Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri is just one step away from creating history and achieving the landmark of playing…
Sunil Chhetri acknowledges the crowds. (Photo: AFP)
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri is just one step away from creating history and achieving the landmark of playing 100 international matches for India.
Chhetri will play his historic 100th match on Monday (4th June) and in the process will become second Indian player to represent India in 100 international matches. Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia is the only player to represent India in 100 matches.
Talking about Chhetri’s achievement, Bhaichung Bhutia heaped praise on Indian captain and welcomed his “disciple” to an “elite club” ahead of the Sunil’s landmark match.
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“Welcome to the Club, Sunil, and it’s quite an elite club. Representing your country in 100 International matches is a huge achievement,” Bhutia told All India Football Federation (AIFF).
“It’s not easy for any footballer in the world, whichever country you come from to achieve such a feat. He has been one of the most-sincere and focussed footballers I have come across. I have seen him grow in front of my eyes for 15 years now and he has been a thorough professional all throughout,” the 41-year-old added.
“What he has accomplished is a result of the sheer hard work put in. He always knew what he wanted and that’s why he was able to evolve as a player,” Bhutia further said.
“He has worked a lot on the dead ball situations. At the outset, he wasn’t one of the first choices to take a free-kick. But practice makes it perfect and today he is one of the best dead ball specialists in India, both at the club and at the International level. He has also worked a lot on the physical part which is a quintessential part for any footballer to succeed at the international level,” Bhutia concluded.
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