Sunil Chettri Legacy of India’s Football Icon real hero

Hope some of you might not have heard about SUNIL CHETTRI. SUNIL CHETTRI was one of the best and the long-time captain of the Indian national football team. On 13th of June 2024, he retired from international football after 19 years of his career.

Why Is Sunil Chettri So Important in Cricket-Loving India?

You might be thinking why he is so important. Before giving you a reply, I want to ask you what comes to your mind when you hear about sports being Indian?

The most accurate answer would probably be cricket. Cricket is one of the most watched sports in India; it’s like a religion, and some of the cricketers are treated like gods.

So in this craziness of cricket, how did Sunil Chhetri being a footballer become so important that film stars, cricketers, and global celebrities lined up to pay tribute to this footballer when he retired from international football?

More Goals Than Pele and Rooney

Not just being the most-matched player, he is also the country’s leading goal scorer. Do you know how many goals he has to his name? It’s 94, which is only 34 less than Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the record holder, and 12 less than eight-time World Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi.

Chettri has scored more goals than the legends, kings of football like Pele and Ferenc Puskas; even old Nazario Ronaldo of Brazil and Wayne Rooney of England weren’t successful.

Sunil Chettri is not significant for the goals that he achieved, but this man has made football relevant in India again. Many football superstars were there and will be many in the future in this country, as we are a billion in population, but the bond Chettri has connected with the fans was something special.

Golden Word Of Sunil Chettri

Indian football was not at its peak; people were not very interested in football in India. Hardly any fans were noticed in the stadium. Mostly the stadium used to remain empty. Noticing the situation, Chettri came with this message

To all of you who have lost hope or do not have any hope in Indian football, I request you come and watch us in the stadiums.
I mean, it’s not fun to criticize or abuse on the internet. Come to the stadium, do it on our faces, scream at us, shout at us, abuse us. Who knows, one day we might change you guys; you might start cheering for us. Please come.

No matter what the sport is. It’s exceptional that the the captain of the national team is requesting his countrymen to come to the stadium to watch and support the team.

Fans Are the Heartbeat of Any Sport.

His appeal was so well that fans responded to him in such a way that it was the historic improvement in the field of football. The people who came to the stadium after listening to SUNIL CHETTRI’s message were part of what made football, or any sport that brings the whole country together.

Without fans inside the stadium, players don’t get motivated in any sport. Players get extra motivation when they hear the cheers of the fans and even cause trouble for the opponents in those crucial moments.

A Goodbye Full of Pride and Inspiration

Chettri carried Indian football on his shoulders for 19 years. He ended his flourishing career in the same city where he started, Kolkata. We all know all good things come to an end one day, but what matters is how you end it. 39-year-old Chettri was a class act during his playing career; he still had an aura of grandeur even after he left.

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