Sunil Chhetri has been our mentor: Anirudh Thapa pays tribute to retiring football great

Central midfielder Anirudh Thapa has paid tribute to the legendary Sunil Chhetri, who will play his last international match when India take on Kuwait in their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier on June 6. The game, at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, will mark Chhetri’s farewell from international football after a glorious 19-year career. “It is an important match for all of us, and especially for Sunil bhai. We need to make sure that we qualify for the third round because that would be huge for Indian football and the fans,” Thapa told the All India Football Federation’s website. “We’re playing at the Salt Lake and the stadium will be fully packed. We all know how crazy the fans are and how much they love football there. We will give our best for the nation. We need to be at our best to get those three points,” he added.

India need to win their final two qualifiers against Kuwait at home on June 6 and Qatar away on June 11, following their shocking 1-2 loss to Afghanistan in March. Thapa mentioned that he has been fortunate to share seven years on the field with the great Chhetri. “Over the past seven years, whenever I’ve been in the national camp, he’s been the one everyone looks up to. He is an example-setter. He used to guide us through everything, tell us new things like how to stay fit, and what to do in your daily life. He has been a mentor for all,” said Thapa.

On the pitch, the seamless synergy between Thapa and Chhetri is widely acknowledged. Among Chhetri’s impressive tally of 94 goals, four have been expertly set up by the precision passes and intelligent playmaking of Thapa. The four goals came in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup (against Chinese Taipei and Kenya), once in a 2021 friendly against Nepal, and most notably in the SAFF Championship group stage against Kuwait, where a remarkable volley from a perfectly executed corner sealed the deal. Outside the football field, Thapa shed some light on their relationship.

“Yeah, we do talk outside football. About a lot of things. We discuss our holidays and vacations. In the national camp too, after our meals in the dining room, we sit and chat for a while, sharing laughter. Sharing the dressing room with him has been great.” Adding a message for Chhetri, Thapa said, “Although Sunil bhai knows everything about football and life and has been the one always guiding us, my message to him would be that now is the time you can eat what you want to, you can enjoy with your son in your free time. And our plan to go on a vacation together is still on.”