Sunil Chhetri announces India retirement for second time, eyes one last ISL glory with Bengaluru FC

Sunil Chhetri announces India retirement for second time

Sunil Chhetri, one of India’s most celebrated footballers, is preparing to hang up his boots at the end of the 2025–26 season unless Bengaluru FC can script a fairytale finish. The 41-year-old hinted that winning the Indian Super League (ISL) and earning a spot in continental football could be the perfect swansong to his illustrious career.

“If we win the ISL, it will give me a chance to wear national (winning) club colours and play in international competitions again,” Chhetri told The Times of India on Thursday. “At 42, it’s not easy. I want to score 15 goals this season and retire.”

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Chhetri, who retired from international football in June 2024 with an emotional farewell at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, briefly returned to the national setup earlier this year. The veteran striker was persuaded by then coach Manolo Márquez to rejoin India for the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. However, following the team’s early elimination, Chhetri confirmed that his international journey has officially ended.

“It was easy telling Khalid sir (coach Khalid Jamil) about my decision,” Chhetri said. “When I came back, my only goal was to help the team in the qualifiers. If there were no qualifiers, I probably wouldn’t have returned. Once we couldn’t qualify, I was happy to tell the coach, and he understood.”

Chhetri’s return earlier this year came after persistent efforts from Márquez, who cited his strong domestic form — 14 goals in the ISL, second only to Golden Boot winner Alaaeddine Ajaraie. Initially, Chhetri declined the offer, saying he was “done,” but after consulting his family and close circle, he decided to follow his instincts.

“I was certain that I was called because I had done well in the ISL,” said Chhetri. “The fact that it was for the Asian qualifiers pushed me to say yes.”

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The comeback, however, didn’t unfold as he had hoped. India, the top-ranked side in their qualifying group, went winless and crashed out. Chhetri managed just one goal in six matches, taking his international tally to 95 — still the fourth-highest in men’s football and the highest among active Asian players.

Reflecting on the campaign, he said, “When I chose to go back, I knew this possibility existed because I’ve played long enough. There are no regrets, except that we didn’t qualify. I gave my best in those four games.”

Chhetri also revealed that he declined the national team captaincy during his brief return, preferring to let others like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan, and Rahul Bheke take the mantle. “I’m really grateful to the national camp. It felt like going back to family,” he said. “I got so much respect. I’m just a little bitter because we should have qualified. The boys didn’t perform the way we could have.”

As he enters what could be his final professional season, Chhetri’s focus is clear — to lead Bengaluru FC one last time, chase an ISL title, and bid farewell on his own terms.