'At the same time, this may encourage some youngsters in some parts of the country to pursue football.'
Spanish striker Iker Guarrotxena scored a brace as FC Goa defeated Mumbai City FC 3-1 in the Indian Super League, ending a 13-game winless streak against the Islanders.
Chhetri still takes advice from former captain Bhutia who has a huge influence on him.
The Blues will look to bounce back and stay in the hunt for the first spot, though they now trail the top-placed Mohun Bagan Super Giant (36) by eight points (28), slightly undoing their impressive run in the earlier parts of the season.
The Indian men's team currently occupies the 18th spot among countries under the Asian Football Confederation, while the women's side is ranked 11th.
Chhetri expressed his desire to play the Asian Cup on home soil
Hyderabad FC score in dying minutes to salvage 1-1 draw against EBFC
'I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon'
Farukh Choudhary and skipper Sunil Chhetri struck in the second half to guide India to a 2-1 victory over Nepal in their second International friendly, in Kathmandu, on Sunday.
Blue Tigers rise to third spot.
Former hockey captain P R Sreejesh was chosen for the Padma Bhushan, while Ravichandran Ashwin was among the Padma Shri winners.
Sunil Chhetri equalled the iconic Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike as an inspired India blanked Nepal 3-0 for their eighth SAFF Championship title, in Male, on Saturday. India extended their domination in the regional tournament thanks to second half goals from Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th).
India captain Sunil Chhetri added another feather to his illustrious cap as he overtook Argentina star Lionel Messi to become the second-highest goalscorer among the current players in international football.
Having endured a topsy-turvy start to their campaign before a fine turnaround, seven-time champions India start as title favourites when they take on first-time finalists Nepal in the summit clash of the SAFF Championships, in Male, on Saturday.
'...there's a feeling of being indebted to the sport, to my team, that I get to do this.'
Sunil Chhetri said he would like to be remembered as 'the luckiest and most hardworking national team player'.
Despite having the ball possession of 60.6 per cent, the Highlanders were not able to go past the defence of the Mohammedan FC.
Sunil Chhetri's late goal earned India the 1-0 victory over Nepal in the SAFF Championship, at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, on Sunday. The victory took India to third in the group standings with five points, just a behind Maldives and Nepal, both of whom have six points each.
AIFF President Praful Patel congratulated Chhetri on being conferred with the Khel Ratna.
Rathore, Tendulkar lead accolades for Chhetri
Head coach Igor Stimac believes it could be a game-changer for Indian football as India take on Kuwait in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
East Bengal finished the season in the bottom-place on the points table, with only one win in 20 matches
The Gaurs were relentless in their attack post the 30-minute mark and their persistence eventually bore fruit when Sahil Tavora found Boris on the right flank with acres of space.
Sunil Chhetri became the 8th top scorer in international football after equalling Brazil legend Pele's goal tally.
'When the girls said they want to play football, the mothers were encouraging.' 'It was the fathers who were against the idea.'
The evening was graced by the presence of Paralympic athletes Navdeep Singh and Avani Lekhara, whose inspiring achievements have brought immense pride to the nation.
'I'm a different kind of legendary. Me and Dhoni are the same kind of legends. We keep saying no, but end up playing 10 more IPLs.'
Sunil Chhetri said said if more people are made aware and educated about the issue, the incidents of abuse will also go down.
Sunil Chhetri, playing in his 121st international in the SAFF Championship, struck in the 27th minute to place himself just a goal shy of legendary Brazillian Pele (77 goals from 92 matches).
Sunil Chhetri likened the national team setup with his home and expressed his relief at returning to where he belongs
National coach Manolo Marquez coached FC Goa handed Bengaluru FC a comprehensive 3-0 defeat in an Indian Super League match in Goa on Saturday.
Last year, Kohli had adopted a plant-based diet and Chhetri said his awareness came during a stint with Sporting Lisbon in 2013.
Chhetri's first professional contract was with Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan at a tender age of 17. It was a big challenge to overcome for a teenager and he buckled under pressure at times.
Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri struck twice to lead a beleaguered India to a 3-1 win over hosts Maldives in their final league match and enter the title clasg of the SAFF Championships in Male on Wednesday.
Odisha FC delivered a magnificent performance to sweep aside Bengaluru FC 4-2 in their Indian Super League (ISL) match in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
AC Milan striker Alvaro Morata's plan to live in a quaint village on the outskirts of the city has been ditched after the mayor revealed the Spain captain was moving into the locality in a social media blooper.
Both teams showed urgency to find the winner but were denied, with Malaysia coming close just before the final whistle.
Vishal Kaith's twin saves in the tiebreaker helped defending champions Mohun Bagan make a splendid comeback from two goals down to edge star-studded Bengaluru FC 4-3 (2-2 after full-time) to reach the Durand Cup final for a record 30th time in Kolkata on Tuesday.
From doing double training sessions and reading books, to watching renowned broadcaster and historian Sir David Attenborough's documentary 'A Life On Our Planet', the 36-year-old has been one busy man through the last three weeks of the team's quarantine in Goa.
India football captain Sunil Chhetri believes that the country's budding soccer players should get a chance to train in European academies in order to improve their skills. The man with 72 international goals described his stint with Sporting Lisbon as a 'great experience'.
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