In 2024, Sunil Chhetri ended his 19-year-long international career only to return to the Indian team within a year. At 42, the veteran striker recently signed a new contract with Bengaluru FC at the end of October. India will face Bangladesh in Dhaka on November 18 in an Asian Cup qualifier, but Chhetri has not been included in the preliminary squad, sparking speculation about whether he is preparing to retire for good.
Chhetri himself addressed the rumors, hinting that both his international and club careers may soon come to an end. Even if he plays again, India no longer has a chance to qualify for the Asian Cup main stage. Since Khalid Jamil took over as India’s head coach, the football fraternity believes he has been working to find Chhetri’s long-term replacement.
According to media reports, Chhetri is likely to retire soon following India’s disappointing Asian Cup qualification campaign. Speaking to a national outlet, he said:
> “If we win this year’s ISL, maybe I’ll get another chance to play for the national team. But at 42, it’s not easy. I want to score at least 15 goals this season and retire on a high.”
Chhetri joined Bengaluru FC about a decade ago, in 2013, and has been the club’s leading figure ever since, apart from a brief two-year stint with Mumbai City FC. The all-time top scorer in ISL history (65 goals), he has been synonymous with Bengaluru’s rise in Indian football.
He added, “It wasn’t difficult to tell Khalid sir about my decision. When I returned to play for India, my goal was to help the team qualify for the Asian Cup. If there had been no qualifiers, I probably wouldn’t have returned. Now that qualification is out of reach, stepping away feels like the right choice. When I told the coach, he understood, and I’m happy about that.”
Chhetri also revealed that former national coach Manolo Márquez recalled him to the national team last season after he scored 14 goals in the ISL. “He picked me based on my ISL form, and I was motivated to play the qualifiers,” Chhetri said.
Now, the legend feels it’s time to make way for the next generation. As he put it, there’s no point in taking up a spot in a team where younger strikers should be given the chance to shape India’s football future.
