Sunil Chhetri gets guard of honor after his last international football game and shares emotional farewell message with media

Sunil Chhetri Honored with Guard of Honor in Final International Match, Delivers Heartfelt Farewell to Fans and Media

Written by: Supriya Kadu

Edited by: Omkar Devadkar

Last Updated: 2024-06-07 08:00:13

Summary: Sunil Chhetri gave a special message to the press after playing his last international game in India's FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on June 6.

At the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, in front of more than 58,000 spectators, Sunil Chhetri said goodbye to international football as Kuwait held India to a 0-0 draw. The outcome may have hurt India's prospects of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup; they might have been affected by the outcome. Still, the supporters momentarily left their disappointment when Chhetri completed a lap of the stadium and received a guard of honor from his teammates.

Chhetri couldn't hold back his tears as the players lined up for the guard of honor following the draw with Kuwait. His teammates consoled him as he headed down the tunnel to roaring cheers from Indian fans.

Sunil shared a special letter with the media and journalists following his last international football game in India’s FIFA World Cup vs. Kuwait. Right before the post-match press conference, the 39-year-old sent a heartfelt letter to thank the media, which has gone viral everywhere on social media.

In his message to the media, Chhetri praised his journalist friends and even apologized for hosting a brief press conference.

"For the past 19 years, I've had the honor of interacting with many of you on several occasions. There were times when I had to offer fewer words than I would have wanted, and others when I responded to your questions with long monologues. There were frustrated responses, non-committal answers, and press briefings that ended quickly. But, despite it all, I'd like to believe I was always truthful with you. And that I always chose to speak with you, even if it meant making news for reasons apart from those I preferred. I wanted to express my gratitude for your role in expressing my story through this letter on this occasion.”