Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri makes a comeback at the age of 40, a year after retiring, to bolster India’s chances in the Asia Cup qualification.
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Sunil Chhetri, a legendary figure in Indian football and one of the world’s top men’s international goalscorers, is making an unexpected return to the national team.
Chhetri, who retired after his last match for India in a World Cup qualifier in June 2024, is set to play for the team again at 40.
In front of nearly 59,000 supporters in Kolkata, he announced that his game against Kuwait would be his farewell.
However, on Thursday, India’s head coach, Manolo Marquez, confirmed Chhetri’s return to the squad for the upcoming international matches in March.
India failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and is now focusing on the 2027 Asian Cup.
“Asian Cup qualification is vital for us. Given the importance of this tournament and the upcoming matches, I discussed with Sunil Chhetri the possibility of making a comeback to strengthen our national team,” stated Marquez from the All India Football Federation.
“He agreed, and we have included him in the squad.”
India is preparing for an Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh on March 25, with a friendly match against Maldives on March 19.
Despite having a population of 1.4 billion, football is still emerging in India, traditionally overshadowed by cricket’s popularity.
Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA President, once described India as the “sleeping giant” of football.
Chhetri, a sports icon in a nation dominated by cricket, debuted in 2005 against rivals Pakistan and scored India’s only goal.
He had brief, unsuccessful stints in Portugal and the United States but spent much of his career playing in India.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/3/8/india-football-great-chhetri-comes-out-of-retirement-aged-40-for-asia-cup?traffic_source=rss
