Sunil Chhetri makes his 150th appearance for India

Sunil Chhetri’s remarkable achievement for Blue Tigers is a moment of pride.

Sunil Chhetri will mark his 150th appearance for India in their FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification match against Afghanistan. Chhetri becomes the first Indian and the 41st player all across the globe to do so.

Often regarded as India’s Captain, Leader, and Legend, Chhetri has always been India’s messiah. He began his career in 2005 in a game against Pakistan and is all set to play his 150th game twenty years later in Guwahati.

From what started as a bright teenager commencing his international career back in 2005, Sunil’s journey into becoming a legend has been nothing short of sensational, and it is quite imperative that Indian football will lose an integral part of its identity when the 39-year-old finally hangs his boots.

In these past two decades with the National team, Sunil has not only made a name for himself in Indian football but has also picked recognition in the global stage. The National team skipper is the third-highest active international goal scorer behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and World Champion Lionel Messi.

Sunil Chhetri over the years for India

From making his debut in 2005, Chhetri has gone on to score 93 goals and has won 11 trophies in the process for the nation. He is India’s top scorer across all AFC and SAFF competitions, Moreover, he has also won the AIFF Player of the Year of award for a record seven times.

He received the Arjuna Award for his outstanding achievement in sports before being honored with India’s fourth highest civilian award – the Padma Shri in 2019. Moreover, he was also awarded with India’s highest sporting honor – the Khel Ratna Award in 2021.

Chhetri has scored in the 50th, 100th, and 125th games for India and will be expected to score in his 150th game as well.

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