Sunil Chhetri Set for Landmark 150th International Match Against Afghanistan

Sayak Banerjee / 25-03-2024

On Tuesday, India is poised to face Afghanistan at Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in what marks a special milestone for Sunil Chhetri. This match will be his 150th appearance for the country, a feat unmatched by any Indian footballer to date. Despite no Indian player achieving this milestone before, Captain Chhetri remains humble, preferring the focus to be on the team rather than himself for this crucial encounter.

After securing a goalless draw against Afghanistan in the Asian Qualifiers for the World Cup last Thursday, India will host Afghanistan in a home match on Tuesday. The All India Football Federation plans to honor Sunil for his achievement of playing 150 matches for the nation. Reflecting on the upcoming match, Sunil stated, “I am honored. However, this match is not just mine but our team’s match, India’s match against Afghanistan. That’s how we should approach it.”

Sunil Chhetri debuted for India on the international stage 19 years ago, in June 2005, against Pakistan in Kuwait. He scored India’s only goal in the 1-1 draw, marking the beginning of an illustrious career that has seen him play 149 international matches and score 93 goals, the highest in Indian football history and a feat matched by only 40 footballers globally.