Sunil Chhetri comes out of International retirement

The Indian icon had announced his retirement from the national team in 2024.

Sunil Chhetri has announced his return to the Indian national football team. The 40-year-old had announced his retirement from the national team back in June 2024 after FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier against Kuwait.

The big news comes ahead of the upcoming games for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier games against Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The Blues striker has been in superb form in the league this season having scored 12 goals and two assists in 23 appearances.

Indian legend and one of the all-time top scorers in international football, Sunil Chhetri, has come out of retirement and made himself available to play for India again 🇮🇳He will feature in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers! ⚽️ #IndianFootball #SunilChhetri pic.twitter.com/KhPxdwMtse

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) March 6, 2025

Sunil Chhetri’s return will be a huge boost

The all-time leading scorer for the Indian national team will be a man determined to show his class again during the upcoming qualifiers. While the decision of his return is a shock for the Indian Pilgrims, it will be a decision which will be a significant boost for India’s attack.

Manolo Marquez’s men have been struggling since his appointment as the national team coach to fill his spot as the No. 9 since June 2024. While players like Farukh Choudhary and Irfan Yadwad have been used in his role, none has been convincing enough to seal the role down.

Will Sunil Chhetri spark up India’s attack?

The 40-year-old continues to show his class in Bengaluru colors this season and has shown glimpses of what he can do when given the service. Chhetri has been scoring in bursts this season off the bench, and it will be a curious sight of how Marquez will employ the veteran striker.

The Spaniard now faces a selection headache as he will be looking to employ another attacker beside Chhetri to get the best out of him. While a change of system will be improbable, Chhetri’s return signals huge boost in morale and chances of scoring and creating goals.

The legend is back 🇮🇳Sunil Chhetri will be back in action for Indian national team for the upcoming matches against Maldives & Bangladesh 🐯#IndianFootball #Chhetri pic.twitter.com/e4U5OcPTBH

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) March 6, 2025

Can India finally break their winless streak?

The Indian national football team has been deprived of a win for more than a year and a few months. With Chhetri’s return, India’s chances of getting their first win under Marquez have significantly increased.

While the team was underperforming with Chhetri in 2024, his return, in his current form, would certainly be a welcome addition to the national team setup. However, the upcoming games will decide whether the veteran striker’s return is a good move or a move which hampers the chances of future stars like Liston Colaco or Irfan Yadwad to show their best.

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