Indian football fans were in for a treat on June 21st as Sunil Chhetri, Indian national football team captain, led his team to a resounding 4-0 victory against Pakistan in Bengaluru. It was not just a win for India, but also a historic achievement for Chhetri, as he scored his 90th international goal, overtaking Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia to become the fourth-highest international goal scorer in the history of the sport. The only players ahead of him on the list are Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei, and Lionel Messi.
Not only did Chhetri score a hat-trick on the day, but his goals were crucial in securing India’s eighth victory in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championships. The stadium, which was lashed with rain, saw unwavering support from fans as nearly 23,000 spectators continuously cheered on the Blue Tigers faithful.
This was not Chhetri’s first hat-trick; he has achieved this feat four times now, with the first coming on a monumental day for Indian football when he led the national team to the AFC Asian Cup after 27 years in 2005. The second hat-trick came in the AFC Challenge Cup final in 2008, followed by one in Mumbai in 2018. Finally, the fourth hat-trick came in front of a cheering home crowd in Bengaluru.
The Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru played a crucial role in inspiring India’s performance as fans constantly chanted and showed their support, even in the pouring rain. Chhetri’s contribution to the victory was acknowledged by the fans as Kolkata’s West Block Blues chanted, “When times are tryin’, we keep the tricolour flyin’.”
However, Chhetri remains focused on the team’s overall performance and knows that India has two more tough matches to play against Nepal and Kuwait. After the match, he stated that, “We did some good things, but I’m sure the coach will tell us a few things where we can improve. It’s going to get more difficult from here, but the way we’re playing, we’re quite confident. At home, we always feel powerful.
While Chhetri will continue to play for the Indian national team, his recent achievement has cemented his legacy in Indian football history.
