Sunil Chhetri Officially Retires from International Football After India’s 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualification Exit

Sunil Chhetri has officially called time on his international career with India, following the Blue Tigers’ elimination from the final round of qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Chhetri first announced his retirement in June 2024, following a farewell match held at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. However, he returned to the national fold when then-India head coach Manolo Marquez urged him to come out of retirement to feature in the country’s 2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.

Across the six matches Chhetri played after his comeback, he found the back of the net just once. His final appearance in the Indian national team jersey came in an Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on October 14, a game India lost 1-2. It was after this defeat that Chhetri decided to end his international journey—a decision he confirmed in a video interview with Camel Live.

The 41-year-old stands as India’s all-time leading goalscorer, having netted 95 goals in 157 international appearances. Notably, Chhetri remains active in club football, having recently signed a new contract with Bengaluru FC.