Others will take over in time but retirement can wait, says evergreen Sunil Chhetri

While the cult around Sunil Chhetri grows, the veteran continues to remain grounded and focused on the task at hand.
Sunil Chhetri, India's Captain Fantastic. (Photo | PTI)
Sunil Chhetri, India's Captain Fantastic. (Photo | PTI)

KOCHI: 'Five seconds'. Sunil Chhetri does not want you to spend more time than that while contemplating on the fact that he is now only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (103) and ahead of Lionel Messi (72) in the list of active footballers with the highest number of goals for their national teams.

Chhetri's double against Bangladesh on Monday took his tally for India to 74 and he is also now inside the top ten list of all-time top scorers. After the win against Bangladesh, the national team captain has been the toast of Indian football as he usually has been.

But while the cult around the man grows, the veteran continues to remain grounded. "What I'm proud of is that I have played over 100 matches for my country and I could score 74 goals. Till the last minute I'm playing for my country, I will keep working hard. When anyone sees those charts, be happy for five seconds as an Indian and that's about it because there is no comparison whatsoever (with Messi)," said Chhetri during a virtual interaction on Wednesday.

Chhetri's contribution to Indian football is there for all to see and it is next to impossible to capture it all in a few hundred words. If it isn't for the Messi comparisons, then there are questions about who will replace him when he retires. One of the biggest talking points after the Bangladesh game was how Chhetri has been single-handedly shouldering India's goalscoring burdens, which was once again laid bare.

When the question is put to the man himself, Chhetri delivers just like he has been doing countless times on a football field. "Do I think whether we are going to get a striker who is going to score better than me? Completely, yes. A lot of people ask, what happens after you? After me, there will be better players. It is the way evolution works. You have to believe that. I believe that. Because if we keep getting players like me, we'll be where we are," said Chhetri.

He further added: "next year it is going to be four foreigners (in ISL). It will probably give a little bit more time to a few of the other young strikers which is good for them. And playing more matches and trying to work really hard are the only two mantras of being a good scorer."

Chhetri will be turning 37 in August but he continues to be India's finest striker at the moment. Despite this, he realises that questions about retirement are bound to arise.

"I keep it simple. My aim is the Afghanistan game, then ten days of rest and the AFC Cup game for Bengaluru FC. Beyond that I can't see, I can't plan. I've never done that before and am not capable of it. So I've got very simple plans. It is easier. I do not think about hanging up my boots and this is not an arrogant answer, this is what I feel. Whenever that feeling comes I'll go," he said.

Chhetri's mantra has always been to keep it simple. "The way I look at it is, I'm enjoying my football and I've never been this fit when it comes to the recovery runs or sprints or the hunger. Till the time the hunger and the zeal is there, I'll keep enjoying it and till the time I'm enjoying it, I'll be here. The day I stop enjoying it, I will go. It is as simple as that," said Chhetri. 

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The New Indian Express
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