Even though he is 38 years old, Sunil Chhetri is still the most outstanding player for the India national team when they are out on the field. The “God of Indian football” continues to be the focus of attention off the field as well whenever India competes at a higher level internationally in football.
The 2023 SAFF Championship is no different, and the prolific striker did what he does best on Tuesday night, which was lead from the front as India and Kuwait battled for gold in Bengaluru. India is hosting the tournament, and Kuwait is one of the teams competing.
On that particular evening at the Kanteerava Stadium, Chhetri threaded a critical ball that assisted India in finding the equalizer seven minutes before the halftime break. In addition to that, he went on to make the first successful penalty kick in the shootout, helping India win 5-4 in tiebreakers and take home yet another SAFF Championship trophy.
During the competition, it was fascinating to note that no other jersey but Chhetri’s No. 11 was seen near the stadium gates or when the home fans made waves at the gallery.
Fans from India gathered to Sree Kanteerava Stadium on July 4, 2023, to see the last match of the 2023 SAFF Championship. Picture of: Star
Before the championship match, the price of Chhetri’s jersey had increased to Rs 300 from Rs 200, which was an increase of Rs 100 from what it had been during India’s campaign opener against Pakistan.According to a reseller of jerseys, there has been little demand for other Indian players, thus they always sell the shirt of Chhetri. This puts Chhetri’s popularity on par with that of star cricketers MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar.
Such is the notoriety of the striker, who has scored an astounding 92 goals for his country’s national team, which is equal to the total number of goals scored by Maldives’ forward Ali Ashfaque in SAFF Championships.
The stadium exploded into a deafening din when Chhetri and his team entered the field for the warm-up before tonight’s championship game, and the noise was deafening.
“He is the God of Indian football, that is why everyone wears his jersey,” said Gobind Kumar, who doesn’t keep track of Indian domestic leagues like the ISL but always supports the Indian national football team. “Everyone wears his jersey because he is the God of Indian football,” Gobind Kumar added.
Reiterating his previous statement, Kumar said of Chhetri, “I think he is [Lionel] Messi of Indian football.” Kumar took the shot of Chhetri during the warm-up session as he was standing quite near to the barrier. Kumar has high expectations that Chhetri would continue to represent India in international competition for another four or five years.
This reporter saw a significant number of spectators waiting in line to access the gallery just before to entering the press box. There were also others who referred to Chhetri as the “God of Indian football.”
Fans from India before to the final match of the 2023 SAFF Championship on July 4th, 2023. Picture of: Star
“He is a god from Indian mythology. “Chhetri has been an emotion of Indian football,” said Amol, who is a major admirer of the Indian captain who plays his football for Bengaluru FC despite the fact that he is a supporter of the ISL side Kerala Blast. Chhetri now plays for Bengaluru FC.
Chhetri’s rise to fame did not happen immediately; rather, the prolific striker won the support of Indian supporters by scoring goals at an alarmingly consistent rate. Chhetri has shown that he can maintain his effect on the pitch despite being at an age when most attackers are beyond their prime by scoring five goals in three matches that are now being played in the ongoing SAFF Championship.
One Indian journalist approached Chhetri just before India’s semi-final match against Lebanon and inquired about whether or not this SAFF Championship would be Chhetri’s last tournament. In his response, the captain of India maintained a modest demeanor.
“I don’t know when my last game is going to be for the nation. It stems from the fact that I have never set long-term goals for myself; instead, I focus on the next game and the following 10 days. As there are a lot of things, and I will be through with them all, it is possible that it (retirement) will occur at a time when I will probably not want it to. I won’t even give it a second thought till that moment comes.
In general, there are a few criteria that I consider when determining whether or not I am making a contribution to the team. When I have used all of my gasoline, fuel, electricity, or whatever else I have, I will be finished.”