Chhetri has 72 goals in 102 matches for India.
Sunil Chhetri. (File Photo: IANS)
In a recent statement, captain of the Indian football team Sunil Chhetri has shed light upon his initial days as a professional footballer and stated that losing is not an option in Kolkata because of the passionate crowd there.
He also stated that right from his first match for India, everyone in the team wants him to score and that is the reason he has been able to score so many goals for India in his career.
“The crowd turns hostile when you start losing and there were times I used to cry. Losing is not an option in Kolkata,” said Chhetri as quoted by the official website of the Indian Super League.
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“It’s not easy, a lot of players even quit. There were instances which shook me and I even called my father back home once and said that I don’t think I should do this.
“My family supported me a lot and my father flew in to stay with me from time to time. We talked and it made things easier. The story continued and 18 years on, here I am,” he added.
Notably, Chhetri has 72 goals in 102 matches for India. Among active international goalscorers, Chhetri is number on the list with only the Portugal legend, Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him.
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