The Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri announced his retirement after an illustrious 19-year international career. The Indian football legend, a player who redefined the standards of Indian football, emerged as an inspiration not only for his nation but also in the international circuit, decided he would don the national jersey one last time in a match against Kuwait on June 6 while playing in front of the home fans at the Salt Lake Stadium, bringing the curtains down on a 19-year-long career. As Sunil Chhetri gets closer to his final dance on the international circuit for the Indian football team, a look at his career which has been nothing short of a fairytale story that most players dream of living. Sunil Chhetri Retirement: From Spraying Perfume on His Jersey to Scripting Unforgettable Moment, Indian Football Legend Looks Back at 19-year Football Journey (Watch Video).

Most Goals by an Indian in AFC Competitions

A titan of Indian football, Chhetri, has scored a total of 19 goals - the most by an Indian player- in the AFC Cup and AFC Champions qualifiers.  He featured in 31 AFC Cup matches and two AFC Champions League (ACL) qualifying games.

AIFF Player of the Year for a Record Seven Times

Chhetri has won the prestigious All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year title a total of seven times in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons. He has also won the FPAI Indian Player of the Year award in 2009, 2018 and 2019.

Most Hat-Tricks for India

Along with most international caps and goals, India's most prolific goal-scorer Chhetri has also netted the most number of hat-tricks in international football, four.

Highest International Goals by an Indian

Chhetri has scored 94 goals in 150 international matches for India, making him the fourth-highest scorer across all of international football. Among the active players, he is only behind stars like Lionel Messi or Argentina (106 goals in 180 matches) and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (128 goals in 205 matches). Sunil Chhetri Retirement: The Backbencher and Prankster Who Will Finish As India’s Most-Capped and Top Goal Scorer of All-Time.

First Indian Player to Score Hat-Trick in ISL

Chhetri was the first player to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League (ISL). He achieved the feat in 2015.