Ahead of the SAFF Championship 2023 opener between India and Pakistan, captain of the Indian football team Sunil Chhetri recalled his debut which came against Pakistan in 2005. Ahead of the showdown between the two neighbouring nations, Chhetri recalled his debut goal and the reception he received from the Pakistan crowd as India had travelled across the border for a three-match series.
Chhetri wasn’t even fully fit back then but then India coach Sukhwinder Singh gave the 20-year-old a run-in as talismanic striker Bhaichung Bhutia was injured. On his international debut, Chhetri scored at the Ayud Stadium in Quetta, during a game that ended 1-1.
The 38-year-old recalled the morning ahead of the match when the coach told him that he will start the match.
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“On the morning Sukhwinder sir our coach he came to us (both me and Nabi) and said I have decided that you both will start. And we went mad right from having breakfast and thinking about the game. I still remember we put both our jerseys and shorts and we started spraying perfume on it, I don’t know why,” said Chhetri in a video shared by the official handle of the Indian Super League (ISL).
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The youngster managed to score shortly after the break and went to celebrate in front of the Pakistan fans.
“That was my first ever start for the national team and I think that’s one day I will take with me to my grave because that’s something you will never forget. To my fortune, I also ended up scoring that day and I got so pumped up that I went celebrated and put my arms out,” recalled Chhetri.
“It was pin-drop silence, I had scored against Pakistan, playing for India in Balochistan, when I was looking at the fans they were all angrily staring at me. My teammates didn’t join me, thanks to them,” said Sunil further.
Fast forward 18 years, Chhetri has scored 87 goals for the Blue Tigers and he will be hoping to net his 89th strike and move closer to Lionel Messi’s tally of international goals.
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