At 40, Sunil Chhetri to come out of international retirement

New Delhi: Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri has decided to come out of his international retirement to help the national team in the FIFA friendly assignment scheduled this month, the sport's apex body in the country said on Thursday.

Chhetri returns to the team, which he led for more than a decade, aged 40.

"Sunil Chhetri is back. The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March," the All India Football Federation (AIFF) wrote on its official 'X' handle.

Chhetri, who made his international debut in 2005 and left the scene as India's all-time top scorer and most-capped player, has been included in coach Manolo Marquez's list of 26 players for the March FIFA international window.

The move comes less than a year after he announced his retirement after a glorious career, leaving a huge void that is yet to be filled.

Having played at the top level until he was 39 years of age and ending his career as one of the game's leading scorers with 94 international goals, Chhetri's departure had made headlines with FIFA, world football's global governing body, leading the outpouring of tributes for the talisman.

FIFA had earlier in 2022 released a documentary on the long-serving Indian captain.

Titled 'Captain Fantastic', it had three parts — kick off, mid-game and extra time.

Chhetri is the fourth-highest goalscorer in men's football, after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ali Daei.

Chhetri had called it a day after the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 last year.

The Blue Tigers will play a friendly match against Maldives on March 19 in preparation for the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round against Bangladesh on March 25.

Marquez said, "The qualification for the Asian Cup is very crucial for us. Given the importance of the tournament and the matches ahead, I discussed with Sunil Chhetri about making a comeback to strengthen the national team. He agreed, and so we have included him in the squad."

Since his retirement, he had continued playing for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League. He has so far scored 12 goals from 23 matches this season to become its highest Indian goal-scorer.

Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host the Indian senior men's team's two matches that they will play during the FIFA international window this month.

India have been placed in a qualifying group alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore for the Asian Cup. In the tournament's previous edition, India had a disappointing run, failing to progress past the group stage after losing all their matches.

India's 26-member squad for March 2025 FIFA International Window:

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Vishal Kaith.

Defenders: Asish Rai, Boris Singh Thangjam, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Hmingthanmawia, Mehtab Singh, Rahul Bheke, Roshan Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose.

Midfielders: Ashique Kuruniyan, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Brandon Fernandes, Brison Fernandes, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Lalengmawia, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Suresh Singh Wangjam.

Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Farukh Choudhary, Irfan Yadwad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh.