Sunil Chhetri extends his contract at Bengaluru FC

Sunil Chhetri is currently awaiting the SAFF Championship 2023 finale.

"I am going nowhere" - a banner with a similar writeup was hurling in the wind at the Kanteerava as India played out a fascinating, nail-biting contest with Lebanon. Suddenly Sunil Chhetri went towards the banner and waved his hands, in a style similar to that of a Viking clap.

Yes, Captain Chhetri is going nowhere. "Sunil Chhetri has penned a one-year extension with Bengaluru FC", a source told Khel Now. Nevertheless, he will be captaining the Blues next season as well.

The comeback of the Master

Sunil Chhetri's ISL 2022-23 campaign didn't go as he would have expected. But everything changed when he donned the national colours for the Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023. Since then, Chhetri has been a regular goal-scoring threat. Fans, who thought Chhetri is nearing his retirement, have been proven wrong as the man himself stated about his retirement plans ahead of the Lebanon game in the SAFF Championship.

After netting a hat-trick against Pakistan in the SAFF Championship 2023 opener, Chhetri surpassed Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia to script a new record. He became the fourth-highest goal-scorer (not active but all-time) in international football. Also, he became the fourth player after Puran Bahadur Thapa, IM Vijayan and Jeje Lalpekhlua to score a hat-trick against the Pakistani Falcons.

What next for Sunil Chhetri?

Sunil Chhetri doesn't think much about the long-term. Currently the Indian national team skipper has only one thing in mind - winning the SAFF Championship by defeating Kuwait, against whom India's clean-sheet record was hampered a few days back.

The last time these two teams met, it was the 38-year-old who banged home a geometrical volley to give India the lead. He'll be hoping of perhaps something more in the final. May be another new record!