Indian football icon Chhetri set for international swan song

The 39-year-old forward said last month that the home World Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Kolkata would be his international swan song, and the skipper will want to go out with a bang. Chhetri has scored 94 goals for his country, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Iran's retired Ali Daei and Lionel Messi in the all-time list.

With 150 appearances he is India's most-capped player. "I feel privileged to have had a career like this," Chhetri told The Economic Times. "When I started playing football, all of this was unthinkable. I will not trade what I have got for anything in the world."

Chhetri is a sporting icon in cricket-mad India. The diminutive striker, who is 1.7 metres tall (five feet, seven inches), made his debut against fierce rivals Pakistan in 2005 and scored India's only goal in the draw. He hit a hat-trick against Tajikistan to help India qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup, their first time at the tournament in 27 years.

"He became a legend while still playing, and that's something only a few can do," India's coach Igor Stimac said last month. "He's an inspiration to everyone, absolutely committed to the Indian jersey." Chhetri had two brief but unsuccessful spells in Portugal and the United States, but has spent most of his career in India.

He currently plays for Bengaluru. In 2009 he was offered a contract by London-based Queens Park Rangers, in England's second tier, but he could not get a work permit. India are second in their group, behind Qatar, and can take a large step towards the third and final qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup with victory over Kuwait. The top two progress.