Kolkata: Sunil Chhetri has accepted the request from Manolo Marquez and has chosen to come out of international retirement. The former captain of the Indian national team will participate in the friendly match against the Maldives and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh later this month.

“The captain, leader, and legend will rejoin the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March,” the national team announced on social media late Thursday.

“Perhaps all farewells are merely an ‘I’ll see you soon in disguise,’” Bengaluru FC, Chhetri’s club, stated on X, a message that was subsequently shared by the national team’s account.

No additional information was disclosed. Chhetri did not respond to calls or text messages from HT seeking his comments.

Following the social media announcement, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed that head coach Marquez has included Chhetri in the 26-player squad for the upcoming matches. India is set to face the Maldives on February 19 and Bangladesh on March 25, both to be held in Shillong.

“The qualification for the Asian Cup is of utmost importance to us. Considering the significance of the tournament and the upcoming matches, I spoke with Sunil Chhetri about returning to bolster the National Team. He agreed, and we have included him in the squad,” Marquez stated in an AIFF media release.

In the current Indian Super League (ISL) season, Chhetri has netted 12 goals and provided two assists, marking his most productive season since 2017-18, when he scored 14 goals and made two assists.

At the age of 40, Chhetri declared his retirement from international football following the 2027 Asian Cup and the World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on June 6. The match ended in a 0-0 stalemate at the crowded Salt Lake Stadium, culminating in Chhetri amassing a total of 94 goals across 151 international appearances, a journey that began against Pakistan in 2005.

This achievement places him third among active international goalscorers, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo (135 goals) and Lionel Messi (112). He ranks fourth overall, behind Ali Daei (108).

Chhetri's final goal came from a penalty against Afghanistan, in a match that India lost 1-2 at home in March 2024. With that goal, he notably scored in his first, 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, 125th, and 150th international matches.

In an interview with HT on May 16, 2024, the day he announced his retirement, Chhetri expressed, “The mind tells me, ‘you did the right thing,’ but the kid in me says ‘one more game, one more camp.’ That is a fight I have at least once a day.”

For a considerable period, Chhetri has been India's primary goal scorer, a situation that became increasingly challenging after Jeje Lalpekhlua's career was hindered by injury in 2019. Following Chhetri's retirement, India played five matches, scoring only three goals, and concluded 2024 without a victory in 11 matches, marking a first in a decade.

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