosts to double their lead. Manzoki controlled a long ball with aplomb, setting up play for Franca in the penalty box. However, the Brazilian’s effort was way off target.

In the 53rd minute, Gerard Zaragoza decided to bring on Sunil Chhetri to add more attacking impetus. The move allowed Jorge Pereyra Diaz to switch to a wider role, with Chhetri taking the central position.

While the Blues dominated possession, they failed to create openings even with Chhetri on the field. Williams caused some trouble with his crosses, but the Australian was not on the same wavelength as Diaz.

In the 70th minute, Chernyshov decided to freshen things up by bringing Alexis Gomez in place of Franca. The Argentine almost made an instant impact for the hosts when Remsanga released him on the left flank following a fast break. Gomez composed himself and struck the ball low to the left, but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu denied him with a fantastic save.

In the 82nd minute, Manzoki brought down Capo in the penalty box to reward the Blues with a perfect opportunity to equalize. Chhetri stepped up and hammered the ball into the extreme left corner to bring Bengaluru FC back into the game. With that goal, he became the first player to score against all the 15 ISL teams. He has also scored eight goals after coming on as a substitute, a record only bettered by Diego Mauricio (10).

Mohammedan SC almost had the perfect reaction after conceding. Gomez won the possession and released Remsanga on the right, who found Manzoki in the box. The lanky forward lost his marker with his smart movement, but his header struck the post on its way out.

In the end, despite all odds, Bengaluru FC eventually took the lead in the dying moments of the match when Chhetri stepped up from Lalremtluanga Fanai’s cross to head the ball home past Bhaskar in goal. The move saw the Blues secure the maximum points from the match.

The 40-year-old Chhetri was the difference between the two teams on the night. He added that extra bit of energy to Bengaluru FC’s attack and scored a crucial penalty to equalise. He later notched the winner with a thumping header to wrap up the match on a high too.

Mohammedan SC will travel to Jamshedpur to face the Men of Steel on December 2, while Bengaluru FC will face Odisha FC on December 1 at the Kalinga Stadium.

Brief Scores: Bengaluru FC 2 (Sunil Chhetri 82′, 90 9′)- Mohammedan SC 1 (Cesar Manzoki 8′).

Seeking to put the heartbreak in the World Cup Qualifiers behind, the Indian men’s football team will look to start from scratch under new head coach Manolo Márquez when it faces Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup opener here on Tuesday. The Indian senior men’s team is coming to the Telangana capital for the first time in 16 years as the city plays host to Mauritius and Syria from September 3 to 9.

The coach has termed the tournament a dress rehearsal for bigger tasks ahead — AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Marquez felt that he will be able to better judge the quality of his squad when the season is up and running.

“The main target of playing these games in September, October and November is to prepare for the more important thing – the Asian Cup qualifiers, the first game of which is in March,” the Spaniard said.

“The first FIFA window now is a little tricky because we are still in pre-season. Some clubs played with their reserve team in the Durand Cup. We don’t exactly know the physical situation of all the players. That won’t happen in the next FIFA windows because the ISL will be ongoing. But again, I think this is not an excuse. We are ready for tomorrow.” The matches will be played at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium.

The team’s long-term target is qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which is set to begin in March next year.

Marquez has stressed on the importance of obtaining good results in the upcoming three FIFA international match windows so as to keep India’s place in Pot 1 ahead of December’s draw.

However, time is of the essence for the Spaniard, who had just two training sessions ahead of the tournament opener.

He named his 26-member squad last month, comprising some new faces and some returning ones too, as India prepare for life after Sunil Chhetri’s retirement.

Chinglensana Singh Konsham and Yasir Mohammad are back for the first time since last year’s Tri-Nation Series triumph.

Defenders Asish Rai and Roshan Singh Naorem return after almost an year-long hiatus, while Kiyan Nassiri Giri, Lalthathanga Khawlhring and Prabhsukhan Singh Gill will be eyeing their senior India debut.

Marquez will hope for a memorable start to his national team career with silverware in the city where he began his journey in Indian football.

With the exception of the 2019 edition when North Korea lifted the trophy, India triumphed in the inaugural tournament in 2018 (beating Kenya 2-0 in Mumbai) and last year in Bhubaneswar (beating Lebanon 2-0).

Their opponents Syria and Mauritius are no strangers to Indian soil. Syria last travelled to India for the 2019 Intercontinental Cup, finishing in third place. They also took part in the last three editions of the Nehru Cup in 2007, 2009 and 2012, finishing runners-up to India in the first two.

Mauritius journeyed to India for the 2017 Tri-Nation Series, where they lost 1-2 to the hosts and drew 1-1 with Saint Kitts and Nevis to end up in last place.

“We face two different teams and the rankings are not very important. We want to be in Pot 1. That would give us an advantage,” said Márquez.

“We must play competitive games to improve. We all need to work together in the same direction to find the correct group of players and their predisposition will be very good, something I am completely sure about.” Ranked 179th in the world, Mauritius are currently placed fifth in their six-team FIFA World Cup Qualifiers group in Africa, with four points in as many matches. It includes a couple of impressive results like a 2-1 home win over higher-ranked Eswatini in June and a 0-0 draw versus 90th-ranked Angola last November.

However, they crashed out in the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers following a 1-3 aggregate loss to Chad in March.

Les Dodos, as they are nicknamed, are led by French coach Guillaume Moullec, who took charge in May this year.

Some of their key players include captain and veteran goalkeeper Kevin Jean-Louis, six-foot-seven defender Dylan Collard, who plays for Lusitania FC in the Portuguese third tier and former French youth international Lindsay Rose, who plies his trade at Greek top division side Aris FC.

Match kicks off at 7.30 pm.

The Indian men’s football team aims to kickstart a new era as Spanish coach Manolo Marquez takes over as the head coach of the nation. Interestingly, Manolo will also continue to coach club side FC Goa alongside his national team role. However, just days into his new role, Manolo has made it clear that an improvement in mentality is necessary among the Indian players, also encouraging players to move out of the comfort of playing in India, and improving their skills abroad.

With qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup out of the question, Manolo targeted improvement in the level of the players. Speaking to the media for the first time since his appointment as India head coach, Manolo made a valuable recommendation to the Indian players.

“The level of Indian players can be better and can improve faster. Everyone knows my feeling – maybe some players don’t like – that they are very comfortable playing in the Indian Super League (ISL). They are very comfortable in India,” said Manolo.

“You will grow when you play abroad. I’m not saying the top level, like the Premier League or La Liga. If you play in one division where the opponents are the same or better than you, you will improve 100 per cent,” he added.

Manolo sympathised with the need for comfort for his players, pointing out the example of FC Goa defender Sandesh Jhingan, who had spent an unsuccessful year abroad at Croatian club HNK Sibenik in the 2021-22 season.

“I understand that life is very good for most of them in ISL and it’s difficult for them to go abroad. For example, Sandesh tried to do it in Croatia,” he said.

Manolo put a lot of emphasis on increasing mental strength.

“In football, technique, tactics and physique is very important. But if this doesn’t work (points to head), you cannot do anything, not only in football, but also your life,” Manolo stated.

The Indian men’s football team next play on September 9, 2024, in a friendly against Syria.

File photo of Sunil Chhetri© AFP

Igor Stimac, the former head coach of the Indian football team, has called Indian football “imprisoned” in a scathing attack after his sacking. Stimac was sacked after India failed to qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Now, in a virtual press conference, Stimac has gone all out, throwing a number of accusations at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the administrators in charge of Indian football. Stimac also revealed his personal health problems suffered during his tenure.

Indian football is ‘imprisoned’

“Your football (Indian football) is imprisoned. It will take a couple of decades for things to improve, which I don’t see happening,” said Stimac.

“My senior players already knew that I had decided to leave, even if we qualified for the third round. It was impossible for me to continue without proper support, full of lies and people who only have private interests,” he added.

“The AIFF’s biggest achievement in the last five years was keeping me quiet,” Stimac said.

Attack on AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey

Stimac lashed out at AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, stating that they never had a working relationship.

“The president of the AIFF gets pictures clicked with people in important positions for social media. Kalyan (Chaubey) only cares about being popular,” said a fuming Stimac.

“Me and Kalyan never had a relationship. I reported to the secretary general. The president doesn’t indulge,” he added.

“The people in AIFF don’t know how to run a football house. They only care about power,” said Stimac.

“Sooner Kalyan Chaubey leave, Indian football stands a chance,” Stimac said.

Heart surgery

Stimac further revealed that he had to undergo an urgent heart operation due to stress put on him, as the AIFF had given him time till the Asian Cup.

“When I received the final warning on December 2. no one knows this, I finished in the hospital. I was disturbed with everything going on; stressed from the obvious problems. I had an immediate surgery on my heart. I wasn’t ready to speak to anyone or find excuses. I was ready to put myself on the line to prepare my team for the Asian Cup to give the best shot,” Igor Stimac said in the press conference on Friday, June 21.

India’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended after a controversial 2-1 defeat to Qatar, where an illegal Qatar goal was allowed to stand by the referee.

AIFF responds

It has come to our attention that former India men’s team head coach Mr. Igor Stimac has made certain remarks in the media pertaining to functioning of the All India Football Federation and some of its senior officials. The AIFF will issue a statement in this regards in the next 48 hours.

Indian football team coach Igor Stimac on Sunday said the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait could “change the careers” of his players and described it as a “huge game”. India will take on Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium in their penultimate second-round game, which will be followed by the away match against Qatar on June 11. Despite their shocking loss to lower-ranked Afghanistan in the home leg match in Guwahati in March, India can still make a maiden entry into the third round of qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s a huge game. The careers of the boys can change with this game. I want them to enjoy and do their best in the game,” Stimac told the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

India, who slipped to 121 in the FIFA rankings after gaining just a solitary point in their two meetings with Afghanistan in March, will look to put up a much better display against Kuwait in what will also be talisman Sunil Chhetri’s farewell from international football.

“For such an important game, we need to do a few things; in regards to strength conditioning, in regards to understanding what it needs, in regards to how important this game is, and in regards to mental strength and self-confidence.

“So, we work on all aspects needed for our boys to be on top of their form in this game.” The head coach added: “There are two key points for the preparations for this game. First, winning the game is crucial. And to reach that target, we need to be very clever. We need to understand that in the game, we require patience.

“If we don’t open the scoring in the first half an hour, we need to be intelligent and play quality football together with pace. All these aspects are very important and we have to prepare for them.” The Blue Tigers are winless in six matches and have scored just a goal in these games.

In the last one year, India met Kuwait three times. It includes the victory in a tiebreaker in the SAFF Championship final in Bangalore.

“Each of those matches was very tough and I can clearly state that we controlled all those games in superb ways,” Stimac said.

“We dominated for the bigger parts in each one of these games. We were above them physically. But on other occasions, before the Kuwait games, we had many games that helped us reach that level.

“But it is a different game now because they are coming here when we didn’t have the opportunity to play games. No league is being played now, no club is available. But we did play two games between us to reach the intensity we required.

“And I need to tell you that the boys were superb in those two games. I am very happy with them; happy with everything that was done in the last three weeks,” the coach added.

Asked if he was missing anything that could have added value to the side, Stimac said, “I don’t have the right to think about it. We have to focus on what we have. What we can do and what can be improved.

“In the final week, we are concentrating on set pieces, offensive tactics, and a few details regarding the shape, team composure, and speed of passing. That’s all.” PTI AH AH TAP