Sunil Chhetri retires: Fans hail legendary Indian footballer on X, call it 'end of an era'

It will be the end of an era in Indian football after legendary player and captain Sunil Chhetri plays his last game against Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup 2026qualifier on June 6.Chhetri, on Thursday (May 16), took to the microblogging site X to announcehisretirement from the game.After his decision, fans paidtribute to himby hailinghis impact on Indian football.Here are all the reactions on X.

I'd like to say something... pic.twitter.com/xwXbDi95WV — Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) May 16, 2024

Sunil Chhetri announce retirement

- Great Career
- Role Model
- Inspiration

Happy Retirement Legend #SunilChhetri pic.twitter.com/i7Sl1dS6PN — Ash (@Ashsay_) May 16, 2024

One Sun 🌞
One Moon 🌙
One Sunil Chhetri 🐐

Happy Retirement Legend :)#SunilChhetri pic.twitter.com/FOyfTQJw9U — Sir BoiesX (@BoiesX45) May 16, 2024

Your legacy will inspire generations to come.💙 — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 16, 2024

Forever in your debt. 🫡
It's been an honour, captain. 🇮🇳#ChhetriForever — Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) May 16, 2024

We'll miss you, Captain. Leader. Legend💙 🇮🇳 — Premier League India (@PLforIndia) May 16, 2024

Happy Retirement Captain Leader Legend ❤️❤️

You have been an inspiration for the whole generation. THANK YOU for everything. — The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) May 16, 2024

Happy retirement legend 🐐 , thank you for making our chilhood memorable ❤️🙏 — Saksham Garg (@sakshamgarg45) May 16, 2024

The man who ignited the dreams of millions, the man who shouldered a nation beyond its capabilities, and the man who bows out after etching a mark of his own! 🇮🇳🐐

It's time for 𝘂𝘀 to shoulder 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙇𝘼𝙎𝙏 𝙏𝙄𝙈𝙀! 💙#SunilChhetri #IndianFootball #BlueTigers pic.twitter.com/gXhc7ZNV6U — Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) May 16, 2024

Your contribution to #IndianFootball on the international stage will be etched in gold, Sunil! 🇮🇳

Thank you for all the memories! 👏#InternationalRetirement pic.twitter.com/Z1xLYUX2mD — East Bengal FC (@eastbengal_fc) May 16, 2024

"“When I did decide that this is going to be my last game, I told my family about it. Dad was normal. He was relieved, happy, everything. It was my wife, strangely. I told her. ‘You always used to bug me that there are too many games, there’s too much of pressure. Now I am telling you that I’m not going to play for my country anymore after this game.’ Even they couldn’t tell me why there were tears. It’s not that I was feeling tired, not that I was feeling this or that. When the instinct came that this should be my last game, I thought about it a lot, eventually I came to this decision," Chhetrisaid in a video posted on his X handle.

Chhetri will forone last time take the field against Kuwait on June 6 where he could add to his already impressive 94 international goals. He is currently the third highest active goal-scorer after Cristiano Ronaldo (128) and Lionel Messi (106). He remains the fourth-highest all-time top scorer in men's international football after Ronaldo, Ali Daei (109) and Messi. Chhetri will also retire as the second-highest goal-scorer from Asia, underling his legendary status.