Captain Sunil Chhetri - The shining light of Indian Football rides into the sunset

The inevitable has happened and Sunil Chhetri has finally decided to hang up his boots. Even though for the past 24 hours,  everyone has been talking about his retirement and football in general, the best way to give him a tribute is to keep talking about football and maintain this buzz so that his vision of a football crazy India which actually shines on the field comes true. His career all along has been a fight to capture the attention of Indian audiences, kids and parents alike to take up the sport in playing capacity or otherwise and help India, a sleeping giant wake up and reach their full potential.

He had been a wonderkid all along, amongst all odds breaking into the senior game from the Youth squads of City FC in Delhi which doesn't  even have a Wikipedia page to date and that too in the early 2000s is a minor miracle in itself. His stints with Mohun Bagan and JCT were enough to show us the flashes of brilliance that we all took for granted till he played but there was a feeling that he could do better and he did.

Sunil Chhetri made India proud not only in the Indian domestic circuit and in national colours but also abroad having broken into European football at a time Indian Football was at arguably in a dark phase. Though his time with Sporting CP and Sporting Kansas in Portugal and USA did not go exactly according to plan. The future generation of Indian diaspora who are plying their trade across Europe are proud  to see him as the trend setter and give not only them but millions of Indians the hope to do so. 

And he has also given us another life lesson that one can age like fine wine and Sunil Chhetri couldn't be a better example at that. His time at Bengaluru FC across 2 still is sandwiched between his time at Mumbai City FC is a testament to the fact that class is always permanent. In fact, if we go by reports, he is still amongst the fittest to this day and can even leave 20 year olds behind in training reminding us that age is just a number for him.

Sunil Chhetri had seen India at the lows of 170+in FIFA rankings and has also seen the high of being the early 90s in FIFA rankings. Whatever the situation, he was there for the Indian Football team. He was there scoring goals, in defeat he was there to take the blame for his team mates. He was there when we won multiple SAFF championships, he was also there when we were upset by minnows we shouldn't  lose to. Whatever it may be, he didn't throw in the towel or bask to much in glory. He always remembered  what his motto what his duty was, to be there and he did a good job in binge there. The future generation will surely remember and never forget that he was there and there for them all.

Now, I can be here all day waxing lyrical about his technical quality. His football IQ to get into pockets of space at the right time, his mental fortitude to single handedly carry India as well as topping domestic and international scoring charts for so long so consistently. But there is one more aspect some might overlook which makes him much more than a great player and goal Scorer and elevates him Into the category of Captain, Leader, Legend, it is his aura, his personality off it.  More than anything, his presence in the dressing room will be missed but one could only hope that he decides to return back to Indian Football in some other capacity. But till then, tour work here is done, rest easy my captain. The Gurpreets , Manvirs and Udantas of this generation are ready to carry on your good work.

Cover Credits - AIFF