The good and not so good about Sunil Chhetri’s comeback | Football News

NEW DELHI: “SUNIL CHHETRI IS BACK,” announced the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on their official X (formerly Twitter) account almost a week ago. The all-caps post of Chhetri’s return included an Indian flag and a message: “The captain, leader, legend will return to the Indian national team for the FIFA International Window in March.”
What followed was a storm of reactions — of all kinds — across social media, with many understandably delighted to see the return of Indian football’s golden boy; others questioned the value of the long-form tributes written after his retirement, wondering what they meant now.

While some saw it as a glimmer of hope in a bleak phase for Indian football, others asked some pressing questions: Why hasn’t Indian football produced another Sunil Chhetri? Why couldn’t India develop a worthy successor while Chhetri was still on the field? In a country of 1.4 billion, is that too much to ask?
“There was a time when people wondered who could replace Bhaichung Bhutia. Eventually, we found a successor in Sunil. And similarly, Sunil too will be replaced, but it will take time. Everyone just needs to be patient,” said Mehtab Hossain, former India international with 30 caps, many of them alongside Chhetri, in an exclusive chat with TimesofIndia.com.
“If you look at countries in Africa or South America — excluding Europe, many of them barely have proper infrastructure or even food security. But look at their football,” he added. “Our government needs to step up to develop Indian football. It’s not enough to make lofty claims like having a vision for 2045 or 2050. It’s not about talking — it’s about doing.”

Chhetri, for his part, has kept mum on his dramatic return to the international fold.
But the theory doing the rounds is that Indian football’s poor run — no wins in five matches since his retirement — has fueled his comeback.
“When he announced his retirement, my first thought was that he’d had a beautiful career, and it was time for him to move on. I wished him the best,” recalled Robin Singh, Chhetri’s former teammate, who scored four goals in 24 appearances for India.
Both Robin and Mehtab have seen Sunil’s rise, fall and rise again through different phases of his career. And both believe his return can only help Indian football.
“I’m excited to see him play at the highest level again for the national team. Hopefully, he can carry over the form he’s shown in the league this season and replicate that for the country,” said Robin, referencing Chhetri’s 12-goal haul from 24 matches in the 2024/25 Indian Super League season — second-best among all scorers in India’s top-tier competition.

Now 40, Chhetri is set to once again don the India jersey when the team faces Maldives on March 19, ahead of the AFC Asian Cup Qualification third-round clash against Bangladesh on March 25.
And if he finds the net, it could take him a step closer to joining an elite club in world football — players with 100 international goals.
Currently with a tally of 94 goals, Chhetri is in line to join the likes of legends Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ali Daei — the only three players to have achieved the feat.

Considering all the aspects, Chhetri’s return is an intriguing subplot for football fans across the globe.
“I’m very happy because after Sunil’s departure, the Indian team hasn’t delivered great results. His return comes at the right time,” 39-year-old Mehtab remarked. “Maybe he won’t be at his peak anymore, but the leadership he brings can still lift the squad. Without Sunil, who’s the idol in this team now? He came back for the country — otherwise, there was no reason for him to return.”
Yet, the question persists: If not Chhetri, then who?
“I think the responsibility doesn’t lie with just one person or even just the national team. It’s up to the entire football fraternity to believe in the younger generation — players like Manvir Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Vikram Partap Singh and Rahim Ali — who’ve shown they can be versatile,” Robin opined. “Sunil’s return will help them, no doubt. Learning from the best can only help them move forward.”
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