Sunil Chhetri has announced the definitive end of his international career with India following the Blue Tigers' exit from the final round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. The 41-year-old confirmed his decision in a video interview to the Times of India. His final outing in national colors was the Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on October 14, a match India narrowly lost 1-2.
Sunil Chhetri calls time on illustrious India career
Chhetri had initially declared his retirement in June 2024, following a farewell match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. However, he subsequently reversed that decision when then-India head coach Manolo Marquez personally requested that he make himself available for India's crucial matches in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. In the six games Chhetri played for India since coming out of this brief retirement, he managed to score only a single goal.
Chhetri retires as India's highest-ever goalscorer, having netted an astounding 95 goals in 157 international appearances. While his time with the national team has concluded, Chhetri remains active in club football; he recently shown his commitment to the domestic game by signing a new contract with Bengaluru FC.
The 41-year-old recently hinted that winning the Indian Super League (ISL) and, consequently, earning his team a coveted spot in continental football would represent the perfect, crowning swansong to his illustrious professional career.
“If we win the ISL, it will give me a chance to wear national (winning) club colours and play in international competitions again. At 42, it’s not easy. I want to score 15 goals this season and retire,” Chhetri told The Times of India.
Earlier this year, the veteran demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess by netting 14 goals in the ISL, a tally second only to Golden Boot winner Alaaeddine Ajaraie. This strong performance underscores the stakes of his immediate future: a triumphant season could provide the perfect high note for him to bow out entirely, while a disappointing campaign might prompt him to hang up his boots sooner.
India have tough task to fill Sunil Chhetri's void
Chhetri's definitive international exit leaves a glaring and immediate void in the national team's lineup. His brief comeback earlier in the year was necessitated precisely because India lacked a proven striker capable of leading the line and reliably converting chances. Even after his temporary return, the national side has still not managed to successfully identify or groom a consistent, reliable goal-scorer to shoulder this immense responsibility. With their most prolific scorer now retired from the international stage, the urgent task of finding a forward capable of filling Chhetri's massive shoes will undoubtedly be the defining challenge for the next era of the Blue Tigers.